Post by Teiú on May 25, 2008 4:28:20 GMT -5
Name: Sai Xan-Xe-Re (From Tupi, a language of an ancient Brasilian tribe, the Tupi. “Sai” means “of small and vivid eyes”. Xan-Xe-Re derivate from the word Xanxerê, meaning “rattlesnake's meadow”)
Age:[/b] 25
Gender:[/b] Male
Group:[/b] Earth Kingdom Soldiers
Nation:[/b] Earth Kingdom
Bender:[/b] No
Physical Appearance:[/b]
Sai is a tall man, common trait of the Xan-Xe-Re family. He stands for 5,11 ft while weighting 176 pounds, bearing a light tan skin color. Long and smooth, Sai's hair reaches the middle of his back and it is always tied, when at home in a top-notch style and when at service held in a ponytail with the tie by the scruff of his neck. It is of a Seal Brown color. His nose is bony, and fits well his big face which holds a triangular jaw that stays below flat cheeks. His eyes, his most notable physical characteristic, are small and vivid as the ones of a snake, and are of a celadon color. In Sai and in almost all members of the Xan-Xe-Re family these eyes are disturbing and unquieting, able to unsettle the most calm of minds or hypnotising the most alert of the soldiers. Usually, Sai has a face clear of facial hair but he does, sometimes, use the style of beard his father uses, letting sideburns and a goatee, without a mustache.
Sai's voice is grave, calm and steady, what gives him a perfectly clear voice. His body is athletic and muscular and his hands and feet packed with great physical power. In general, Sai is a man that bears enormous physical endurance and good physical strength. This makes of his presence very intimidating. Sai rarely smiles.
Clothing/Armor:[/b]
Basically, Sai has two types of outfits. The one he uses in social occasions, and at home. And he has his military outfit.
Sai's home requires the level of formality that should be used at any important social occasion. As so, the Xan-Xe-Re family's members are always in their noble suits, when at home. Sai often uses his long hair in a topknot while wearing a long sleeves lime colored robe. Its collar and sleeves, as well as the trims, are golden colored. Over the robe Sai wears a long forest green colored coat that reaches some inches before his waist. It is sleeveless and has several ornaments on it, made with a golden colored line. By the back of the coat there is a big Earth Kingdom Symbol. The coat is sleeveless. While in this outfit, Sai wears kung-fu shoes. These shoes are made of a set of various layers of leathers in the bottom while the top is made of a green colored suede and covers just the feet and the heel. While the ankle is at show.
Sai's armor is, by no means, the standard one for Earth Kingdom captain. His attire has several small customizations, reflects of his family's military pride and adaptations for his vast military knowledge and capabilities. First, and most important, thing to note is that Sai's armor set is the one of the earthbenders and not the ones of the regular soldiers. Since he often needs to make use of his astonishing agility and speed he changed the long skirt of the non-benders armor by a celadon colored cloth gown over charcoal colored pants. An olive colored girdle goes over the gown, by his waist. However, this girdle is smaller than the standard one to give space to the Tai Chi swords wooden scabbard, hanging of his belt. Also, behind the girdle, over Sai's back is the scabbard of his second sword, the Nan Dao. Sai uses long boots specially made for sprint, hiking and climbing. The boots are colored black and have very small metal teeth on the sole, to avoid slipping. Over the booths comes steel made shin guards, colored of a forest green. The boots + shin guard set goes all the way the shin and stops a few inches before the knees.
Sai has armored spaulders, similar to the ones used by the general of the Earth Kingdom army. Sai's, however, have the decoration of lion heads over his shoulders, similar to the ones of his Tai Chi swords. The spaulders are colored forest green and made of steel, as the shin guards, and it goes all the way of his arms stopping some inches before his elbow. For his forearms he has long armored vambraces. These have, each one, inner pockets, where Sai keeps two daggers, for surprise attacks. The vambraces have same color and metal used on the spaulders and the shin guards. These three pieces, colored forest green, both have golden colored ornaments. Sai uses the standard round helmet of the Earth Kingdom but his carries no cloth veil, nor he uses any kind of cloth over the head. Actually, his was specially made by the blacksmiths of the Xan-Xe-Re property. This helm is made to resist, with excellency, most firebending attacks.
Weapons:[/b]
Sai is familiarized to several styles of weapon used by the Earth Kingdom army AND the Fire Nation army. He can use various types blades, maces, pole-arms and bows, with no much proficiency than with his standard weapons, but with the minimum necessary to be able to engage a fight. Being a bender is what would make Sai the ultimate warrior... But the lack of it didn't matter at all, Sai became a marvelous fighter without it. For his personal use he mastered the use of some of these weapons. Sai can, skilfully, explore these weapons capacities to its limits.
First, and his most important weapon, are The Twin Lion Head Tai Chi blades. At a single wooden scabbard maintained at his belt in the left side of his body two swords are held, both Tai Chi styled, made in the same model. 31 inches straight blade made of thin steel held by 10 inches of a dark brown wooden made hilt. At the pommel the symbol of the Earth Kingdom is featured, in a gold made ornament, while the side of the hilt connecting with the blade is ornamented by the head of a lion, which is biting the blade. Then the sword receiving its name Twin Lion Tai Chi blades. The hilts of both weapons are made to easily allow the draw of both or a single blade from its sheath. The shinning blade has the inscription “Pride of the Earth Kingdom”.
Hidden under his armor, by his back, where the spine connects with the pelvis, rests his Nan Dao in a leather made scabbard. It has its hilt turned to Sai's right arm. The Nan Dao is a short sword made of a very thin steel. The blade has one cutting side that goes straight and it becomes curved near the tip. The other side is completely straight. It has a small guard that is turned up, to trap swords. The hilt is made of ivory and it has a metal ring on the pommel. The sword is 23 inches long being 7 of it its hilt. Sai can take the sword of the scabbard holding the hilt or the metal ring at the pommel and unsheathe it with extreme speed.
Also, he always carries with him 2 plain steel made dagger, which he maintain on inner pockets of his armored vambraces. They are simple, with no ornaments, made this way to go well hidden in his attire.
As a martial artist Sai mastered the art of the Hung Gar, martial art used by the earthbenders. Also, not being a bender, Sai opted for learning a peculiar martial art called Malla-Yuddha, which Sai discovered while studying in the big library of his house. It is an art in which Sai's body and strength fits perfectly. The martial art consists in several methods of fighting, almost all leading to the use of a large amount of strength, which Sai has to give and sell. The style focuses on quickly breaking the limbs and joints of the body of the enemy, as well as forcing the foe into a submission.
Sai's knowledge about the human body and about the use of weapons and bare-handed fighting skills, as well as his superb agility and strength, makes of him a top grade soldier, fighter and assassin.
Personality:[/b]
Sai is a reserved and quiet man, though not what could be called shy. Sai just don't allow himself to be perturbed by what does not matter to him. The ideals passed to him by his family are his most striking characteristics. His concept is that the most pure habitants of the world were the descendants of the old protectors of the Earth Kingdom's territory, as they conquered the right for this land since long. For him, the Fire Nation, trying to conquer a territory that does not belong to them, are thrash. Those who live in the Earth Kingdom but don't belong to the group of those that risked their lives to protect the land -the nobles- deserve to live, but only to supply and protect the heirs of Earth Kingdom by right. Of all of his brothers Sai is the most polite one. On him, differently than in his brothers and sisters, his preconception is not all that apparent and the xenophobia on him have much less control than on his brothers and sisters.
Born in a family with a patriarchal and sexist system, Sai learned that the role of the woman inside the family is very important, as a breeder. Other than that, their role in the clan is to take care of domestic subjects and to give orders to the servants in the absence of the men of the house. In that matter both Sai, his mother, sisters and brothers agree. That way, the relationship of the men of the house with the women is marked by a strong formality, with almost no intimity. In that matter, though, Sai is a bit more gentle with her mother and sisters than his father and brothers. This said not because he loves them more, but because he has more self-control than the others.
Though seems like Sai just follows the tendencies of his family the young soldier developed a like for those ideals. As would be mentioned later on, in a conversation Sai had in the past with his brother Nima, Sai learned to love and protect the ideals of his lineage out of the responsibility his father made he and his brothers think they had. As happens with Sai's brother Nima and sister Sima-Vu, the three despise Fire Nation citizens, have disdain for Water tribesmen and consider themselves way more important than the peasants of the Earth Kingdom. Alongside the other nobles, as well as the crown, they are the legitimate rulers of the Earth Kingdom. Sai is satisfied in doing his job well, and this is, mantaining the Earth Kingdom peasants in their place and fighting with all might to exterminate the Fire Nation people from the continent.
