Post by Masato on Oct 10, 2014 8:24:20 GMT -5
Name: Masato
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Nation: Air Nomad
Physical Appearance: Masato is a young man of average height, with a slim but solid athletic build. Though young, he moves with the easy confident grace of a man much older than most boys his age-- the result of spending much of his life practicing airbending and meditation. It has allowed him to be much more in tune with himself and his movements, allowing him to eschew the awkward gangly stage most teenage boys go through in their lives. His years of training seem to reflect in his features as well. The boy smiles quickly and easily, yet there is a certain air of determination to him, be it from the intensity of the gaze of his dark eyes or the way he unconsciously sets his jaw. His skin is on the paler side of things, even after spending countless hours under the open sky and exposed to the elements.
Being an airbender, Masato has undergone the rite of acquiring his airbending tattoos. However, now that he has broken away with his fellow air nomads for the time, Masato does not feel it right and proper to leave them exposed for all to see. His black hair has grown out over the years (at an extraordinary rate) to completely cover his head, and has even grown long enough to the point where he has to keep it tied back to keep it from getting in his way constantly. To prevent exposure in the are where the tattoo extends beyond his hairline, Masato has since taken up the habit of wearing a long strip of crimson cloth as a headband.
For his attire, he likes to wear a simple white samue-style shirt. The sleeves are long enough that he can cover his tattoos, and often wears simple leather bracers underneath them. When on the ship, however, he prefers to go without them, and also prefers to hold back his sleeves with a length of crimson tasuki. He still wears his old air nomad pants and boots, though those particular garments are old and ill-fitting, held together with an extensive array of repair stitching and patches. Why he still insists on wearing them is a mystery, even to himself. They are comfy, though!
Equipment: As an air nomad, Masato has never had much in the way of worldly possessions to call his own. Even now, after two years amongst pirates, his reluctance to let go of the teachings he grew up with make him reluctant to own more than he can carry. He even goes so far as to forgo his share of the crew's plunder. If he needs money for something (which is rare), he just asks the captain for it.
Not that Masato goes completely empty-handed, however. No self-respecting air nomad ever goes far from home without their unique airbending glider/staff, and Masato is certainly no exception to that. Carved from red maple, the wood of the staff itself has been treated and stained to assume a crimson hue. The wings and fins of the glider, when deployed, are a far cry from the common plain orange one encounters with most other air nomad staffs. Masato has had his glider painted in a bold variety of designs and colors. When he flies, one would almost think that his glider was nothing more than an oversize gaudy kite in the sky.
He also carries with him a bison whistle, in the rare instances where he has the need to call upon Samaya. Unlike his staff, his whistle is a simple thing, fashioned from bamboo and lacking any unique carvings or designs to make it stand out. He likes to wear it on a cord around his neck, where it is almost always hidden beneath his shirt.
Combat Skills: Masato, like all air nomads, is an airbender, albeit one with a rather unremarkable level of skill. He's never struggled with his bending or anything along those lines, but Masato has always had a marked disinterest in honing his skills and practice, and as such his talents are rather unevenly distributed. He is good at anything that assists him in flight and the manipulation of air currents, but using his talents in any other method are, at best, sloppy.
His combat capabilities are equally unfocused and unrefined. Being that all bending stem from martial arts moves, Masato is theoretically capable of engaging in combat. In a desperate pinch, he will fight if he has to. But Masato still follows the teachings of his people in a certain fashion, and he prefers to stick to remaining as nonviolent as possible. He is slightly better when it comes to fighting with his staff, though still. It's usually best if Masato leaves the fighting to the other members of the pirate crew...
Talents: As stated above, Masato is reasonably talented in using his airbending to assist in his gliding. The young man loves the sky, and has spent enough hours zooming about on his glider to nearly master the thing. He could fly until the end of time and never set foot on the ground again if he could ever manage to get away with it. Being that he serves as the lookout for the Cuttlefish and her crew, Masato has also developed a keen eye for both movement and detail. Visually, it takes a lot to get past his notice.
