Quiet Place - Zeno

[originalouryuu]

OOC:

Player Name: Xae
Age: over 30
Contact: Tsukeru @ plurk

IC:

Name: Zeno
Canon: Akatsuki no Yona
Canon Point: Chapter 151: The You I Don't Know - Post Xing conflict and after recovering
Age: Looks 17 but is 2000+ (he's admitted that he lost track of how much time has passed)

Spoken language(s): an odd form of Korean
Username: happyhungryzeno
To the Mods: Nope

History:

Here

Personality:

Upon first meeting Zeno, the first thing pretty much everyone will notice is how cheerful he is. It's very rare to not see him with a smile on his face even when there are serious situations happening around him. While it isn't happening all of the time, Zeno is under the firm believe that people are mirrors - if you smile, a smile will be reflected back. No matter how grim a situation is a smile can brighten someone's day even if just for a moment. To say that Zeno is the most cheerful of the bunch is not a stretch at all. Even if he never says a thing, he will be standing in the background with a huge grin on his face or to start laughing at something the others say. To go along with that cheerful nature, he's also got the energetic spirit. If asked, Zeno will actually say that Yona is the most energetic of them all as he did to Tae-Jun. While she might not be energetic in the same way that he is, he knows hers is more important. Most of the time Zeno wastes his energy on silly things like juggling, playing with the other dragons and other childish antics. Sure, he will lend a hand when it's needed to help someone and Zeno will do it without much complaint (though will make jokes about being old once people know his actual age) but all of it almost seems like it is a huge game to him. Yona is more serious in her actions in comparison and that's the kind of thing that has a big impact on the world she leaves behind. Of course it's absolutely impossible to miss his playful and childish side. It comes out in the simplest ways such as they way that he refers to himself in third person rather than using 'I'. He also has a habit of repeating something twice in the same breath or making silly statements that are completely unnecessary. Zeno is not afraid to express his excitement in a childish manner either such as throwing his hands up in the air in a private celebration. There will even be times when he acts as if those around are playing along with him even when they aren't really. It was Zeno who tacked on "The Happy Hungry Bunch" to the "Dark Dragon" title when they were pretending to be bandits simply because they were grinning while their stomachs were growling. If he can have fun in a situation, Zeno will do it to the best of his ability. Underneath his juvenile behavior is someone who is sincerely kind at heart. He has had the most basic desire to make other people happy which was his entire reason for accepting the blood of a dragon. Zeno was well aware that he wasn't strong or a fighter and that maybe he wouldn't be able to protect King Hiryuu the way the dragon wanted him to, but accepted it anyway for the possibility that he could make someone else happy. Throughout the years that followed, there may have been moments when he lashed out instead of trying to help someone but it never lasted. Such as his first incident with a woman named Kaya. She reached out and helped him but Zeno repaid that with anger. After he calmed down, the kindness had returned in full force. Even when in battle he never wanted to hurt someone which may make his ability very suited to him. Instead of needing to harm or kill others, he can simply frighten them off by reattaching his head or limbs. Zeno is not the type of person who raises his voice in anger very often because it takes a great deal to seriously piss him off. There might be times when he's stern but rarely unkind. He won't even hesitate to put himself near someone who hasn't bathed in weeks and help them get clean. Nothing could ever disgust Zeno enough that he wouldn't take the time to help them. Zeno is also one of those people who sees without seeing. The people around him might be talking about something serious and he may appear to be completely zoned out and bored but he's actually paying attention. He sees things that other might not always notice because they're being overlooked. Those are the kinds of stuff that he picks up on. If someone is sad but they're still smiling - he knows. Zeno has seen a lot in his long life both on him and on others so it's hard to get it passed his notice. However, he might not always comment on it or may play with it as if he doesn't quite get it such as when Kija was experiencing a new feeling he didn't understand. Zeno choose to sleep next to the other dragon and asked him if the feeling had gone away when he realized that Yona's choice to sleep next to Hak was because she wanted to steal his sword for practice. Due to his many lifetimes of experience, Zeno is a very knowledgeable individual. While he doesn't always show this, he has traveled for quite a long time and has seen the world change. This is why Zeno never seems to be surprised at the events happening wherever they go - whether it may be a village with people filled with the sick and weak or a town where drugs have altered the people's personalities. He takes it all in easily and can adjust to any situation with ease. It goes well with his exceptional perceptiveness. Most of the time, Zeno plays the fool but then there are moments when he offers a bit of wisdom to the younger people. He told Hak that he didn't have to carry everything by himself because all of them were there now and helped calm Yona down when Soo-Won's presence had made her lose her head. That doesn't mean that he has all of the answers but if he can offer advice, he