His relationship with Nima, the older brother, was the most close Sai had in his life. After both entered the army, though, they rarely spend much time together. Their proximity comes from the time they were kids, when they used to be the whole day side by side.
Gugan, the other brother, rarely express any will or wish of his own. Sai's relationship with this brother isn't different than the relationship the whole family has with him. Gugan is the most reserved of them and thus, the most uninteresting person. Their meets don't last more than a quick compliment or a single question about something concerning the property's security or affairs.
Sima-Vu, his older sister, as all the other women in the house, rarely speaks with the men, but when she does it is with Nima or Sai. Sometimes, Sai can be seem doing favors for Sima-Vu such as bringing her some drink or carrying things to her room. The same stands for Lin, her younger sister. However, as with every other brother, including Nima, they are not what can be called a “friend”. They are in a level between known and colleague.
This results in lonely persons, as is Sai. The creation inflicted by their father though, made it seem like none of them cares much about it. It seems that each one of the kids were made solely to survive and accomplish the destiny of the family, nothing more than that. It also implicates that the Xan-Xe-Re family's member must pretty independent. And so is Sai, when he wants something done he goes and does. Though all of the sons of An-Min’e were been expected to be spoiled lads, due the fact that they are born in very rich family, all are like that.
In the social aspect Sai tends to be polite enough to not bring trouble. His sexism is bended a bit when facing women of another culture but his patience is not the best one around. When angry, Sai usually leaves the room or stays quiet, as it is very hard to see him complaining. Most of the time Sai likes to be alone or in the presence of his sisters and mother, what, matter of fact, comes to be as like being alone, due the fact the women of the house were suppressed a long time ago. In the army Sai is direct and cold, as he learned a soldier must be. He does behave angrily and harshly, though, with incompetent or insubordinate officers. In his position as major, if there is something Sai does not hold is insubordination, which he severely reprehends or punishes.
Often out of home, Sai can be seen by his troops reading books, while outside, in military camping. Other than that, Sai is constantly training, honing his skills with his weapons or bettering his physical endurance and agility. When in home Sai also does training and reading, while taking care of any problem related to the property. His father, usually calls him to play Pai Sho, which is good mental training for Sai, though their communication has nothing of a father and son relationship. Both are silent and cold, only manifesting opinions about the way of playing of each one. And for Sai, that had to learn to call his father a “father” only for obligation, and not for love, that doesn't matter at all. In the rare occasions of both Sai and Nima staying at home they can be seen sparing, be it in Pai Sho, another strategy games, fighting or endurance tests.
Background:[/b]
--- Birth of the Xan-Xe-Re family: traits and traces of the family
Centuries ago the whole of the Earth Kingdom, save for Ba Sing Sei, was dominated by Chin, the Conquerer. Months before the death of the great conquerer by the hands of no other than the Avatar the army of Ba Sing Sei was still in a desperate intent of retaining a division of Chin's army outside the walls of the big capital. One of the youngest soldiers on the infantry of the Earth Kingdom Army would be the one starting the legacy of the Xan-Xe-Re family as one of the richest clans of the Kingdom. Nationalist, xenophobic and extremely aggressive, the youngster made his way through the ranks of the army with incredible speed due his superb mighty in combat and his skills in planing war tactics. After Chin's defeat The Earth King, in a pro-kingdom publicity campaign, gave to a few warriors plots of land outside of Ba Sing Sei calling them the heroes that fought for the territory. In one of these the first of the royal lineage of the Xan-Xe-Re settled its house. Through the decades the family grew to be a quite numerous one and each child of Sai's ancestor was taught by its fathers the value of their nation and how they should threat the ones that did not belonged to that sacred kingdom. The personality and physical traits of “the first Xan-Xe-Re” seemed to be, diligently, passed through the generations of the family. The great manifestation of this man's heritage was the small clear green eyes, able to perturb the most calm person.
--- Organization of the Xan-Xe-Re family: lineage of the pure
Ina Ian-Ni, daughter of a noble but poor family living in the inner ring of Ba Sing Se got engaged with An-Min’e Xan-Xe-Re, direct successor of the first Xan-Xe-Re and a former general of the Earth Kingdom Army, what brought Ina’s small family to a situation of monetary comfort. Since then she gave born 6 children, in order: Nima, Gugan, Sima-Vu, Sai, Lin and Shang-Ho. Save for Sima-Vu and Lin all the others are male.
The first, the preferred of the general An-Min’e, alongside Sai, Nima, became a major in the Earth Kingdom in the Earth Kingdom army. Alongside Sai, again, he is the most powerful warrior of the family, being him and the second son of An-Min'e, Gugan, the only earthbenders in the clan. His inteligence is matched only by Sai, within the family's men.
Gugan is the second son of the ex-general and the man in the family with less representativity. Always in the shadow of his brother, Nima, Gugan reached the position of lieutenant in the army. The job of his division is to patrol the location of Ba Sing Se's inner ring. Gugan is a decent soldier and that never was questioned by someone. But since the Xan-Xe-Re family always produced awesome officials being decent is not an option for the Xan-Xe-Re that wishes to reach military recognition. Gugan doesn't seem to care though. It seems that the strong will, the incredible intelligence and mighty courage, traits of the first Xan-Xe-Re, were inherited by Nima and Sai alone.
Next is Sima-Vu, the first daughter. As her other sister, Sima’s role in the family is to be prepared to marry someone of another important family seeking political advantage. Combinations about a possible marriage with a young captain of a wealthy family are being conducted. Their marriage would bring together two of the most powerful families in Ba Sing Se: The Xan-Xe-Re and the Si-Xian.
Then comes Sai, the other pride of general An-Min’e. Though not being a bender his combat skills are astonishing. The only one in the family capable of rivaling his fighting prowess is Nima which, by that reason, is a big rival of Sai. It is pretty common to see both practicing in the family's dojo. Sai is the commander of a special division that will be mentioned later on.
Lin, Sai's younger sister comes right after him in the family's lineage. Though young she is already being prepared to be an obedient woman to when her marriage comes.
Last is Shang-Ho, just recently born. His lifetime can still be counted in months. Considering the education An-Min'e gave to his children is pretty possible that Shang-Ho will become a soldier when he grows up.
The family is based in a patriarchal system of organization being the ex-general An-Min'e the supreme law between the members of the clan and its servants. After him, holding equal powers between them, comes Nima and Sai. Gugan has some expresivity between the servants and guards of the Xan-Xe-Re property but his presence is almost nullified when in presence of his father or brothers. All the kids where schooled inside the property below the vigilant eyes of their father. To certify the values he deem right get passed to his children An-Min'e made himself a very present parent. The base of the education of his sons were military concepts, history of the kingdoms and nations – and the definition of the Earth Kingdom being the supreme model of social organization –, combat skills and human and natural sciences.
Though maintaining a residence in the inner ring of Ba Sing Sei the Xan-Xe-Re family makes its home in the property by the outskirts of the town. It is a great piece of land divided in: a big house, which holds the habitations of the family itself, an academy, where the ex-general ministrate his military classes to young nobles of the Earth Kingdom and smaller building serving as home to the various guards and workers of the property. The Xan-Xe-Re territory has fields in which several farmers work, all of them living in the dependences of the property. Founded by the own An-Min'e, the small military academy is where he teaches the basics of combat and war tactics, as well as his twisted vision of patriotism, to the children of the rich nobles of the entire Earth Kingdom. His sons, however, were taught by different teachers hired by the ex-general to attend the kids at their property.
Their schooling started at their age of 5 and lasted till they entered the army, each one at different age than the other. The girls were taught to behave as a mere reproducers of the specie, prepared also to care about domestic affairs while their husbands where absent. That is how Sai's mother and sisters seem to be at home: always in the shadows of the room and speaking only when ordered to.
--- Sai's life: growth and relationships among the Xan-Xe-Re
In a scenario where the children curiosity is suppressed in name of formal customs and “dignified” behavior the normal is to produce shy and reserved human beings – as Nima, Gugan and Sai were before starting their studies. But if there is something the Xan-Xe-Re family always knew to do was to build strong men, most with rock-hard determination and unflexible spirit. That is made by focusing the kid's mind into a subject and convincing it that that subject is the undeniable truth, that it must be protected by those that can see it.
When Sai completed 5 years Gugan was 7 and Nima was 8. Each one was forced to endure harsh trainings and uncountable hours of readings. At each failure, a reprehension of their father... at each success, nothing more than commentary about the low speed rate of good results. The three were taught to not cry, show pain, show suffering, show any emotion that could resemble spiritual weakness. Sai's childhood kept as this. After a hard day's work, having the conforts a rich offered to a noble kid of the kingdom.