He's also good at, surprisingly, cooking. It's fun! And you get to make food things! Sometimes they don't turn out as expected-- Masato is a bit of a mad scientist in the kitchen, and is always eager to invent some insane concoction or another. Usually it turns out surprisingly well, and when he actually sticks to properly established recipes (with only minor tweaking), he can make quite the tasty spread.
Flaws: Masto certainly has no shortage of flaws. While he does his best to be as easygoing and relaxed a person as he possibly can, he is still a teenage boy. And what are teenage boys if not reckless and impulsive little bundles of hormones? Masato is the sort of kid who rushes into things with no thought or consideration of consequences. Some would call it bravery in the proper instances, Masato takes it to a degree where it can't be called anything other than foolish recklessness. How he hasn't been burned by it yet is just a streak of dumb luck, and some day he's going to pay the price for charging into affairs headfirst.
He's also incredibly lazy when it comes to matters he has no active interest in. That's why he is often lacking in his airbending disciplines-- he's simply not interested in all it has to offer. Too much effort and not enough immediate reward for his tastes. He's got things down "good enough" for time time being. Isn't that enough?
His nonviolent approach to life could also be considered something of a flaw, considering that he is currently wasting his life running around with a bunch of pirates. He's also a terrible liar. TERRIBLE. Boy couldn't lie to save his life.
History: The early years of Masato's life were routine enough. Born to air nomads (shocking, I know), he never had much of a connection to his parents, as they followed through with tradition and allowed him to be taken away from them for training. If there ever was any resentment or sadness, Masato never knew. It was simply the way the world worked for the air nomads, and him being taken raised no audible questions or concerns.
It was in the Northern Air Temple that Masato came to be raised in, serving with the other young boys his age as acolytes under the older, wiser masters. His memories of the place evoke some mixed reactions, though Masato generally speaks fondly of his days in the temple. He got along very well with the other boys, often serving as the ringleader of the little gang whenever mischief was involved (and boy, was there a lot of mischief makin' back when Masato was there). The games, the fun, and the flying he remembers fondly. But the training? The meditation?
Ugh.
In regards to the meditation and studies expected of all airbenders, Masato was by far the most lacking amongst his peers. He was too full of energy, too free-spirited to be tied down in quiet contemplation and seeking deep meaningful inner spiritual connections. The elders quickly caught on to Masato, and much as they tried to gently rein him in and temper him, the boy refused to yield. If anything, he got worse.
Frustration and tension began to run high on both sides of the argument. The elders became increasingly exasperated with Masato and his habits, and Masato grew increasingly resentful for what he perceived to be them forcing their ways upon him. He just wanted to be free, to go see the world beyond the confines of the temple. All the other boys were starting to make their way out in the world, why not him?! He couldn't stand being confined to one location. Not when there was so much out there!
When he was 14, things finally hit the breaking point. Words were finally exchanged, tempers flared, and Masato took his bison Samaya and left. Placing himself in a self-imposed exile, Masato finally found himself free to wander and see the world as he pleased. He wandered aimlessly for a time, making several attempts to send Samaya back home with no luck during that time. While freedom was a wonderful thing, young Masato realized that leaving as he did came at a price- he had no home, no money, and no one to turn to for support. He managed to scrape by well enough, living rough and using his airbending to perform tricks for coin. It was when he was along the coast that his fortunes took an unexpected turn.
He remembers it clearly. He was in a bar, drinking some root beer (he had heard tales of it and had been dying to taste it for himself), when he caught the attention of a certain captain.
How Masato caught the captain's eye he'll never know. Yet the man approached Masato in the bar. Well, he approached several men that night. The man was known by Mordred, and was the captain of a ship known as the Cuttlefish. From what Masato learned later, the ship had just undergone a brutal failed mutiny, and so Mordred was scouting for potential crew members. Not knowing what exactly he was getting into, the young Masato eagerly agreed to the captain's proposal. Go adventuring on a boat? Sounded fun!
He's been on the Cuttlefish ever since. While Masato never intended to stick around as long as he has, the young airbender has become quite well ingrained in the crew, both because of his talents as the lookout and because of his gregarious personality. Although the whole pirating thing isn't his deal, he's become too attached to the life to seriously consider leaving. Besides! They always seem to be on an adventure! That was the life that Masato sought, so why not stick around a while longer?
