Post by mab on Apr 30, 2008 21:47:25 GMT -5
Name:Mai
Age: 15
Nation: Fire Nation
Bender?: No
Physical Appearance: Mai’s body seems to be totally composed of thin, sharp angles. She stands almost at level with Azula, around 5’2, with a long, willowy frame. Her alabaster skin is free of imperfections and almost seems to reflect the sunlight when she travels outside. The paleness of her skin also speaks of a well cultured life behind Fire Nation walls. Mai’s head is perched upon a long, slender neck with a sharp and distinct jaw line and pointed chin. Pale, rust colored eyes are set in a narrow gaze and framed with a short, thick set of lashes. Her eyebrows are long and formed in a perfect arch; with the dark bistre color standing in sharp contrast to her pale skin. The nose that slopes about halfway down her face is thin and sharp, ending with a noticeable upturn at the end. Pale lips, languid lavender in color, barely stand out from her face. The top seems to disappear completely and the bottom is most noticeably turned down in displeasure at one thing or another. Mai’s ears are larger than perhaps she would like though she doesn’t spend much time thinking about it. They stick out because her thick hair, pinned behind her head in a bun, doesn’t allow her ears to sit against her head. If Mai simply let her hair down naturally after washing or brushing it, it would fall nearly to her mid-back straight and glossy. Instead, she tucks it behind her head, from which the bulk of it rests near her neck, in a small, neat bun. Two longer locks extend from the bun about level with her small breasts and cut at an angle on the ends. Two smaller buns, one at each side near the top of her head, are wrapped to help hold the piled hair in place. A thick mass of bangs cover her broad forehead completely, ending where her eyebrows begin. Two thick strands of hair extend from the sides of the bangs and curve inward to help frame her face, ending at her earlobe.
Mai’s frame is thin and willowy. Lithe arms extend from narrow shoulders. If it wasn’t for her developed biceps and triceps Mai would appear even bonnier. Her wrist bones stick out and her hands have long fingers with the bones and tendons visible when she moves them. As is customary for upper class Fire Nation citizens, Mai’s nails are long and well manicured with a slight dark glazing to them for effect. The young girl has only recently begun entering her womanhood and has not begun developing in any noticeable way. Her chest is all but completely flat and possesses little in the way of curves. Her legs are long and thin, with less muscle as are in her arms, but still make her a decent enough runner. Mai’s feet are small and dainty with nails just as well kept as her fingernails.
Clothing/Armor: Despite the warmth of her homeland, Mai dresses herself in long layers. A carmine colored top fits her torso snuggly, and the fabric is light and airy. It covers her chest and neck and fits close except for the sleeves, which billow out from the shoulder seam. The ends of the sleeves are cut at an angle, allowing her to leave her hands more or less exposed. Black gloves reach from the knuckles of her hands, leaving thin fingers exposed, to her elbow. The gloves are black and silky in material. Over the long sleeved top Mai adds a sleeveless, falu pink vest. It exposes the front of the carmine top in a V-shape, with the front inside edges bordered in a light wheat trim. A thin belt, matching falu pink, cinches the vest to her waist, with a light wheat circle in the middle of the belt. The vest is made of a thicker fabric and therefore a bit heavier. But since Mai wears little in the way of real armor a tougher cut of cloth adds ever so slightly to her defense. From the belt extends two long strips of material, extending to her ankles. In the front the fabric is cut right up to her middle, while in the back the slit ends around her knee. Baggy pants, that only fit Mai’s waist tightly, balloon out around her legs and rustle together when she moves. When standing still the two pants legs even appear to be one piece like a skirt. Mai’s boots fit her small feet comfortably, with a decent amount of padding along the bottom to give them plenty of support, and reach an inch or so below her knees. They are black with two then strips of vermilion paint running vertically on the front and back. The tips are pointy and curve up, with just the tops showing from beneath her billowing pants.
Weapons: Mai carries an array of throwing weapons on her, each varying in size and shape. Strapped to her wrists and ankles, a little less than a foot in length, are wooden holsters. A set of small, fletched arrows made of wood are held within each holster and can be released with a certain flick of her wrist or pressure. The arrows are very thin and have a fine steel point. They travel very quickly through the air but don’t cause the most damage.