will. Though it does seem that Zeno likes to see people work through their troubles on their own because it makes them a better, stronger and wiser person. On the other side of that, there's a lot that he still has to learn. Humanity is always growing and experiencing new things. To be in a place like this where people from different times and worlds are collected, he would make a real attempt to learn new things. Zeno has experienced a lot in his life - he's done it all but suddenly something that doesn't exist in his world is right in front of him. No matter what, he is the kind of individual who would try things. One activity may be different to do alone than it is with people he considers to be his friends. This is why he has such a good time with the Happy Hungry Bunch. All of these people are new to him so to do something that he may have done before takes on a whole new meaning. It should also be noted that Zeno never calls anyone by their name - not inside the group who are people he considers his friends or people he just met. Once upon a time, a long time ago, Zeno used names quite frequently. Not always but definitely more often. These days the only name he uses is his own and that's only so he doesn't forget it which is something Kaya taught to him. There is nothing said about why Zeno chooses to do this but it may be because so many people have come and gone from his life that names don't really matter to him so much. He'd rather remember them than something like remember their name and forget what they were like. It may also be part of defensive mechanism to protect himself by putting a little distance between them. Zeno is firmly under the belief that he will still exist even when everything has fallen away and that includes everyone he meets. He lost people who were important to him before and knows exactly what that kind of pain feels like so he may be already mentally preparing himself for that day. To others though, it may just seem to be another part of his childish behavior. Underneath his exterior front is someone who can be serious. Sometimes he may take on a role that seems like he's just playing but Zeno is actually being serious. When the group entered the battlefield, Zeno took up a shield to protect Yoon but acted as if was just a bit of fun. He even attempted to cover their retreat with a cheerful demeanor until he was ordered to go first. Zeno knew that standing around arguing about it would have only got someone hurt or killed so he accepted the order. It showed up again when Jae-Ha was drugged and the man was violently thrashing about while yelling out. He didn't like the fact that there was nothing he could to help. Another time it shows up is when he has a job to do as Ouryuu. Zeno takes his duty to protect Yona and the others very seriously. Usually the other three dragons or Hak are the ones left to look after the princess but as long as he's around, he will not let her die. The childish act is very nearly stripped away entirely in dire circumstances or when he needs the other dragons to take him seriously for a change. Even the extremely dutiful and loyal Kija left him to protect Yona when faced with this side of Zeno. When push comes to shove, he can inspire trust in those around him by taking a moment to be serious. That said, Zeno is the sort of person who is very loyal to those who he deems worthy. He may not have gone to Yona's side instantly but needed to test her. Technically he didn't do anything to her but simply stood back while she overcame all kinds of obstacles in her way with a fiery determination. Once he saw that she wasn't the type of person who turned away when something was difficult, hopeless and brutal - Yona had his complete loyalty. If she intends to take back the castle, he will follow her. If she's about to die, Zeno will take a fatal blow for her. Normally Zeno would survive that kind of thing but even knowing that he wouldn't survive the Sound Eaters, he would still die for her. Not just for her but for anyone in the group. Zeno will be their shield even if it means his life. While he will attempt to find another way first, there won't be a moment's hesitation to take a blow for any of the group and those he gets close to. A loyalty earned, is a loyalty never betrayed when it comes to him. Being loyal also means that he is the protective sort. Way back in the early days, Zeno was willing to protect the dragons and his king even though he didn't know the extent of his abilities yet. He didn't like being told to stay back and couldn't always manage it. After the King died, he protected his dragon brethren as well by staying in the castle when protests arose. Zeno not only looked after the prince but the country they'd fought for by going into battle all by himself on occasion. To him, life is the most precious thing there is because everyone only has one. Reincarnation or not - people are their own individuals and should be allowed to live. So if someone attempts to throw away food that other people could use to survive, yeah, he's going to get a little angry about it. If someone threatens an innocent's life, he'll protect them. It isn't just those who are close to him, it goes beyond that. While there will be times when he doesn't always interfere, he thinks it's a sad thing when people die. Some deaths affect him more than others but Zeno also has begrudgingly accepted the fact that it happens and there isn't anything anyone can do about it. Two thousand years is a long time to have been alive and not have someone to share it with. Being lonely at times is completely natural. He could have settled down somewhere and started a village like the other dragons did but that would mean that he'd have to watch each generation start and end. It's the worst kind of pain that someone can experience because wounds heal (especially for Zeno). Getting over someone's loss isn't nearly as easy. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that he has reached the point where he's tried to take his own life. While it isn't stated how many times Zeno has attempted this, it has been said that he tried by shredding himself. Loneliness is something average people have to deal with and Zeno has to take on so much more. This is why he enjoys himself so much being around the others. Being with people can push loneliness away but it always comes back and there are a few times when the happy-go-lucky facade slips. It should also be noted that Zeno is very tight-lipped when it comes to talking about himself. Even the people he travels with know the bare minimum about him. They're more likely to know more about the things he does when around them then any of his past beyond the fact that he left his village some time ago and has been traveling ever since. When it's revealed in future chapters that he's the original Ouryuu, Zeno still doesn't talk about his life much. There's even a point when he admitted he was married at one point but didn't describe it to them before deciding that question time was over. He will continue to be mysterious about himself even now because he just doesn't like talking about his past. When he does end up talking about himself, it's vague to point of being fairly cryptic and impossible to continue to ask about. After it's been revealed that he can't die no matter the circumstances, Zeno always casually talks about it. He treats it as if it's absolutely no big deal to be dealt such mortal wounds. At least that's how it goes before or after being hurt. It gets brushed off as if he doesn't feel the pain of the wounds or is worried about getting hurt in the first place. However, it's an entirel different story when right in the middle of it. While Zeno had no problem holding up a beam in a burning house and being on fire while people escaped, he did want to get out of there to prevent others from coming in to look for him. It wasn't the excruciating pain that made him want to leave even though he'd been burnt to a crisp on the outside and suffered severe internal damage from the smoke, it was the fact that the other members of his group are so loyal and protective would come in after him despite knowing that he wouldn't die from a silly little house fire. While not too much is known about Zeno's life before becoming a dragon, some things are known about what happened and the people who have impacted his life. First and foremost was King Hiryuu. As one of the people gifted with the blood of the four dragons who followed Hiryuu, he had intense feelings of loyalty and respect for the now human King. If he had been given the opportunity, Zeno would have risked everything for that man. It's clear that Hiryuu worried more about him though from the way he acts upon learning about Zeno's healing ability and giving him the medallion. Even knowing that he could heal from any wound, Hiryuu always instructed him to stay behind him and away from the fighting. And Hiryuu never voiced any suspicions or fears he may have had about Zeno's power - just hugged him tightly and attempted to take care of him while he was alive. That's why Zeno was devastated when his King died, just as much as the other dragons were. He's also been waiting all of these years for the potential that King Hiryuu will be incarnated on the planet. Even though Zeno's been waiting, he didn't immediately run to Yona's side when she was born or even when she had to leave the castle behind. Instead he followed her and watched over to her to see if she was worthy of being Hiryuu's reincarnation. He watched her collect the other dragons - with acceptance, kindness and fortitude. After she saved the people of Awa it was then that he decided that he would join them. It was all kinds of nonchalant-like the way Zeno just waltzed in to intrude on their meal time. None of this has been revealed yet to all of them and they all act as if he kind of stumbled on them by accident. Despite his normal carefree attitude when it concerns her intent, Zeno does have a great respect for Yona. He made his decision to follow her on his own so whatever her reasons are for gathering the four dragons is fine to him. Plus he sincerely believes that they could retake Hiryuu Castle if that is her intent. As time goes by, Zeno's feelings towards the princess grows - he is loyal to her and would protect her from harm. So far it hasn't happened yet but in future chapters, he outright states that he would be a shield not just for Yona but for all of them. It's very likely the reason he hasn't revealed his abilities in a straight-forward manner is because he doesn't want them to feel bad or guilty should he take a fatal blow for any of them. Zeno doesn't want to see any of them to be sad because they've been through so much already. Moving on from Hiryuu and his reincarnation, Yona, his next important relationships come in the form of the other three dragons. The first three consist of Gu-En (Hakuryuu), Abi (Seiryuu) and Shu-Ten (Ryokuryuu) and they became to be like brothers to him. At first they got along about as well as four people could and disagreed. It was their loyalty to the King that kept them together but the many battles they went through together drew them closer until they became practically family. There was a level of familiarity that comes placing trust in someone so whole-heartedly. All of them teased each other like real brothers tend to but any of them would gladly fight and die for the rest. Zeno actually wished that he had powers not so that he could hurt people but so that he could really fight by them rather than