When Sai completed 7 years of age, and so started to have a wider vision of the world, he started to pay attention in his brothers, as they were the persons who used to spend more time alongside him, training and having classes. Gugan never seemed to recover from the child state, when the three brothers were all shy and closed to themselves. When he had doubts about something, he never asked the tutors to repeat it to him. He never questioned them nor asked for more information beyond than the one given to him. Differently of Nima.
There was no limits for Sai's oldest brother. He rarely could be seem satisfied with the amount of power and knowledge that he managed to get. Sai cannot remember the last time he saw Gugan beating Nima in one of their “friendly” earthbending duels. ““Friendly”” because if there was something the ex-general always certified himself is that these duels were taken to the limits of his sons, not mattering any bad sequel caused by pushing kids to their physical and spiritual limits. It seemed to Sai that Gugan had no will to live nor something to fight for in his life. Nima seemed to have the will of conquering the world, always striving for more power, in any way he could do so.
This had a strong impact on Sai. For him, that had these brothers as only examples of living his life, two separated paths could be followed: one of shadows and obscurity, where the will was suppressed and the actions were mechanic and essayed, or a path where one would never stop, always focusing himself to achieve supremacy, not obeying to a certain type of supreme power but fitting himself on it, perfectly. Nima was the greatest fount of inspiration for Sai in his childhood and that brought Sai closer to his brother as he never felt alike with another one.
By the age of 10 Sai was way more powerful than Gugan. In the intelligence aspect Sai always was ahead of his brother, having faster reflexes and rapid thoughts, quickly adapting himself to the hard situations imposted by their father and teachers indoor and outdoor. Though not being a bender, his martial art knowledge reached a point were Gugan wasn't being able to take down his younger brother, even making use of his earthbend. I must have been a big blow in Gugan's ego, but Sai wouldn't care for that now, it is a trait of the Xan-Xe-Re men: lack of mercy or compassion. It was the way all of them were created and taught, it was the way all of them would follow, including Gugan.
With Nima, however, the story coursed other way. Seeing how strong Sai was growing only made Nima's ambition for power increase, likewise for Sai. They became the line of each other, the limit that needed to be crossed to finally call himself a winner. Before Nima's completion of 18th anniversary and allistment in the army these two awesome brothers used to be each whole day together. They trained hard, always trying to surpass one each other. Obviously having the advantage of being older, and a bender, Nima, occasionally, controlled himself to fight in the same level of his younger brother. However, even when Nima was giving everything of himself, beating Sai up in any type of contest was a very hard task to accomplish. Sai never established an idol to himself, someone that could be called his “hero”. But if already existed someone that followed the vision of Sai of a perfect way of life that one was his brother, Nima.
Yet, the kids of the family weren't of the laughing type, nor childish, contrary to what their age would implicate. They grew to be serious and objetive persons. The time Sai and Nima were together was rarely spent with entertainment, but with trainings and classes. It was in one of these trainings that Sai gained the scar that crosses his face.
Without the presence of his brother Nima, Sai, by the age of 14, soon to complete 15, was introduced by his father in trainings with weapons. Sai learned, with perfection, how to use Taichi swords, his favorite type of weapon. However, with his entire youth spent in mastering the use of weapons, Sai learned how to handle all kinds of weapons: swords, daggers, pole-arms, bows and a big variety of these. Working the same way, Sai learned to tame mounts such ostrich-horses. He learned how to conduct, create and coordinate basic cares concerning animals that serve as mounts. Considering his family used to spend most of its time inside their property, outside of Ba Sing Sei, Sai and his brothers never had much contact with the outside world. In that matter Sai's sisters had much more social interaction than his brothers. That is justified by the fact that the girls soon would be married with young boys of the Earth Kingdom's nobility. That way Sai's sisters used to be a bigger amount of time at the family's house in the inner ring of Ba Sing Sei than the big property of the family outside the walled city. Sometimes, however, the boys were taken to the big city, as well, to give prestige to military events of any sort or big social events such as The Earth King anniversary or parades in honor of the Kingdom. After all, the philosophical base of the family is the love for the country and to protect what is pure within the same.
One of the happenings that marked Sai's life the most occurred in a situation like that. In his 16 years, Sai was resting after a long day at a party made in commemoration of the Earth Kingdom generals. In his house inside Ba Sing Sei the security was not as strong as in his house by the outskirts of the town. Curious about the city, Sai waited 'till the darkness brought by the night and used his abilities to escape from the inner ring of Ba Sing Sei and venture through the darkest corners of the big capital. It was the first time Sai saw the poverty so close. Before that moment the world Sai knew was like a box were there was settled and strict rules and no choices of his own at all. He saw patrol troops, merchants, kids like he was by the streets, burglars, peddlers, beggars and an infinity of different people. It was almost dawn when he returned home. His house was quiet, no one seemed to be waiting for him, signs that his quest was nost discovered.
Someone, however, was waiting for him by the window of his room, from where he had escaped. Sai freezed. Upon laying eyes on Nima, however, the young came back to normal. Asking to his older brother what was he doing there Sai received another question as answer of his own.
“What do you saw there?” Nima asked. Sai wasn't quite sure of what conclusions should be taken of his trip through the outer world. He told his brother that he had never imagined there were other types of life, different than the ones he and his family lived 'till that day. The answer Sai received from Nima that day was what finally defined Sai's ideals as a man.
“Our father threat us as slaves you know? It is a kind of treatment that can transform you in an empty shell to be commanded by someone's else ideals. You just need to take a look at Lin or Gugan. They are weak... They do what our father tells them to.”
“What it has to do with your first question?” Sai, with all his objectivity, to Nima.
“I thought you were different too, Sai, I thought you were like me and Sima... I may have super-estimated you. Yet... I like you... I like you more than anyone else in this world, so I will tell you something important now. We both fought hard for more power, each day of our life, for what? Do you know why?”
“To have the power. To be a strong soldier, as our father desires. You said you and Sima are different from Gugan and Lin, but you are not. You obey our father just like them. And yet, I still cannot understand what you mean with this conversation, Nima.”
“No Sai, we don't act that way because our father wants to. We act this way because WE want to. Luck for us, our desires align with the ones of our father, with the ones of our family. Sure, our aspirations are like the ones of our father because of our growth, but we grew to love them as well as him. I'm a soldier now Sai, to protect the nobles of the Earth Kingdom and maintain them in power, because I believe that is the right thing to do. The same way our sister will marry with a noble to protect this philosophy. I fight the scum of the Fire Nation because I deem them unworthy of dwelling this land. I command a bunch of Earth Kingdom's peasants because they are worthy of living in this world, but not of leading themselves. They must protect us that are the nobles, the lineage of the ancient protectors of this land. It is what I belive in. It is what I would give my life for. See? I would do that because I believe on it... Gugan would do that because our father told him to do so. My search for power Sai... It was not to achieve the power he wanted me to. It was to get free of his control, to think with my own mind, and to take the path I deemed right... The same path as him.
... You are smart Sai, if you wasn't aware of that yet I believe you will now. Think about it.” And after that long monologue, Nima left.
After that night, Sai changed. He intensified the rhythm of his studies after that day, but after something, like his brother in the older times. He finally understood that his life was not predetermined by his father, though he tried to set the paths for his sons with all his efforts.
Sai joined the army sooner than any of his brothers and sooner as most fresh recruits, by his 17 years. At the same time his brother Gugan joined the patrolling forces of Ba Sing Sei inner ring Sai joined the infantry of the Earth Kingdom's army. It was by his 19 started understanding what his brother meant to teach him that night (and this will be mentioned alter on). At every year in the corporation Sai was taking to himself the ideals of his family, not because his father conditioned him to do so, but because it was what he believed in, just like his father, brother and sister. Making use of his incredible skills, being as in combat or as in strategies, and using of his determination, objectivity and will, Sai earned the title of lieutenant by his 24 years and, after, also by his 24, achieving rank of captain, he was put in the leadership of a strong division, created for special missions such as area recognition, investigation, pursuit, torture, ambushes and another specialized jobs. His subordinates consider him too cruel sometimes but they don't dare to disobey him, as Sai's leadership leaves no opportunities for arguing. Being a top grade soldier Sai is often called to important missions so he commonly is out of home.