Kept tucked inside her vest and waist are different throwing, knife-like, blades. The first runs about the length of her palm and is curved into an “S”-shape. Red paint covers the steel surface with a white border along the edges. A small bit of medium carmine fabric is wrapped around the middle to give Mai better handling. The other medium-sized blade can lie from her finger tips to wrist. It is thin and tapers near the ends with a slight curve. These are painted medium carmine as well with a white border as well. On each side, though, are two half-circle cut outs that come very close to the middle. Both are heavier and thicker and used in closer range melees and are usually good at catching opponents off guard and pinning them down or throwing them off balance.
The heaviest dagger Mai carries is often used for very close range and almost as a last resort. From handle to blade tip is about eight inches. The handle is highly polished wood and bulges out slightly at its bottom. At first the blade appears to be a simple straight line, but when a small catch is pressed two curved “arms” pop out, perpendicular to the straight blade. The “arms” and bottom portion of the blade are painted maroon with a white, V-shaped edge cutting down from the top of the point. These do not so well when thrown, so Mai may use them to ward of an enemy a few feet away or stab with. She only carries about six on her, however, so she must be careful with how freely she uses them.
Personality: Lots of thoughts are always running through Mai’s head. Had she been left to her own devices as a child she probably would have developed a keen sense of creativity. At every turn, however, she was being hushed or ordered to stay somewhere. Over time she’s learned to look out for herself and keep an ear out for her own opportunities. Mai feels ties to very little and considers many factors before putting her support behind something. Some choices don’t offer many problems for her consideration, such as leaving her parents to join the princess. Others, though, need her to consider her reputation and future. However much she may dislike it, Mai is the daughter of an important nobleman. If she wants to keep the perks that come with bearing her father’s title she needs to give in to certain things. Following the wills of others comes naturally to her and she doesn’t spend much time mulling over what they want. Only when tasks threaten her personal well-being does Mai question, and even disregard, an order.
Though a budding young lady, Mai pays little mind to her appearance. Yes, she wants to look good and put on what she sees fit. But she’s given up on taking certain looks to please those around her. She’s very good at tuning people out when she wants to and has no problem disregarding any negative comments. What Mai is not certain of is her place in the world or what she wants from life. She is certain that she wants to break away from her parent’s shadow. Using their resources and influence does not perturb her; rather it’s listening to their every direction. Court politics never held much interest for Mai and she was never one for gossip. So she follows the direction others set down that she thinks will suit her the best, until she can make her own way.
Large groups, especially parties, unnerve Mai. She’s happier observing people than interacting with them. No matter what, Mai has at least one eye pealed on the rest of the world. Conversation never did come easily to her and if you want to strike up even small talk you’ll probably be met with resistance. Her aloof nature makes it difficult to show any amount of caring for what someone is going through and her remarks can be so caustic and dry people are just bothered by her. And her usually stony face is unwelcoming enough, but when annoyed the skin between her eyes crunches together and a very obvious, bored expression glazes over her eyes.
Background: Mai was born a happy, though quiet, baby. More often than not she fell into the care of a nanny, as both parents were working to expand her father’s political career. It wasn’t until Mai was two that she made her first appearance among the nobility of her country. She was very curious about this new place her parents were introducing her to and couldn’t stop looking around and smiling shyly at the various men and women present. It was her cooing during the brief appearance of the Fire Lord that caused the trouble. The vast room was to be totally silent as he swept through, but young Mai could not hold her excitement in. Her parents never once thought she was too young to attend such a formal meeting, and once they returned home her mother couldn’t stop asking Mai why she couldn’t have been seen and not heard. The little girl didn’t understand what was wrong with her mother and just took in everything her mother had to say. It was wrong for Mai to be so noticeable and energetic, her mother said; so whenever they went anywhere after that Mai was given specific instructions to stay out of the way and keep to herself. At first it was difficult to control her natural child intuition to move and look for fun amid the stiff receptions of Fire Nation royalty. But with time she developed a stiff exterior to blend in perfectly.