standing back while they dealt with their enemies. He wanted to be useful to his brothers as much as he wanted to be useful to his King but it was impossible. Still, that wouldn't stop him from protecting any of them with his life if he could. This is actually how Zeno found out the true ability granted to him by the Yellow Dragon. He took a fatal wound for Abi and realized that he wouldn't die that way. As the years went by, he also never aged like the rest of them. The thought of being left behind by not just King Hiryuu but by the other dragons was frightening to him. So frightening that he couldn't leave with them after Hiryuu's death or even visit them. It already took a lot to smile and seem cheerful when they departed. Zeno didn't want to see them age and grow weaker while he remained the same. In the end, as he felt them on the verge of death Zeno finally admitted that he wanted to go with them. Not just to leave the castle but to leave the earth as they had because he didn't want to be alone. It only took him twenty years to figure that out. Due to his strong bond with the first four dragons, he didn't go out to find the next generation of dragons. It isn't known if Zeno sought out and bonded with any of the following dragons either. That changed when Yona was born. Knowing that Hiryuu had been reincarnated made him seek out the current dragons who were basically a bunch of kids. He wanted to see how they were living. There was a moment of understanding with Kija, he promised to play with Shin-Ah (who didn't have a name) and visited Jae-Ha when he was imprisoned. To someone like Zeno, it was pretty much like getting to watch these three grow up and overcome their individual struggles. So when he met them after they'd grown up, it was like greeting old friends. While he might some similarities between this generation the first, he knows that they're completely different. They're all their own people and not the ones he used to know. They can't be replaced no matter if they die and a new dragon is born in their stead. Still, Zeno has grown attached to them even if only calls them by their dragon name. It might be habit carried over from his first time around or it might also be a way to keep himself at a slight distance from them in preparation for the day that they too die before him. As he promised, Zeno plays with Shin-Ah and may be seen with the silent dragon more then the rest but he does have a good relationship with Kija. Good enough to sleep close when Hakuryuu is having emotional problems he can't understand. And he won't hesitate to invade Jae-Ha's personal space when given the opportunity. When it comes down it, these three as just as much as his family as the first three dragons are. Of course, there is also Zeno's relationship with the other two members of the Happy Hungry Bunch. His bonds aren't exactly as strong as they are with the dragons and Yona but he likes them just as much. To Zeno, Yoon can be scary at times especially when it comes to dealing with money, food and other serious matters. Yet he also respects the boy a great deal. Despite the fact that Zeno is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, Yoon takes care of the whole group as if it were an easy task when sometimes it's so far from that. For someone so young, Yoon is very mature and Zeno is aware it's because of the life he's led and he respects that a lot. As for Hak, he respects his fierce strength - both physically and mentally. Zeno never felt threatened by the fact that the man would make a better dragon than him and is glad that Yona has someone so dedicated by her side. He also worries for the man because he literally risks his life for her. Shortly after he joined the group, Zeno tried to ease Hak's burden by telling him that the dragons would help him protect the princess and was pleasantly surprised when the man retorted with the fact that the dragons couldn't be replaced just because their power was passed on. More recently, he was surprised when Hak took a blade that was headed straight for him. While it was intended for Yona but it would have had to go through Zeno first if Hak hadn't interfered. It had probably been a long time since anyone did that for him. So yeah, Yoon and Hak might as well be family at this point too. Finally the other important person who is known that has been in Zeno's life is a girl named Kaya. When he was starving, she took him in despite the fact that she was terminally ill and likely didn't have much to spare. Zeno treated her roughly at first because the medallion that Hiryuu had given him was suddenly gone but it didn't last when he realized she was sick and had given up her bed for him. Her attempts to push him away so that he wouldn't get sick only made Zeno want to stay more. They had a great time with each other, he smiled more than he had in a long time. Two lonely spirits that managed to meet by mere chance were given a brief moment in time to be happy. Kaya was a bright spot in his long life and one who made a huge impact on his life. Some of Zeno's mannerisms came from spending time with her such as referring to himself in the third person so that he wouldn't forget his name and throwing his arms up into the air as a celebration as well. To smile even when things were hard was also heavily influenced by Kaya. It wasn't just two people taking joy out of not being alone, it was two people who truly cared for each other to the point where they got married. Zeno even pleaded to the Yellow Dragon to extend her life for even just a little bit. So her death came as huge devastation, like one he hadn't experienced since the first dragons died. Eventually he did carry on without her but Zeno doesn't talk about his time with her because it still hurts and likely always will.