Actually, Sai's family is arranging him a marriage with a young lady of the Ba Sing Se, which he had not laid eyes on yet. Her mother constantly goes visiting her family, the Xian-Aoyou, a family with great prestige among the merchants of the city. While not a military potency, the Xian-Aoyou are a respected family, that is known to serve the Earth Kingdom for centuries now. Sai don't think much about it, while, for him, this is secondary. Though, both he and his father alerted the mother, the woman must be healthy and pretty to give birth to babies with good chances of becoming strong men, that also would bear the purest traces of an Earth Kingdom pure citizen.
--- Sai's destiny: his life in the army
Sai couldn't spoiled. But, for sure, he didn't know of the world. Most of it, he learned in the army. At his 17 he was already tall and, as so, he already used to draw attention to himself. But he never acted like a cornered animal. Exactly the opposite, he acted as he learned to. To never use of or tolerate insubordination, impose the respect for other officers, to put the objectives of missions above everything else. Being non-bender, Sai didn't acted in the infantry. Instead, since that time, he was used in the reconnaissance platoon. Stealthy and with awesome eyesight, as well as cold and pondered way to take decisions, put him in the leadership of five men, specialized in that kind of job inside a bigger platoon. At that time, he was at the rank of corporal and by 19 years. However, even when he were a mere soldier, he always acted like if his companions weren't worth of his presence. On him, the strong ideal of the Xan-Xe-Re started to bloom, not as a theory, but as physical demonstration. Seeing that very few could at least match his skills and, even more, his will, he deemed them weak, and for that, he blamed them for problems in Earth Kingdom. As he was told by his brother: “The peasants of this land deserve to live on it, but they never be allowed in the control of themselves. These people exists to serve nobles and letting them having power would make the structure of the kingdom rot and break. That is why there are the nobles, to command the masses”. That was what moved Sai now, the undeniable truth and conscience.
Sai was far from being obsessed for this though. He treated his soldiers like that, soldiers, no more. However, it was his politic as a leader to severely reprehend and punish those who disobeyed orders or deserted from the army. This made the soldiers hate him. But, at the same, he was idolized by the ones that had the army in his heart. Sai was a genius, in almost any aspect that could be explored. As an officer, Sai gained prestige among the ranks. This all, however, was expected. He was, after all, a Xan-Xe-Re, the house that always served the Earth Kingdom with incredible military contingent.
Time was rolling on and Sai kept on duty with perfection. Leading a small group, Sai always traveled on Ostrich-Horses. When enemy was spoted, the perimeter examined and an occasional sentinel killed, they returned to the platoon to warn the infantry of how to proceed in face of the enemy. In one of the assaults realized by his detachment the elite troop of the army joined the infantry to take on a small colony of the Fire Nation. It was there that Lieutenant Pyo, of the elite troops laid eyes on Sai. He observed with attention the demeanor of the corporal and found there what could turn to be a highly ranked officer. Upon hearing that that soldier was a Xan-Xe-Re, Pyo was certain that that young man had everything to raise in the ranks with no difficulties at all. Lieutenant Pyo was a member the reconnaissance division of Earth Kingdom's army elite troops, a good officer that loved the EK, though a bit differently than Sai. He called the young Xan-Xe-Re
to serve in his division as his right arm, at the rank of Sergeant. Sai was completing his 22th anniversary at the time.
There, Sai kept doing his job with the same quality as before. However, things were more serious now. The elite troops were not called to fight simple units of the Fire Nation army. Instead, Sai started fighting big platoons and well ranked soldiers. His companions were, now, also well more capable than his soldiers at the regular troops. Even there, though, Sai was outstanding. Dealing swiftly with hard situations and leading the troops, in the absence of Pyo, better than this one. In charge of the elite troops was Major Than-Kin-Ho, and under him Captain Kuniyo, leading, directly, the whole detachment of Lieutenant Pyo, that included three more lieutenants, as well. As Pyo told Kuniyo to pay attention in Sai, Kuniyo also became very impressed by the young man's style. That was what granted Sai, by his 24 years, the promotion to lieutenant. Now he was Lieutenant Sai, alongside Pyo and the other three that completed the troop. Sai was put in charge of the assault troops, the one that leads the reconnaissance one.
However, six months later. Captain Kuniyo died in service, by the hands of a firebender. The whole detachment Sai was integrant was headless and a new Captain was needed to fill the post. Major Than-Kin-Ho asked urgency in the decision since that platoon was on of his arms, an important group to the Earth Kingdom army. Lieutenant Pyo was the oldest lieutenant of the five and, also, the one with biggest service time. The voting that succeeded, between the five lieutenants, though, put Pyo and Sai in a draw, to which final vote would be given to Major Than-Kin-Ho. Pyo, though, withdrew from the dispute. Saying that he had nothing else but the Earth Kingdom in his heart he asked Sai to take the leadership of the troops. Not that he was not capable, he was. But none of the lieutenants there were able to surpass Sai's leadership capabilities. “You are truly son of your father, and heir of your family” Pyo said, while promising that he would serve Sai with his life if needed to be.
The fact that Pyo left the post to Sai considering it to be the best for the Earth Kingdom, made Sai's respect for the lieutenant rise, almost like the one he had for his brother. Sai, as the new captain commands a big part of the elite troops, giving orders and delegating actions to his lieutenants. Sai, though, can often be seen following the reconnaissance group or the assault group. It is rare to see Sai not engaging combat during military operations.
Sample RP:[/b]
The property was empty, it was being a rainy week and most workers couldn't perform their tasks on the land in such environment. Most of them were resting at their habitations as the former general An-Min'e had ordered. The father left to Ba Sing Sei, alongside his wife and daughter, the youngest one, and the baby Shang-Ho, to visit the house of a major in the Earth Kingdom army. His son, that now was completing his 14 years was intended to be a future husband to Lin. Sai had just recently came back home, after a mission over the east coast of the continent. Both his brothers and sister were in the house, as well
Sai was in the kitchen finishing a meal, when the coming steps of his sister, Sima-Vu, got his attention. She entered the room and took a place by the table, right in front of Sai. And when Sai's eyes peered at her face Sima's eyes, as green and intimidating as Sai's, peered deep inside the Earth Kingdom captain's ones. Sai's wouldn't let go of the ones of her sister's, as well. However, in the Xan-Xe-Re house, that was no correct behavior for a woman.
“What is that Sima?” With a sound of reprehension in his voice. It was then that Sai perceived that Nima was in the room. The older brother was by the back door, with his shoulder leaned to the wall and his arms crossed. He was behind Sai, looking directly at his sister. As Sima, his eyes also were looking deep into Sai, in his back. The eyes of the Xan-Xe-Re... for sure such a strong weapon, capable of making miserable the most confident man. However, Sai was no ordinary person. Indeed, his father once said: “The heritage in Sai is bigger than in almost all members of the family... Perhaps, even bigger than in Nima.”.
“Do you understand what your brother told you, Sai?” Sima-Vu, her voice, as strong as Sai's, filling the room. Sai's mind, instantly, went to the day he had escaped of their house in Ba Sing Sei and what Nima had said to him when he left. The very presence of these three seemed to perturb the atmosphere. The air seemed denser, pressing everything around. Sure, that would be for the common folk, not for them, the heirs of the Xan-Xe-Re.
However, always unlucky, came Gugan, from the same corridor from where came Sima-Vu. He was someone while out there but, among those three persons, he was nothing else but miserable. He crossed the room, in silence, his head down, his eyes looking at the floor, to get a glass of water and leave. Through all his way though, the eyes of the three brothers were upon him, smashing his soul, as cold as the blade of a knife and as hard as the great walls of Ba Sing Sei. For this poor man, a few seconds seemed like hours... days. However, when Sima-Vu's glance left the back of her lamentable brother and came back to Sai's she fell. For a second, that brief moment, when her eyes caught the ones of his brother again he was the champion. His elbows were supported by the table and his hands in front of his mouth, the fingers crossed. And his eyes were melting Sima-Vu's soul and entering in every layer of her personality. An almost imperceptible smile came across Sima-vu's face. “I'm glad to know that.”. She rose from her chair and left by the same corridor she came in. And then she could feel the eyes of her two brothers peering at her. She was happy, she knew that the Earth Kingdom had those two to protect it, as well as her.
When Sai was consecrated champion over his sister the dense atmosphere was, kind of, dissipated. Then there was just the two, Sai and Nima. Sai was still sitted and Nima was still near the door, resting his shoulder on the wall. There was no competition anymore. Both knew that if they were to start a fight, like the one Sai just had with his sister, none would win or lose. Their way was different.
“I can prove it to you if you would like.” Sai, to Nima.
Nima looked at the scruff of the neck of his brother. “I will be in the arena, waiting for you.” Nima, to Sai.