There was no question that Mai would attend the Fire Nation Academy for Girls. At age seven she was enrolled for classes and began right away. Wanting to please her parents, Mai threw herself into her school work and paid attention to little else. Also unsure of herself around the other pupils, Mai became introverted and sat off by herself during lessons and during free time. Many of the other children were also offspring of some of the most notable families in the Fire Nation. Most obviously, the Princess Azula garnered a rush of attention. Though her parents advised her to try and befriend the young girl, Mai was too nervous that she would embarrass herself instead. She was sure to have no friends at all if it hadn’t been for a bouncy and bubbly girl named Ty Lee. The other girl had cropped up quite a group of friends and now gravitated to Mai. At first she wondered why Ty Lee would want to bother with her in the first place, until she saw her grades. It hit Mai like a ton of stones to see her one chance at a friend only wanted her because she actually studied, but still did not move away from the happy girl. Eventually, though, Ty Lee did seem to show genuine interest in having Mai for a friend. Through Ty Lee Mai got to participate in different activities and was even introduced to the princess. At first she was incredibly nervous, but once she got to know Azula more Mai became unimpressed. She was bossy and full of herself and pushed Ty Lee around more often than not. The princess was accepting of Mai, however, and she allowed the two to play with her over the other children around the school. Mai just went along with whatever the princess suggested a change from doing nothing with no one. She also developed a small crush on Azula’s older brother Zuko. Though the other two girls could not stand him Mai thought he was kind of cute and didn’t like to see Azula take advantage of him the way she did everyone else.
During this time, Mai’s father’s political career was ever advancing. This put her family more in the spotlight and opened the doors for more attention and enemies. Her uncle recognized that his niece could be prone to danger if her safety was left in the hands of their guards, who he found to be incompetent. He told Mai she needed to learn a real skill, not just the fluff the girls learned in school. He also convinced her parents; though they made their daughter promise she wouldn’t use whatever her uncle taught her unless it was necessary. So her uncle began training nine year old Mai about blades. At first the weapons were repulsive to her and she didn’t want to be bothered with them in the least. Swords didn’t suit her, and she was still too small to handle a bow and arrow. And being unable to bend, unlike her uncle, left her without that training. But he was still undeterred in his efforts. His persistence mainly stemmed from the fact that he was an older soldier with no family of his own. And though Mai was a girl she was the only person he felt was able to retain what he had to pass down. He studied her and encouraged her, though they both knew she was going nowhere. Then a thought hit him, Mai needed a tool that fit her size and temperament. Small blades would be easy enough for her to handle. Plus they could be easily concealed when she was carrying them, so her parents would not have to be bothered by them. Mai found some more to her liking than others and gravitated towards one make of smaller daggers above all the rest. The only others she shared her training with were Ty Lee and Azula. When away with the princess during breaks she would talk for a short bit about what she had been practicing before Azula pushed her out of the way and said they were going to listen to her next.
When Mai turned fourteen she graduated from the Academy. Apparently there was to be no schooling for her after that, and Mai said good-bye to her friends sadly. She had developed a fondness for the princess and acrobat that she hadn’t experienced with anyone else. Though Azula was over powering, Mai came to appreciate her standing. It helped her learn to stand up for herself in even the smallest of ways and hold her head high, for she had been accepted by Azula and that alone was worth respect from others. And Ty Lee, with her overly optimistic attitude, never stopped trying to make Mai smile or include her in a secret. Mai didn’t always like her constant giggling or tight hugs, but she did enjoy having someone genuinely appreciate her as she was. Ty Lee never tried to point out her faults or push her aside.
So her life was now based around her family and public outings. A few months or so from her graduation, Mai’s mother announced she was pregnant. Mother and father were very excited at the prospect of having a son and visited all sorts of medicine men and the like to predict things like the health of the child and its disposition. Everyone was positive he would be beautiful, healthy, and very successful as its small aura was already very strong. This bothered Mai and every time her mother would start babbling about one thing or another pertaining to the coming baby Mai would just excise herself. There were plenty of others willing to discuss the addition and Mai did not want to be bothered. Her parents were essentially saying they had a second chance at their perfect child, one who would measure up to their every expectation from day one without and guidance. She also began spending as much time as possible with Ty Lee, for Azula’s schedule was incredibly busy then, to take her mind off things. For once the baby came Mai knew she would not be able to get away so easily. Practicing her aim and distance with her throwing weapons also ate up a great deal of time. Her uncle did not come around as often as he had been assigned to serve as warden over the high security jail once again but Mai did not miss his presence much. She had developed her own system and style for her personally designed weapons and began thinking up new types that would work best. And much to her parent’s disapproval Mai began practicing more around their home and even carried a few blades when they went out. There were times they would not allow her to join in an outing with them because she wouldn’t remove the holsters from her wrists. This did not bother Mai in the least; it was one of the few things that brought her a sense of satisfaction.