Abilities/Skills:

Immortality At least 2000 years ago, Zeno was gifted with the blood of Ouryuu (Yellow Dragon) and at first it didn't seem as if he'd also received any kind of powers like the other three did. As it turned out, he did but it wasn't visible all of the time. Zeno hasn't physically aged a single day since that day. He simply can't which is why he's never grown old, died and reincarnated like the others have. Also, he can't get sick normally or if he moves too far away from Hiryuu castle - something the others go through. Not even starvation or dehydration can kill him. Not even fire is effective either. The following three categories also fall under his immortality ability. Regeneration Because he's immortal it means that he can't die from wounds. Actually, someone could chop off his head and Zeno can reattach it - the same with any of his limbs. It still hurts when this happens but he can't be killed through any means. His regeneration happens almost as soon as the wound is inflicted. Zeno is also capable of controlling any limbs that get severed so an arm can grab a weapon and strike an enemy before it returns to his body. Basically, he can control when it's reattached. His regeneration ability does slow down/take longer as he gets further away from Hiryuu Castle. That said, he can be hurt by simple things such as getting punched in the face by Hak but recovers quickly. Dragon Scales If he takes enough damage, his skin will harden and take on a scale-like appearance. This makes it impossible for him to be hurt anymore. These generally appear over the places where serious wounds have been inflicted. Should he grow dragon scales on his arms or feet, Zeno essentially has the abilities of both Kija or Jae-Ha - mostly their enhanced strength. Eventually the dragon scales will disappear and leave Zeno vulnerable to attacks again but it takes a while. Immunities Turns out that Zeno can look at Seiryuu's dragon eyes and not be paralyzed for very long. His heart cannot be paralyzed to cause permanent death. While he does witness the hallucination that comes with gazing in Seiryuu's eyes (of a large dragon attacking them), Zeno will not die from it. In fact, he will only be paralyzed for a few seconds before recovering. He also cannot be possessed by spirits due to his immortality. Over this years, his body has been suffered through so much physical pain that any spirit trying to possess him would not be able to handle it. Dragon Sense He is also capable of being able to sense the other dragon warriors. Not only can Zeno physically locate them, he can sense when one fades, dies and their power passed on to the next generation. He was also able to sense when King Hiryuu had been reincarnated after two thousand years. Protected Dragon Blood It's unknown if this is something only unique to Zeno or if the other dragons are the same but his power of immortality can't be passed on through blood by any means. One cannot consume (or inject) his blood and come away with the power of Ouryuu. (They're dragons, not vampires.) Dragon Spirit Manifestation When the situation is most dire, the Ouryuu's spirit can manifest itself in order to protect the red dragon. This will cause Zeno to pass out and be unable to move for a period of time. However, unlike with the other three dragons, thanks to his regeneration ability he recovers a lot faster than they do. It also can't shorten his lifespan the way it does for the others. Combat Due to the fact that he's so old, Zeno has learned how to fight. While normally he plays dumb and acts like it's all a big game, when things get tough, Zeno is capable of taking down multiple opponents. He can also use an assortment of weapons. Unfortunately he isn't strong at all normally. Unless the dragon blood inside of him has been activated, he's actually quite weak. Weak enough to not be able to carry normal heavy items such as a pile of wood for a fire or a girl roughly the same size as him. Yet he can give a little old woman a piggyback ride. Spiritual Abilities There's also the capability to sense spirits/ghosts and the like. Not only can Zeno sense them but he can see them as well. He can tell when someone is haunted and may even be able to pick up on those who become possessed. While he might not be able to know who is responsible in most cases, it's definitely easier to pick up on when the other dragons are involved. Zeno has shown that he can sense the previous Hakuryuu's that hang around Kija and can tell that he's not only conquered their unresolved issues but barely even seems to notice it. It's very likely that this is something that he's picked up on due to the fact that he's been on the verge of death but never died. A being who cannot be killed. Miscellaneous His long lifespan has also given him plenty of time to learn all kinds of things that don't involve fighting or his abilities. Zeno's learned to juggle and can even take care of the sick. While not nearly an expert like Yoon, he does fine bandaging wounds and generally tending to someone. He can ride a horse... even while standing on its back. Of course, he also learned how to cook over the years and probably a bunch of other things. Over the years he's probably have an assortment of odd jobs such as when he was living with Kaya and worked to earn money for her medicine.

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