And when Sai heard the door closing behind him, as his brother left, he, calmly, kept on with his meal. A few minutes later he would be heading to the property's personal arena.
Age:[/b] 25
Gender:[/b] Male
Group:[/b] Earth Kingdom Soldiers
Nation:[/b] Earth Kingdom
Bender:[/b] No
Physical Appearance:[/b]
Sai is a tall man, common trait of the Xan-Xe-Re family. He stands for 5,11 ft while weighting 176 pounds, bearing a light tan skin color. Long and smooth, Sai's hair reaches the middle of his back and it is always tied, when at home in a top-notch style and when at service held in a ponytail with the tie by the scruff of his neck. It is of a Seal Brown color. His nose is bony, and fits well his big face which holds a triangular jaw that stays below flat cheeks. His eyes, his most notable physical characteristic, are small and vivid as the ones of a snake, and are of a celadon color. In Sai and in almost all members of the Xan-Xe-Re family these eyes are disturbing and unquieting, able to unsettle the most calm of minds or hypnotising the most alert of the soldiers. Usually, Sai has a face clear of facial hair but he does, sometimes, use the style of beard his father uses, letting sideburns and a goatee, without a mustache.
Sai's voice is grave, calm and steady, what gives him a perfectly clear voice. His body is athletic and muscular and his hands and feet packed with great physical power. In general, Sai is a man that bears enormous physical endurance and good physical strength. This makes of his presence very intimidating. Sai rarely smiles.
Clothing/Armor:[/b]
Basically, Sai has two types of outfits. The one he uses in social occasions, and at home. And he has his military outfit.
Sai's home requires the level of formality that should be used at any important social occasion. As so, the Xan-Xe-Re family's members are always in their noble suits, when at home. Sai often uses his long hair in a topknot while wearing a long sleeves lime colored robe. Its collar and sleeves, as well as the trims, are golden colored. Over the robe Sai wears a long forest green colored coat that reaches some inches before his waist. It is sleeveless and has several ornaments on it, made with a golden colored line. By the back of the coat there is a big Earth Kingdom Symbol. The coat is sleeveless. While in this outfit, Sai wears kung-fu shoes. These shoes are made of a set of various layers of leathers in the bottom while the top is made of a green colored suede and covers just the feet and the heel. While the ankle is at show.
Sai's armor is, by no means, the standard one for Earth Kingdom captain. His attire has several small customizations, reflects of his family's military pride and adaptations for his vast military knowledge and capabilities. First, and most important, thing to note is that Sai's armor set is the one of the earthbenders and not the ones of the regular soldiers. Since he often needs to make use of his astonishing agility and speed he changed the long skirt of the non-benders armor by a celadon colored cloth gown over charcoal colored pants. An olive colored girdle goes over the gown, by his waist. However, this girdle is smaller than the standard one to give space to the Tai Chi swords wooden scabbard, hanging of his belt. Also, behind the girdle, over Sai's back is the scabbard of his second sword, the Nan Dao. Sai uses long boots specially made for sprint, hiking and climbing. The boots are colored black and have very small metal teeth on the sole, to avoid slipping. Over the booths comes steel made shin guards, colored of a forest green. The boots + shin guard set goes all the way the shin and stops a few inches before the knees.
Sai has armored spaulders, similar to the ones used by the general of the Earth Kingdom army. Sai's, however, have the decoration of lion heads over his shoulders, similar to the ones of his Tai Chi swords. The spaulders are colored forest green and made of steel, as the shin guards, and it goes all the way of his arms stopping some inches before his elbow. For his forearms he has long armored vambraces. These have, each one, inner pockets, where Sai keeps two daggers, for surprise attacks. The vambraces have same color and metal used on the spaulders and the shin guards. These three pieces, colored forest green, both have golden colored ornaments. Sai uses the standard round helmet of the Earth Kingdom but his carries no cloth veil, nor he uses any kind of cloth over the head. Actually, his was specially made by the blacksmiths of the Xan-Xe-Re property. This helm is made to resist, with excellency, most firebending attacks.
Weapons:[/b]
Sai is familiarized to several styles of weapon used by the Earth Kingdom army AND the Fire Nation army. He can use various types blades, maces, pole-arms and bows, with no much proficiency than with his standard weapons, but with the minimum necessary to be able to engage a fight. Being a bender is what would make Sai the ultimate warrior... But the lack of it didn't matter at all, Sai became a marvelous fighter without it. For his personal use he mastered the use of some of these weapons. Sai can, skilfully, explore these weapons capacities to its limits.
First, and his most important weapon, are The Twin Lion Head Tai Chi blades. At a single wooden scabbard maintained at his belt in the left side of his body two swords are held, both Tai Chi styled, made in the same model. 31 inches straight blade made of thin steel held by 10 inches of a dark brown wooden made hilt. At the pommel the symbol of the Earth Kingdom is featured, in a gold made ornament, while the side of the hilt connecting with the blade is ornamented by the head of a lion, which is biting the blade. Then the sword receiving its name Twin Lion Tai Chi blades. The hilts of both weapons are made to easily allow the draw of both or a single blade from its sheath. The shinning blade has the inscription “Pride of the Earth Kingdom”.
Hidden under his armor, by his back, where the spine connects with the pelvis, rests his Nan Dao in a leather made scabbard. It has its hilt turned to Sai's right arm. The Nan Dao is a short sword made of a very thin steel. The blade has one cutting side that goes straight and it becomes curved near the tip. The other side is completely straight. It has a small guard that is turned up, to trap swords. The hilt is made of ivory and it has a metal ring on the pommel. The sword is 23 inches long being 7 of it its hilt. Sai can take the sword of the scabbard holding the hilt or the metal ring at the pommel and unsheathe it with extreme speed.
Also, he always carries with him 2 plain steel made dagger, which he maintain on inner pockets of his armored vambraces. They are simple, with no ornaments, made this way to go well hidden in his attire.
As a martial artist Sai mastered the art of the Hung Gar, martial art used by the earthbenders. Also, not being a bender, Sai opted for learning a peculiar martial art called Malla-Yuddha, which Sai discovered while studying in the big library of his house. It is an art in which Sai's body and strength fits perfectly. The martial art consists in several methods of fighting, almost all leading to the use of a large amount of strength, which Sai has to give and sell. The style focuses on quickly breaking the limbs and joints of the body of the enemy, as well as forcing the foe into a submission.
Sai's knowledge about the human body and about the use of weapons and bare-handed fighting skills, as well as his superb agility and strength, makes of him a top grade soldier, fighter and assassin.
Personality:[/b]
Sai is a reserved and quiet man, though not what could be called shy. Sai just don't allow himself to be perturbed by what does not matter to him. The ideals passed to him by his family are his most striking characteristics. His concept is that the most pure habitants of the world were the descendants of the old protectors of the Earth Kingdom's territory, as they conquered the right for this land since long. For him, the Fire Nation, trying to conquer a territory that does not belong to them, are thrash. Those who live in the Earth Kingdom but don't belong to the group of those that risked their lives to protect the land -the nobles- deserve to live, but only to supply and protect the heirs of Earth Kingdom by right. Of all of his brothers Sai is the most polite one. On him, differently than in his brothers and sisters, his preconception is not all that apparent and the xenophobia on him have much less control than on his brothers and sisters.
Born in a family with a patriarchal and sexist system, Sai learned that the role of the woman inside the family is very important, as a breeder. Other than that, their role in the clan is to take care of domestic subjects and to give orders to the servants in the absence of the men of the house. In that matter both Sai, his mother, sisters and brothers agree. That way, the relationship of the men of the house with the women is marked by a strong formality, with almost no intimity. In that matter, though, Sai is a bit more gentle with her mother and sisters than his father and brothers. This said not because he loves them more, but because he has more self-control than the others.
Though seems like Sai just follows the tendencies of his family the young soldier developed a like for those ideals. As would be mentioned later on, in a conversation Sai had in the past with his brother Nima, Sai learned to love and protect the ideals of his lineage out of the responsibility his father made he and his brothers think they had. As happens with Sai's brother Nima and sister Sima-Vu, the three despise Fire Nation citizens, have disdain for Water tribesmen and consider themselves way more important than the peasants of the Earth Kingdom. Alongside the other nobles, as well as the crown, they are the legitimate rulers of the Earth Kingdom. Sai is satisfied in doing his job well, and this is, mantaining the Earth Kingdom peasants in their place and fighting with all might to exterminate the Fire Nation people from the continent.