Mai’s brother Tom-Tom was born and at last her parents could breathe a sigh of relief. They had their baby boy, rosy cheeks and all. Mai looked on at the chubby boy with contempt. Here he was, squeaking as loud as he pleased with everyone just smiling and murmuring comments like “How cute”. Her mother also spent a greater amount of time with Tom-Tom then Mai could ever remember from her own childhood. It seemed as if everything else happening around their home ceased to exist once the child came into the world. Even her father took a bit of a vacation to see more of his son during his youngest days. Mai did hold him on occasion and played a variation of peek-a-boo once or twice. But that was it. She also had to decline invitations from Ty Lee often, which she always wondered helped lead to her “disappearance”. It occurred to Mai that none of their parents had any real idea of their dreams or desires. Her own parents did not, at any rate.
With Omashu conquered, the Fire Lord wanted a governor from his own court and whom he trusted to take lead. This was the opportunity her father had dreamed of and he jumped at the chance to move his family across the ocean to the Earth Kingdom and take the position. Mai saw this Earth Kingdom city as bleak as anything she might see or do in the Fire Nation and gave little trouble in making the move. She didn’t have long to get comfortable, however, because not six months after their move the princess was upon their threshold. With Ty Lee right behind her, Azula asked Mai to join her small part in the tasks she had set up for herself. Without even considering what her parents would think Mai accepted. Not that she could decline an invitation like that from such an old friend, with such standing no less, Mai explained to her mother. Packing very little and simply waving goodbye to her father and mother, giving Tom-Tom a small pat on the head, she left.
The Earth Kingdom outside of the once-great city of Omashu left much to be desired in Mai’s eyes. Hardly anything happened and the land wasn’t nearly as rough as Fire Nation propaganda suggested. In the back of her mind Mai wondered why they had embellished so much, though she never voiced any thoughts that suggested anything of the sort. Traveling with Azula was just what she needed after so long of being trapped under her parents plans. The princess was as controlling as ever, but Mai was able to engage in real skirmishes. The largest was probably against the Thunder Fist Battalion and Kyoshi Warriors, who were trying to keep Azula’s army from overtaking Ba Sing Se. Of course, they failed, and the enemy parties were captured. Now their group advances ever closer to the Earth Kingdom capital with conquering on their minds.
Sample RP: Mai rolled over on the short, wooden bed, silk sheets rustling as she tucked her arm under her head. The dark maroon of the Fire Nation tent was allowing a slight amount of filtered morning light through the heavy canvas. At least they still were able to live in relative comfort on their way to Ba Sing Se; but if the sun was already up that meant Mai had over slept.
Flipping the light cover back and swinging her legs over the edge, her bare feet made contact with the compressed dirt floor. Why’s it so cold here in the mornings? she grumbled silently to herself, grasping at the bottom of the bed for her slippers. Upon finding them, Mai slipped the thin shoes over her bony feet. Standing and giving the tent a once-over, she wrapped a silky robe around her to cover her sleeveless night dress. She had slept soundly that night and her eyes were bright and alert this morning. Moving to a tall table with a silver pitcher and goblet, Mai poured herself some juice. The liquid wasn’t too cool and it was sweeter than she preferred, probably Ty Lee’s doing. Wondering as to why her friend hadn’t bounded in to her room yet to wish her happy morning and get her up, Mai stuck her head out the tent’s flap. Her dark hair streamed around her face as she had not yet pulled it up.
“Ty Lee?” she whispered loudly into the still morning air. Mai wasn’t sure why she was concerned in the first place. At least now she could get ready in private and take her time. A group of about three or four soldiers were chewing on some dried meats and sharing a laugh. But Mai’s words made them stop and turn to look at her. She frowned at them and pulled herself back into the tent.
“Hope I didn’t miss a talk from Azula or anything.” She grumbled, pulling her top over her head. Like that’s the worst that could happen. The princess’s talks were always so dull as she prepared her men for whatever lie ahead. There were those who blatantly feared her and allowed it to show in their eyes; Mai thought it funny to see how they watched their princess. There, that was her name in that sing-song voice. “I’m almost ready.” She said, fastening her vest across her chest. Soon Ty Lee would be in here, ready to pull her out to start the day. “Just stay out until I’m ready.” Mai warned her. That should buy her another five minutes.