Personality: Ever hear the phrase 'free spirit?' That's Masato in a nutshell. Energetic, enthusiastic, quick to laugh and quicker to smile, Masato possesses that carefree view towards life that few can hope to match. He's a “leaf on the wind” as he likes to say, flitting and gliding through life in a complete lackadaisical manner with no thoughts or regards to the consequences... until they come to hit him in the face. It happens.
Not like it ever puts a damper on Masato's cheer. The boy is almost sickening with how he always seems to be in a chipper mood. If not sickening, then adorable. There is just a certain sense of naivete to him that people seem to find endearing. Does Masato notice? Nope, not really. He just thinks they're all friends! And he likes that! Masato is (for the most part) a real people person. He loves people! They always have something interesting to say, or some fascinating story to tell. Masato loves stories, almost as much as he does flying.
He's pretty bold as well, surprisingly. Brave, some would say. Reckless idiot, others would comment. Masato is absolutely fearless, to the point of foolhardiness. His relentless curiosity overrides good sense more often than not, and he's not afraid to stand up for himself (nonviolently, if he can help it). Has this gotten him in trouble before? Yep. Has he learned his lesson? Nope. Masato has a skull like iron, sometimes.
Speaking of his iron skull, it does get him into trouble. Being as free-spirited as he is, Masato naturally often finds himself at odds with authority figures. Those that know well enough when to give some slack in the reins and subtly offer guidance and instructions find themselves to have no trouble with Masato. Those that try to control and conform him, however, often fall on his bad side. Masato is too independent to allow himself to be directed about. He has to do things his own way, otherwise he tends to cause trouble and butt heads. That's why piracy works for him. The captain and the crew let Masato operate as he pleases, and in return he rewards them with his unwavering loyalty. Masato's not the sort to ditch his friends, after all. He's a better man than that.
Though he has broken away from the Air Nomads and placed himself in a self-imposed exile, Masato still follows the tenants and faith of his people as best he can. He denies it, but Masato really is a spiritual young man. He just isn't fully aware of it himself yet. In time, his boundless energy should mellow out, but for the moment he's just living life as it comes to him and loving every minute of it.
Pet: Theoretically, Masato possesses a flying bison, whom he calls Samaya. In truth, Masato is... not the most attentive pet owner and allows her to run wild. Hey, you try keeping something as big as a flying bison on a ship. To the untrained eye, Samaya is indistinguishable from the rest of her species, though she does seem to be on the smaller end of the scale for a flying bison despite being a fully mature adult.
Masato has tried several times to get her to go back to the air temples, but it seems the girl is too attached to her human to listen. Yet Samaya is independent enough that she goes off roving and roaming on her own for long periods of time, and somehow always manages to find her way back to Masato. She is a calm and gentle creature, who does not mind the presence of strangers in the least... unless they try to climb on her back. Samaya only lets Masato climb on her normally, and only lets others ride her if he is present and is able to coerce her into a grudging state of acceptance. Usually lots of bribery in the form of fruits are involved for her to even consider it.
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Nation: Air Nomad
Physical Appearance: Masato is a young man of average height, with a slim but solid athletic build. Though young, he moves with the easy confident grace of a man much older than most boys his age-- the result of spending much of his life practicing airbending and meditation. It has allowed him to be much more in tune with himself and his movements, allowing him to eschew the awkward gangly stage most teenage boys go through in their lives. His years of training seem to reflect in his features as well. The boy smiles quickly and easily, yet there is a certain air of determination to him, be it from the intensity of the gaze of his dark eyes or the way he unconsciously sets his jaw. His skin is on the paler side of things, even after spending countless hours under the open sky and exposed to the elements.
Being an airbender, Masato has undergone the rite of acquiring his airbending tattoos. However, now that he has broken away with his fellow air nomads for the time, Masato does not feel it right and proper to leave them exposed for all to see. His black hair has grown out over the years (at an extraordinary rate) to completely cover his head, and has even grown long enough to the point where he has to keep it tied back to keep it from getting in his way constantly. To prevent exposure in the are where the tattoo extends beyond his hairline, Masato has since taken up the habit of wearing a long strip of crimson cloth as a headband.