His relationship with Nima, the older brother, was the most close Sai had in his life. After both entered the army, though, they rarely spend much time together. Their proximity comes from the time they were kids, when they used to be the whole day side by side.
Gugan, the other brother, rarely express any will or wish of his own. Sai's relationship with this brother isn't different than the relationship the whole family has with him. Gugan is the most reserved of them and thus, the most uninteresting person. Their meets don't last more than a quick compliment or a single question about something concerning the property's security or affairs.
Sima-Vu, his older sister, as all the other women in the house, rarely speaks with the men, but when she does it is with Nima or Sai. Sometimes, Sai can be seem doing favors for Sima-Vu such as bringing her some drink or carrying things to her room. The same stands for Lin, her younger sister. However, as with every other brother, including Nima, they are not what can be called a “friend”. They are in a level between known and colleague.
This results in lonely persons, as is Sai. The creation inflicted by their father though, made it seem like none of them cares much about it. It seems that each one of the kids were made solely to survive and accomplish the destiny of the family, nothing more than that. It also implicates that the Xan-Xe-Re family's member must pretty independent. And so is Sai, when he wants something done he goes and does. Though all of the sons of An-Min’e were been expected to be spoiled lads, due the fact that they are born in very rich family, all are like that.
In the social aspect Sai tends to be polite enough to not bring trouble. His sexism is bended a bit when facing women of another culture but his patience is not the best one around. When angry, Sai usually leaves the room or stays quiet, as it is very hard to see him complaining. Most of the time Sai likes to be alone or in the presence of his sisters and mother, what, matter of fact, comes to be as like being alone, due the fact the women of the house were suppressed a long time ago. In the army Sai is direct and cold, as he learned a soldier must be. He does behave angrily and harshly, though, with incompetent or insubordinate officers. In his position as major, if there is something Sai does not hold is insubordination, which he severely reprehends or punishes.
Often out of home, Sai can be seen by his troops reading books, while outside, in military camping. Other than that, Sai is constantly training, honing his skills with his weapons or bettering his physical endurance and agility. When in home Sai also does training and reading, while taking care of any problem related to the property. His father, usually calls him to play Pai Sho, which is good mental training for Sai, though their communication has nothing of a father and son relationship. Both are silent and cold, only manifesting opinions about the way of playing of each one. And for Sai, that had to learn to call his father a “father” only for obligation, and not for love, that doesn't matter at all. In the rare occasions of both Sai and Nima staying at home they can be seen sparing, be it in Pai Sho, another strategy games, fighting or endurance tests.
Background:[/b]
--- Birth of the Xan-Xe-Re family: traits and traces of the family
Centuries ago the whole of the Earth Kingdom, save for Ba Sing Sei, was dominated by Chin, the Conquerer. Months before the death of the great conquerer by the hands of no other than the Avatar the army of Ba Sing Sei was still in a desperate intent of retaining a division of Chin's army outside the walls of the big capital. One of the youngest soldiers on the infantry of the Earth Kingdom Army would be the one starting the legacy of the Xan-Xe-Re family as one of the richest clans of the Kingdom. Nationalist, xenophobic and extremely aggressive, the youngster made his way through the ranks of the army with incredible speed due his superb mighty in combat and his skills in planing war tactics. After Chin's defeat The Earth King, in a pro-kingdom publicity campaign, gave to a few warriors plots of land outside of Ba Sing Sei calling them the heroes that fought for the territory. In one of these the first of the royal lineage of the Xan-Xe-Re settled its house. Through the decades the family grew to be a quite numerous one and each child of Sai's ancestor was taught by its fathers the value of their nation and how they should threat the ones that did not belonged to that sacred kingdom. The personality and physical traits of “the first Xan-Xe-Re” seemed to be, diligently, passed through the generations of the family. The great manifestation of this man's heritage was the small clear green eyes, able to perturb the most calm person.
--- Organization of the Xan-Xe-Re family: lineage of the pure
Ina Ian-Ni, daughter of a noble but poor family living in the inner ring of Ba Sing Se got engaged with An-Min’e Xan-Xe-Re, direct successor of the first Xan-Xe-Re and a former general of the Earth Kingdom Army, what brought Ina’s small family to a situation of monetary comfort. Since then she gave born 6 children, in order: Nima, Gugan, Sima-Vu, Sai, Lin and Shang-Ho. Save for Sima-Vu and Lin all the others are male.
The first, the preferred of the general An-Min’e, alongside Sai, Nima, became a major in the Earth Kingdom in the Earth Kingdom army. Alongside Sai, again, he is the most powerful warrior of the family, being him and the second son of An-Min'e, Gugan, the only earthbenders in the clan. His inteligence is matched only by Sai, within the family's men.
Gugan is the second son of the ex-general and the man in the family with less representativity. Always in the shadow of his brother, Nima, Gugan reached the position of lieutenant in the army. The job of his division is to patrol the location of Ba Sing Se's inner ring. Gugan is a decent soldier and that never was questioned by someone. But since the Xan-Xe-Re family always produced awesome officials being decent is not an option for the Xan-Xe-Re that wishes to reach military recognition. Gugan doesn't seem to care though. It seems that the strong will, the incredible intelligence and mighty courage, traits of the first Xan-Xe-Re, were inherited by Nima and Sai alone.
Next is Sima-Vu, the first daughter. As her other sister, Sima’s role in the family is to be prepared to marry someone of another important family seeking political advantage. Combinations about a possible marriage with a young captain of a wealthy family are being conducted. Their marriage would bring together two of the most powerful families in Ba Sing Se: The Xan-Xe-Re and the Si-Xian.
Then comes Sai, the other pride of general An-Min’e. Though not being a bender his combat skills are astonishing. The only one in the family capable of rivaling his fighting prowess is Nima which, by that reason, is a big rival of Sai. It is pretty common to see both practicing in the family's dojo. Sai is the commander of a special division that will be mentioned later on.
Lin, Sai's younger sister comes right after him in the family's lineage. Though young she is already being prepared to be an obedient woman to when her marriage comes.
Last is Shang-Ho, just recently born. His lifetime can still be counted in months. Considering the education An-Min'e gave to his children is pretty possible that Shang-Ho will become a soldier when he grows up.
The family is based in a patriarchal system of organization being the ex-general An-Min'e the supreme law between the members of the clan and its servants. After him, holding equal powers between them, comes Nima and Sai. Gugan has some expresivity between the servants and guards of the Xan-Xe-Re property but his presence is almost nullified when in presence of his father or brothers. All the kids where schooled inside the property below the vigilant eyes of their father. To certify the values he deem right get passed to his children An-Min'e made himself a very present parent. The base of the education of his sons were military concepts, history of the kingdoms and nations – and the definition of the Earth Kingdom being the supreme model of social organization –, combat skills and human and natural sciences.
Though maintaining a residence in the inner ring of Ba Sing Sei the Xan-Xe-Re family makes its home in the property by the outskirts of the town. It is a great piece of land divided in: a big house, which holds the habitations of the family itself, an academy, where the ex-general ministrate his military classes to young nobles of the Earth Kingdom and smaller building serving as home to the various guards and workers of the property. The Xan-Xe-Re territory has fields in which several farmers work, all of them living in the dependences of the property. Founded by the own An-Min'e, the small military academy is where he teaches the basics of combat and war tactics, as well as his twisted vision of patriotism, to the children of the rich nobles of the entire Earth Kingdom. His sons, however, were taught by different teachers hired by the ex-general to attend the kids at their property.
Their schooling started at their age of 5 and lasted till they entered the army, each one at different age than the other. The girls were taught to behave as a mere reproducers of the specie, prepared also to care about domestic affairs while their husbands where absent. That is how Sai's mother and sisters seem to be at home: always in the shadows of the room and speaking only when ordered to.
--- Sai's life: growth and relationships among the Xan-Xe-Re
In a scenario where the children curiosity is suppressed in name of formal customs and “dignified” behavior the normal is to produce shy and reserved human beings – as Nima, Gugan and Sai were before starting their studies. But if there is something the Xan-Xe-Re family always knew to do was to build strong men, most with rock-hard determination and unflexible spirit. That is made by focusing the kid's mind into a subject and convincing it that that subject is the undeniable truth, that it must be protected by those that can see it.
When Sai completed 5 years Gugan was 7 and Nima was 8. Each one was forced to endure harsh trainings and uncountable hours of readings. At each failure, a reprehension of their father... at each success, nothing more than commentary about the low speed rate of good results. The three were taught to not cry, show pain, show suffering, show any emotion that could resemble spiritual weakness. Sai's childhood kept as this. After a hard day's work, having the conforts a rich offered to a noble kid of the kingdom.