Age: 15
Nation: Fire Nation
Bender?: No
Physical Appearance: Mai’s body seems to be totally composed of thin, sharp angles. She stands almost at level with Azula, around 5’2, with a long, willowy frame. Her alabaster skin is free of imperfections and almost seems to reflect the sunlight when she travels outside. The paleness of her skin also speaks of a well cultured life behind Fire Nation walls. Mai’s head is perched upon a long, slender neck with a sharp and distinct jaw line and pointed chin. Pale, rust colored eyes are set in a narrow gaze and framed with a short, thick set of lashes. Her eyebrows are long and formed in a perfect arch; with the dark bistre color standing in sharp contrast to her pale skin. The nose that slopes about halfway down her face is thin and sharp, ending with a noticeable upturn at the end. Pale lips, languid lavender in color, barely stand out from her face. The top seems to disappear completely and the bottom is most noticeably turned down in displeasure at one thing or another. Mai’s ears are larger than perhaps she would like though she doesn’t spend much time thinking about it. They stick out because her thick hair, pinned behind her head in a bun, doesn’t allow her ears to sit against her head. If Mai simply let her hair down naturally after washing or brushing it, it would fall nearly to her mid-back straight and glossy. Instead, she tucks it behind her head, from which the bulk of it rests near her neck, in a small, neat bun. Two longer locks extend from the bun about level with her small breasts and cut at an angle on the ends. Two smaller buns, one at each side near the top of her head, are wrapped to help hold the piled hair in place. A thick mass of bangs cover her broad forehead completely, ending where her eyebrows begin. Two thick strands of hair extend from the sides of the bangs and curve inward to help frame her face, ending at her earlobe.
Mai’s frame is thin and willowy. Lithe arms extend from narrow shoulders. If it wasn’t for her developed biceps and triceps Mai would appear even bonnier. Her wrist bones stick out and her hands have long fingers with the bones and tendons visible when she moves them. As is customary for upper class Fire Nation citizens, Mai’s nails are long and well manicured with a slight dark glazing to them for effect. The young girl has only recently begun entering her womanhood and has not begun developing in any noticeable way. Her chest is all but completely flat and possesses little in the way of curves. Her legs are long and thin, with less muscle as are in her arms, but still make her a decent enough runner. Mai’s feet are small and dainty with nails just as well kept as her fingernails.
Clothing/Armor: Despite the warmth of her homeland, Mai dresses herself in long layers. A carmine colored top fits her torso snuggly, and the fabric is light and airy. It covers her chest and neck and fits close except for the sleeves, which billow out from the shoulder seam. The ends of the sleeves are cut at an angle, allowing her to leave her hands more or less exposed. Black gloves reach from the knuckles of her hands, leaving thin fingers exposed, to her elbow. The gloves are black and silky in material. Over the long sleeved top Mai adds a sleeveless, falu pink vest. It exposes the front of the carmine top in a V-shape, with the front inside edges bordered in a light wheat trim. A thin belt, matching falu pink, cinches the vest to her waist, with a light wheat circle in the middle of the belt. The vest is made of a thicker fabric and therefore a bit heavier. But since Mai wears little in the way of real armor a tougher cut of cloth adds ever so slightly to her defense. From the belt extends two long strips of material, extending to her ankles. In the front the fabric is cut right up to her middle, while in the back the slit ends around her knee. Baggy pants, that only fit Mai’s waist tightly, balloon out around her legs and rustle together when she moves. When standing still the two pants legs even appear to be one piece like a skirt. Mai’s boots fit her small feet comfortably, with a decent amount of padding along the bottom to give them plenty of support, and reach an inch or so below her knees. They are black with two then strips of vermilion paint running vertically on the front and back. The tips are pointy and curve up, with just the tops showing from beneath her billowing pants.
Weapons: Mai carries an array of throwing weapons on her, each varying in size and shape. Strapped to her wrists and ankles, a little less than a foot in length, are wooden holsters. A set of small, fletched arrows made of wood are held within each holster and can be released with a certain flick of her wrist or pressure. The arrows are very thin and have a fine steel point. They travel very quickly through the air but don’t cause the most damage.
Kept tucked inside her vest and waist are different throwing, knife-like, blades. The first runs about the length of her palm and is curved into an “S”-shape. Red paint covers the steel surface with a white border along the edges. A small bit of medium carmine fabric is wrapped around the middle to give Mai better handling. The other medium-sized blade can lie from her finger tips to wrist. It is thin and tapers near the ends with a slight curve. These are painted medium carmine as well with a white border as well. On each side, though, are two half-circle cut outs that come very close to the middle. Both are heavier and thicker and used in closer range melees and are usually good at catching opponents off guard and pinning them down or throwing them off balance.
The heaviest dagger Mai carries is often used for very close range and almost as a last resort. From handle to blade tip is about eight inches. The handle is highly polished wood and bulges out slightly at its bottom. At first the blade appears to be a simple straight line, but when a small catch is pressed two curved “arms” pop out, perpendicular to the straight blade. The “arms” and bottom portion of the blade are painted maroon with a white, V-shaped edge cutting down from the top of the point. These do not so well when thrown, so Mai may use them to ward of an enemy a few feet away or stab with. She only carries about six on her, however, so she must be careful with how freely she uses them.
Personality: Lots of thoughts are always running through Mai’s head. Had she been left to her own devices as a child she probably would have developed a keen sense of creativity. At every turn, however, she was being hushed or ordered to stay somewhere. Over time she’s learned to look out for herself and keep an ear out for her own opportunities. Mai feels ties to very little and considers many factors before putting her support behind something. Some choices don’t offer many problems for her consideration, such as leaving her parents to join the princess. Others, though, need her to consider her reputation and future. However much she may dislike it, Mai is the daughter of an important nobleman. If she wants to keep the perks that come with bearing her father’s title she needs to give in to certain things. Following the wills of others comes naturally to her and she doesn’t spend much time mulling over what they want. Only when tasks threaten her personal well-being does Mai question, and even disregard, an order.
Though a budding young lady, Mai pays little mind to her appearance. Yes, she wants to look good and put on what she sees fit. But she’s given up on taking certain looks to please those around her. She’s very good at tuning people out when she wants to and has no problem disregarding any negative comments. What Mai is not certain of is her place in the world or what she wants from life. She is certain that she wants to break away from her parent’s shadow. Using their resources and influence does not perturb her; rather it’s listening to their every direction. Court politics never held much interest for Mai and she was never one for gossip. So she follows the direction others set down that she thinks will suit her the best, until she can make her own way.
Large groups, especially parties, unnerve Mai. She’s happier observing people than interacting with them. No matter what, Mai has at least one eye pealed on the rest of the world. Conversation never did come easily to her and if you want to strike up even small talk you’ll probably be met with resistance. Her aloof nature makes it difficult to show any amount of caring for what someone is going through and her remarks can be so caustic and dry people are just bothered by her. And her usually stony face is unwelcoming enough, but when annoyed the skin between her eyes crunches together and a very obvious, bored expression glazes over her eyes.
Background: Mai was born a happy, though quiet, baby. More often than not she fell into the care of a nanny, as both parents were working to expand her father’s political career. It wasn’t until Mai was two that she made her first appearance among the nobility of her country. She was very curious about this new place her parents were introducing her to and couldn’t stop looking around and smiling shyly at the various men and women present. It was her cooing during the brief appearance of the Fire Lord that caused the trouble. The vast room was to be totally silent as he swept through, but young Mai could not hold her excitement in. Her parents never once thought she was too young to attend such a formal meeting, and once they returned home her mother couldn’t stop asking Mai why she couldn’t have been seen and not heard. The little girl didn’t understand what was wrong with her mother and just took in everything her mother had to say. It was wrong for Mai to be so noticeable and energetic, her mother said; so whenever they went anywhere after that Mai was given specific instructions to stay out of the way and keep to herself. At first it was difficult to control her natural child intuition to move and look for fun amid the stiff receptions of Fire Nation royalty. But with time she developed a stiff exterior to blend in perfectly.