When Sai completed 7 years of age, and so started to have a wider vision of the world, he started to pay attention in his brothers, as they were the persons who used to spend more time alongside him, training and having classes. Gugan never seemed to recover from the child state, when the three brothers were all shy and closed to themselves. When he had doubts about something, he never asked the tutors to repeat it to him. He never questioned them nor asked for more information beyond than the one given to him. Differently of Nima.
There was no limits for Sai's oldest brother. He rarely could be seem satisfied with the amount of power and knowledge that he managed to get. Sai cannot remember the last time he saw Gugan beating Nima in one of their “friendly” earthbending duels. ““Friendly”” because if there was something the ex-general always certified himself is that these duels were taken to the limits of his sons, not mattering any bad sequel caused by pushing kids to their physical and spiritual limits. It seemed to Sai that Gugan had no will to live nor something to fight for in his life. Nima seemed to have the will of conquering the world, always striving for more power, in any way he could do so.
This had a strong impact on Sai. For him, that had these brothers as only examples of living his life, two separated paths could be followed: one of shadows and obscurity, where the will was suppressed and the actions were mechanic and essayed, or a path where one would never stop, always focusing himself to achieve supremacy, not obeying to a certain type of supreme power but fitting himself on it, perfectly. Nima was the greatest fount of inspiration for Sai in his childhood and that brought Sai closer to his brother as he never felt alike with another one.
By the age of 10 Sai was way more powerful than Gugan. In the intelligence aspect Sai always was ahead of his brother, having faster reflexes and rapid thoughts, quickly adapting himself to the hard situations imposted by their father and teachers indoor and outdoor. Though not being a bender, his martial art knowledge reached a point were Gugan wasn't being able to take down his younger brother, even making use of his earthbend. I must have been a big blow in Gugan's ego, but Sai wouldn't care for that now, it is a trait of the Xan-Xe-Re men: lack of mercy or compassion. It was the way all of them were created and taught, it was the way all of them would follow, including Gugan.
With Nima, however, the story coursed other way. Seeing how strong Sai was growing only made Nima's ambition for power increase, likewise for Sai. They became the line of each other, the limit that needed to be crossed to finally call himself a winner. Before Nima's completion of 18th anniversary and allistment in the army these two awesome brothers used to be each whole day together. They trained hard, always trying to surpass one each other. Obviously having the advantage of being older, and a bender, Nima, occasionally, controlled himself to fight in the same level of his younger brother. However, even when Nima was giving everything of himself, beating Sai up in any type of contest was a very hard task to accomplish. Sai never established an idol to himself, someone that could be called his “hero”. But if already existed someone that followed the vision of Sai of a perfect way of life that one was his brother, Nima.
Yet, the kids of the family weren't of the laughing type, nor childish, contrary to what their age would implicate. They grew to be serious and objetive persons. The time Sai and Nima were together was rarely spent with entertainment, but with trainings and classes. It was in one of these trainings that Sai gained the scar that crosses his face.
Without the presence of his brother Nima, Sai, by the age of 14, soon to complete 15, was introduced by his father in trainings with weapons. Sai learned, with perfection, how to use Taichi swords, his favorite type of weapon. However, with his entire youth spent in mastering the use of weapons, Sai learned how to handle all kinds of weapons: swords, daggers, pole-arms, bows and a big variety of these. Working the same way, Sai learned to tame mounts such ostrich-horses. He learned how to conduct, create and coordinate basic cares concerning animals that serve as mounts. Considering his family used to spend most of its time inside their property, outside of Ba Sing Sei, Sai and his brothers never had much contact with the outside world. In that matter Sai's sisters had much more social interaction than his brothers. That is justified by the fact that the girls soon would be married with young boys of the Earth Kingdom's nobility. That way Sai's sisters used to be a bigger amount of time at the family's house in the inner ring of Ba Sing Sei than the big property of the family outside the walled city. Sometimes, however, the boys were taken to the big city, as well, to give prestige to military events of any sort or big social events such as The Earth King anniversary or parades in honor of the Kingdom. After all, the philosophical base of the family is the love for the country and to protect what is pure within the same.
One of the happenings that marked Sai's life the most occurred in a situation like that. In his 16 years, Sai was resting after a long day at a party made in commemoration of the Earth Kingdom generals. In his house inside Ba Sing Sei the security was not as strong as in his house by the outskirts of the town. Curious about the city, Sai waited 'till the darkness brought by the night and used his abilities to escape from the inner ring of Ba Sing Sei and venture through the darkest corners of the big capital. It was the first time Sai saw the poverty so close. Before that moment the world Sai knew was like a box were there was settled and strict rules and no choices of his own at all. He saw patrol troops, merchants, kids like he was by the streets, burglars, peddlers, beggars and an infinity of different people. It was almost dawn when he returned home. His house was quiet, no one seemed to be waiting for him, signs that his quest was nost discovered.
Someone, however, was waiting for him by the window of his room, from where he had escaped. Sai freezed. Upon laying eyes on Nima, however, the young came back to normal. Asking to his older brother what was he doing there Sai received another question as answer of his own.
“What do you saw there?” Nima asked. Sai wasn't quite sure of what conclusions should be taken of his trip through the outer world. He told his brother that he had never imagined there were other types of life, different than the ones he and his family lived 'till that day. The answer Sai received from Nima that day was what finally defined Sai's ideals as a man.
“Our father threat us as slaves you know? It is a kind of treatment that can transform you in an empty shell to be commanded by someone's else ideals. You just need to take a look at Lin or Gugan. They are weak... They do what our father tells them to.”
“What it has to do with your first question?” Sai, with all his objectivity, to Nima.
“I thought you were different too, Sai, I thought you were like me and Sima... I may have super-estimated you. Yet... I like you... I like you more than anyone else in this world, so I will tell you something important now. We both fought hard for more power, each day of our life, for what? Do you know why?”
“To have the power. To be a strong soldier, as our father desires. You said you and Sima are different from Gugan and Lin, but you are not. You obey our father just like them. And yet, I still cannot understand what you mean with this conversation, Nima.”
“No Sai, we don't act that way because our father wants to. We act this way because WE want to. Luck for us, our desires align with the ones of our father, with the ones of our family. Sure, our aspirations are like the ones of our father because of our growth, but we grew to love them as well as him. I'm a soldier now Sai, to protect the nobles of the Earth Kingdom and maintain them in power, because I believe that is the right thing to do. The same way our sister will marry with a noble to protect this philosophy. I fight the scum of the Fire Nation because I deem them unworthy of dwelling this land. I command a bunch of Earth Kingdom's peasants because they are worthy of living in this world, but not of leading themselves. They must protect us that are the nobles, the lineage of the ancient protectors of this land. It is what I belive in. It is what I would give my life for. See? I would do that because I believe on it... Gugan would do that because our father told him to do so. My search for power Sai... It was not to achieve the power he wanted me to. It was to get free of his control, to think with my own mind, and to take the path I deemed right... The same path as him.
... You are smart Sai, if you wasn't aware of that yet I believe you will now. Think about it.” And after that long monologue, Nima left.
After that night, Sai changed. He intensified the rhythm of his studies after that day, but after something, like his brother in the older times. He finally understood that his life was not predetermined by his father, though he tried to set the paths for his sons with all his efforts.
Sai joined the army sooner than any of his brothers and sooner as most fresh recruits, by his 17 years. At the same time his brother Gugan joined the patrolling forces of Ba Sing Sei inner ring Sai joined the infantry of the Earth Kingdom's army. It was by his 19 started understanding what his brother meant to teach him that night (and this will be mentioned alter on). At every year in the corporation Sai was taking to himself the ideals of his family, not because his father conditioned him to do so, but because it was what he believed in, just like his father, brother and sister. Making use of his incredible skills, being as in combat or as in strategies, and using of his determination, objectivity and will, Sai earned the title of lieutenant by his 24 years and, after, also by his 24, achieving rank of captain, he was put in the leadership of a strong division, created for special missions such as area recognition, investigation, pursuit, torture, ambushes and another specialized jobs. His subordinates consider him too cruel sometimes but they don't dare to disobey him, as Sai's leadership leaves no opportunities for arguing. Being a top grade soldier Sai is often called to important missions so he commonly is out of home.
Actually, Sai's family is arranging him a marriage with a young lady of the Ba Sing Se, which he had not laid eyes on yet. Her mother constantly goes visiting her family, the Xian-Aoyou, a family with great prestige among the merchants of the city. While not a military potency, the Xian-Aoyou are a respected family, that is known to serve the Earth Kingdom for centuries now. Sai don't think much about it, while, for him, this is secondary. Though, both he and his father alerted the mother, the woman must be healthy and pretty to give birth to babies with good chances of becoming strong men, that also would bear the purest traces of an Earth Kingdom pure citizen.