There was no question that Mai would attend the Fire Nation Academy for Girls. At age seven she was enrolled for classes and began right away. Wanting to please her parents, Mai threw herself into her school work and paid attention to little else. Also unsure of herself around the other pupils, Mai became introverted and sat off by herself during lessons and during free time. Many of the other children were also offspring of some of the most notable families in the Fire Nation. Most obviously, the Princess Azula garnered a rush of attention. Though her parents advised her to try and befriend the young girl, Mai was too nervous that she would embarrass herself instead. She was sure to have no friends at all if it hadn’t been for a bouncy and bubbly girl named Ty Lee. The other girl had cropped up quite a group of friends and now gravitated to Mai. At first she wondered why Ty Lee would want to bother with her in the first place, until she saw her grades. It hit Mai like a ton of stones to see her one chance at a friend only wanted her because she actually studied, but still did not move away from the happy girl. Eventually, though, Ty Lee did seem to show genuine interest in having Mai for a friend. Through Ty Lee Mai got to participate in different activities and was even introduced to the princess. At first she was incredibly nervous, but once she got to know Azula more Mai became unimpressed. She was bossy and full of herself and pushed Ty Lee around more often than not. The princess was accepting of Mai, however, and she allowed the two to play with her over the other children around the school. Mai just went along with whatever the princess suggested a change from doing nothing with no one. She also developed a small crush on Azula’s older brother Zuko. Though the other two girls could not stand him Mai thought he was kind of cute and didn’t like to see Azula take advantage of him the way she did everyone else.
During this time, Mai’s father’s political career was ever advancing. This put her family more in the spotlight and opened the doors for more attention and enemies. Her uncle recognized that his niece could be prone to danger if her safety was left in the hands of their guards, who he found to be incompetent. He told Mai she needed to learn a real skill, not just the fluff the girls learned in school. He also convinced her parents; though they made their daughter promise she wouldn’t use whatever her uncle taught her unless it was necessary. So her uncle began training nine year old Mai about blades. At first the weapons were repulsive to her and she didn’t want to be bothered with them in the least. Swords didn’t suit her, and she was still too small to handle a bow and arrow. And being unable to bend, unlike her uncle, left her without that training. But he was still undeterred in his efforts. His persistence mainly stemmed from the fact that he was an older soldier with no family of his own. And though Mai was a girl she was the only person he felt was able to retain what he had to pass down. He studied her and encouraged her, though they both knew she was going nowhere. Then a thought hit him, Mai needed a tool that fit her size and temperament. Small blades would be easy enough for her to handle. Plus they could be easily concealed when she was carrying them, so her parents would not have to be bothered by them. Mai found some more to her liking than others and gravitated towards one make of smaller daggers above all the rest. The only others she shared her training with were Ty Lee and Azula. When away with the princess during breaks she would talk for a short bit about what she had been practicing before Azula pushed her out of the way and said they were going to listen to her next.
When Mai turned fourteen she graduated from the Academy. Apparently there was to be no schooling for her after that, and Mai said good-bye to her friends sadly. She had developed a fondness for the princess and acrobat that she hadn’t experienced with anyone else. Though Azula was over powering, Mai came to appreciate her standing. It helped her learn to stand up for herself in even the smallest of ways and hold her head high, for she had been accepted by Azula and that alone was worth respect from others. And Ty Lee, with her overly optimistic attitude, never stopped trying to make Mai smile or include her in a secret. Mai didn’t always like her constant giggling or tight hugs, but she did enjoy having someone genuinely appreciate her as she was. Ty Lee never tried to point out her faults or push her aside.
So her life was now based around her family and public outings. A few months or so from her graduation, Mai’s mother announced she was pregnant. Mother and father were very excited at the prospect of having a son and visited all sorts of medicine men and the like to predict things like the health of the child and its disposition. Everyone was positive he would be beautiful, healthy, and very successful as its small aura was already very strong. This bothered Mai and every time her mother would start babbling about one thing or another pertaining to the coming baby Mai would just excise herself. There were plenty of others willing to discuss the addition and Mai did not want to be bothered. Her parents were essentially saying they had a second chance at their perfect child, one who would measure up to their every expectation from day one without and guidance. She also began spending as much time as possible with Ty Lee, for Azula’s schedule was incredibly busy then, to take her mind off things. For once the baby came Mai knew she would not be able to get away so easily. Practicing her aim and distance with her throwing weapons also ate up a great deal of time. Her uncle did not come around as often as he had been assigned to serve as warden over the high security jail once again but Mai did not miss his presence much. She had developed her own system and style for her personally designed weapons and began thinking up new types that would work best. And much to her parent’s disapproval Mai began practicing more around their home and even carried a few blades when they went out. There were times they would not allow her to join in an outing with them because she wouldn’t remove the holsters from her wrists. This did not bother Mai in the least; it was one of the few things that brought her a sense of satisfaction.