--- Sai's destiny: his life in the army
Sai couldn't spoiled. But, for sure, he didn't know of the world. Most of it, he learned in the army. At his 17 he was already tall and, as so, he already used to draw attention to himself. But he never acted like a cornered animal. Exactly the opposite, he acted as he learned to. To never use of or tolerate insubordination, impose the respect for other officers, to put the objectives of missions above everything else. Being non-bender, Sai didn't acted in the infantry. Instead, since that time, he was used in the reconnaissance platoon. Stealthy and with awesome eyesight, as well as cold and pondered way to take decisions, put him in the leadership of five men, specialized in that kind of job inside a bigger platoon. At that time, he was at the rank of corporal and by 19 years. However, even when he were a mere soldier, he always acted like if his companions weren't worth of his presence. On him, the strong ideal of the Xan-Xe-Re started to bloom, not as a theory, but as physical demonstration. Seeing that very few could at least match his skills and, even more, his will, he deemed them weak, and for that, he blamed them for problems in Earth Kingdom. As he was told by his brother: “The peasants of this land deserve to live on it, but they never be allowed in the control of themselves. These people exists to serve nobles and letting them having power would make the structure of the kingdom rot and break. That is why there are the nobles, to command the masses”. That was what moved Sai now, the undeniable truth and conscience.
Sai was far from being obsessed for this though. He treated his soldiers like that, soldiers, no more. However, it was his politic as a leader to severely reprehend and punish those who disobeyed orders or deserted from the army. This made the soldiers hate him. But, at the same, he was idolized by the ones that had the army in his heart. Sai was a genius, in almost any aspect that could be explored. As an officer, Sai gained prestige among the ranks. This all, however, was expected. He was, after all, a Xan-Xe-Re, the house that always served the Earth Kingdom with incredible military contingent.
Time was rolling on and Sai kept on duty with perfection. Leading a small group, Sai always traveled on Ostrich-Horses. When enemy was spoted, the perimeter examined and an occasional sentinel killed, they returned to the platoon to warn the infantry of how to proceed in face of the enemy. In one of the assaults realized by his detachment the elite troop of the army joined the infantry to take on a small colony of the Fire Nation. It was there that Lieutenant Pyo, of the elite troops laid eyes on Sai. He observed with attention the demeanor of the corporal and found there what could turn to be a highly ranked officer. Upon hearing that that soldier was a Xan-Xe-Re, Pyo was certain that that young man had everything to raise in the ranks with no difficulties at all. Lieutenant Pyo was a member the reconnaissance division of Earth Kingdom's army elite troops, a good officer that loved the EK, though a bit differently than Sai. He called the young Xan-Xe-Re
to serve in his division as his right arm, at the rank of Sergeant. Sai was completing his 22th anniversary at the time.
There, Sai kept doing his job with the same quality as before. However, things were more serious now. The elite troops were not called to fight simple units of the Fire Nation army. Instead, Sai started fighting big platoons and well ranked soldiers. His companions were, now, also well more capable than his soldiers at the regular troops. Even there, though, Sai was outstanding. Dealing swiftly with hard situations and leading the troops, in the absence of Pyo, better than this one. In charge of the elite troops was Major Than-Kin-Ho, and under him Captain Kuniyo, leading, directly, the whole detachment of Lieutenant Pyo, that included three more lieutenants, as well. As Pyo told Kuniyo to pay attention in Sai, Kuniyo also became very impressed by the young man's style. That was what granted Sai, by his 24 years, the promotion to lieutenant. Now he was Lieutenant Sai, alongside Pyo and the other three that completed the troop. Sai was put in charge of the assault troops, the one that leads the reconnaissance one.
However, six months later. Captain Kuniyo died in service, by the hands of a firebender. The whole detachment Sai was integrant was headless and a new Captain was needed to fill the post. Major Than-Kin-Ho asked urgency in the decision since that platoon was on of his arms, an important group to the Earth Kingdom army. Lieutenant Pyo was the oldest lieutenant of the five and, also, the one with biggest service time. The voting that succeeded, between the five lieutenants, though, put Pyo and Sai in a draw, to which final vote would be given to Major Than-Kin-Ho. Pyo, though, withdrew from the dispute. Saying that he had nothing else but the Earth Kingdom in his heart he asked Sai to take the leadership of the troops. Not that he was not capable, he was. But none of the lieutenants there were able to surpass Sai's leadership capabilities. “You are truly son of your father, and heir of your family” Pyo said, while promising that he would serve Sai with his life if needed to be.
The fact that Pyo left the post to Sai considering it to be the best for the Earth Kingdom, made Sai's respect for the lieutenant rise, almost like the one he had for his brother. Sai, as the new captain commands a big part of the elite troops, giving orders and delegating actions to his lieutenants. Sai, though, can often be seen following the reconnaissance group or the assault group. It is rare to see Sai not engaging combat during military operations.
Sample RP:[/b]
The property was empty, it was being a rainy week and most workers couldn't perform their tasks on the land in such environment. Most of them were resting at their habitations as the former general An-Min'e had ordered. The father left to Ba Sing Sei, alongside his wife and daughter, the youngest one, and the baby Shang-Ho, to visit the house of a major in the Earth Kingdom army. His son, that now was completing his 14 years was intended to be a future husband to Lin. Sai had just recently came back home, after a mission over the east coast of the continent. Both his brothers and sister were in the house, as well
Sai was in the kitchen finishing a meal, when the coming steps of his sister, Sima-Vu, got his attention. She entered the room and took a place by the table, right in front of Sai. And when Sai's eyes peered at her face Sima's eyes, as green and intimidating as Sai's, peered deep inside the Earth Kingdom captain's ones. Sai's wouldn't let go of the ones of her sister's, as well. However, in the Xan-Xe-Re house, that was no correct behavior for a woman.
“What is that Sima?” With a sound of reprehension in his voice. It was then that Sai perceived that Nima was in the room. The older brother was by the back door, with his shoulder leaned to the wall and his arms crossed. He was behind Sai, looking directly at his sister. As Sima, his eyes also were looking deep into Sai, in his back. The eyes of the Xan-Xe-Re... for sure such a strong weapon, capable of making miserable the most confident man. However, Sai was no ordinary person. Indeed, his father once said: “The heritage in Sai is bigger than in almost all members of the family... Perhaps, even bigger than in Nima.”.
“Do you understand what your brother told you, Sai?” Sima-Vu, her voice, as strong as Sai's, filling the room. Sai's mind, instantly, went to the day he had escaped of their house in Ba Sing Sei and what Nima had said to him when he left. The very presence of these three seemed to perturb the atmosphere. The air seemed denser, pressing everything around. Sure, that would be for the common folk, not for them, the heirs of the Xan-Xe-Re.
However, always unlucky, came Gugan, from the same corridor from where came Sima-Vu. He was someone while out there but, among those three persons, he was nothing else but miserable. He crossed the room, in silence, his head down, his eyes looking at the floor, to get a glass of water and leave. Through all his way though, the eyes of the three brothers were upon him, smashing his soul, as cold as the blade of a knife and as hard as the great walls of Ba Sing Sei. For this poor man, a few seconds seemed like hours... days. However, when Sima-Vu's glance left the back of her lamentable brother and came back to Sai's she fell. For a second, that brief moment, when her eyes caught the ones of his brother again he was the champion. His elbows were supported by the table and his hands in front of his mouth, the fingers crossed. And his eyes were melting Sima-Vu's soul and entering in every layer of her personality. An almost imperceptible smile came across Sima-vu's face. “I'm glad to know that.”. She rose from her chair and left by the same corridor she came in. And then she could feel the eyes of her two brothers peering at her. She was happy, she knew that the Earth Kingdom had those two to protect it, as well as her.
When Sai was consecrated champion over his sister the dense atmosphere was, kind of, dissipated. Then there was just the two, Sai and Nima. Sai was still sitted and Nima was still near the door, resting his shoulder on the wall. There was no competition anymore. Both knew that if they were to start a fight, like the one Sai just had with his sister, none would win or lose. Their way was different.
“I can prove it to you if you would like.” Sai, to Nima.
Nima looked at the scruff of the neck of his brother. “I will be in the arena, waiting for you.” Nima, to Sai.
And when Sai heard the door closing behind him, as his brother left, he, calmly, kept on with his meal. A few minutes later he would be heading to the property's personal arena.