Mai’s brother Tom-Tom was born and at last her parents could breathe a sigh of relief. They had their baby boy, rosy cheeks and all. Mai looked on at the chubby boy with contempt. Here he was, squeaking as loud as he pleased with everyone just smiling and murmuring comments like “How cute”. Her mother also spent a greater amount of time with Tom-Tom then Mai could ever remember from her own childhood. It seemed as if everything else happening around their home ceased to exist once the child came into the world. Even her father took a bit of a vacation to see more of his son during his youngest days. Mai did hold him on occasion and played a variation of peek-a-boo once or twice. But that was it. She also had to decline invitations from Ty Lee often, which she always wondered helped lead to her “disappearance”. It occurred to Mai that none of their parents had any real idea of their dreams or desires. Her own parents did not, at any rate.
With Omashu conquered, the Fire Lord wanted a governor from his own court and whom he trusted to take lead. This was the opportunity her father had dreamed of and he jumped at the chance to move his family across the ocean to the Earth Kingdom and take the position. Mai saw this Earth Kingdom city as bleak as anything she might see or do in the Fire Nation and gave little trouble in making the move. She didn’t have long to get comfortable, however, because not six months after their move the princess was upon their threshold. With Ty Lee right behind her, Azula asked Mai to join her small part in the tasks she had set up for herself. Without even considering what her parents would think Mai accepted. Not that she could decline an invitation like that from such an old friend, with such standing no less, Mai explained to her mother. Packing very little and simply waving goodbye to her father and mother, giving Tom-Tom a small pat on the head, she left.
The Earth Kingdom outside of the once-great city of Omashu left much to be desired in Mai’s eyes. Hardly anything happened and the land wasn’t nearly as rough as Fire Nation propaganda suggested. In the back of her mind Mai wondered why they had embellished so much, though she never voiced any thoughts that suggested anything of the sort. Traveling with Azula was just what she needed after so long of being trapped under her parents plans. The princess was as controlling as ever, but Mai was able to engage in real skirmishes. The largest was probably against the Thunder Fist Battalion and Kyoshi Warriors, who were trying to keep Azula’s army from overtaking Ba Sing Se. Of course, they failed, and the enemy parties were captured. Now their group advances ever closer to the Earth Kingdom capital with conquering on their minds.
Sample RP: Mai rolled over on the short, wooden bed, silk sheets rustling as she tucked her arm under her head. The dark maroon of the Fire Nation tent was allowing a slight amount of filtered morning light through the heavy canvas. At least they still were able to live in relative comfort on their way to Ba Sing Se; but if the sun was already up that meant Mai had over slept.
Flipping the light cover back and swinging her legs over the edge, her bare feet made contact with the compressed dirt floor. Why’s it so cold here in the mornings? she grumbled silently to herself, grasping at the bottom of the bed for her slippers. Upon finding them, Mai slipped the thin shoes over her bony feet. Standing and giving the tent a once-over, she wrapped a silky robe around her to cover her sleeveless night dress. She had slept soundly that night and her eyes were bright and alert this morning. Moving to a tall table with a silver pitcher and goblet, Mai poured herself some juice. The liquid wasn’t too cool and it was sweeter than she preferred, probably Ty Lee’s doing. Wondering as to why her friend hadn’t bounded in to her room yet to wish her happy morning and get her up, Mai stuck her head out the tent’s flap. Her dark hair streamed around her face as she had not yet pulled it up.
“Ty Lee?” she whispered loudly into the still morning air. Mai wasn’t sure why she was concerned in the first place. At least now she could get ready in private and take her time. A group of about three or four soldiers were chewing on some dried meats and sharing a laugh. But Mai’s words made them stop and turn to look at her. She frowned at them and pulled herself back into the tent.
“Hope I didn’t miss a talk from Azula or anything.” She grumbled, pulling her top over her head. Like that’s the worst that could happen. The princess’s talks were always so dull as she prepared her men for whatever lie ahead. There were those who blatantly feared her and allowed it to show in their eyes; Mai thought it funny to see how they watched their princess. There, that was her name in that sing-song voice. “I’m almost ready.” She said, fastening her vest across her chest. Soon Ty Lee would be in here, ready to pull her out to start the day. “Just stay out until I’m ready.” Mai warned her. That should buy her another five minutes.