For his attire, he likes to wear a simple white samue-style shirt. The sleeves are long enough that he can cover his tattoos, and often wears simple leather bracers underneath them. When on the ship, however, he prefers to go without them, and also prefers to hold back his sleeves with a length of crimson tasuki. He still wears his old air nomad pants and boots, though those particular garments are old and ill-fitting, held together with an extensive array of repair stitching and patches. Why he still insists on wearing them is a mystery, even to himself. They are comfy, though!
Equipment: As an air nomad, Masato has never had much in the way of worldly possessions to call his own. Even now, after two years amongst pirates, his reluctance to let go of the teachings he grew up with make him reluctant to own more than he can carry. He even goes so far as to forgo his share of the crew's plunder. If he needs money for something (which is rare), he just asks the captain for it.
Not that Masato goes completely empty-handed, however. No self-respecting air nomad ever goes far from home without their unique airbending glider/staff, and Masato is certainly no exception to that. Carved from red maple, the wood of the staff itself has been treated and stained to assume a crimson hue. The wings and fins of the glider, when deployed, are a far cry from the common plain orange one encounters with most other air nomad staffs. Masato has had his glider painted in a bold variety of designs and colors. When he flies, one would almost think that his glider was nothing more than an oversize gaudy kite in the sky.
He also carries with him a bison whistle, in the rare instances where he has the need to call upon Samaya. Unlike his staff, his whistle is a simple thing, fashioned from bamboo and lacking any unique carvings or designs to make it stand out. He likes to wear it on a cord around his neck, where it is almost always hidden beneath his shirt.
Combat Skills: Masato, like all air nomads, is an airbender, albeit one with a rather unremarkable level of skill. He's never struggled with his bending or anything along those lines, but Masato has always had a marked disinterest in honing his skills and practice, and as such his talents are rather unevenly distributed. He is good at anything that assists him in flight and the manipulation of air currents, but using his talents in any other method are, at best, sloppy.
His combat capabilities are equally unfocused and unrefined. Being that all bending stem from martial arts moves, Masato is theoretically capable of engaging in combat. In a desperate pinch, he will fight if he has to. But Masato still follows the teachings of his people in a certain fashion, and he prefers to stick to remaining as nonviolent as possible. He is slightly better when it comes to fighting with his staff, though still. It's usually best if Masato leaves the fighting to the other members of the pirate crew...
Talents: As stated above, Masato is reasonably talented in using his airbending to assist in his gliding. The young man loves the sky, and has spent enough hours zooming about on his glider to nearly master the thing. He could fly until the end of time and never set foot on the ground again if he could ever manage to get away with it. Being that he serves as the lookout for the Cuttlefish and her crew, Masato has also developed a keen eye for both movement and detail. Visually, it takes a lot to get past his notice.
He's also good at, surprisingly, cooking. It's fun! And you get to make food things! Sometimes they don't turn out as expected-- Masato is a bit of a mad scientist in the kitchen, and is always eager to invent some insane concoction or another. Usually it turns out surprisingly well, and when he actually sticks to properly established recipes (with only minor tweaking), he can make quite the tasty spread.
Flaws: Masto certainly has no shortage of flaws. While he does his best to be as easygoing and relaxed a person as he possibly can, he is still a teenage boy. And what are teenage boys if not reckless and impulsive little bundles of hormones? Masato is the sort of kid who rushes into things with no thought or consideration of consequences. Some would call it bravery in the proper instances, Masato takes it to a degree where it can't be called anything other than foolish recklessness. How he hasn't been burned by it yet is just a streak of dumb luck, and some day he's going to pay the price for charging into affairs headfirst.
He's also incredibly lazy when it comes to matters he has no active interest in. That's why he is often lacking in his airbending disciplines-- he's simply not interested in all it has to offer. Too much effort and not enough immediate reward for his tastes. He's got things down "good enough" for time time being. Isn't that enough?
His nonviolent approach to life could also be considered something of a flaw, considering that he is currently wasting his life running around with a bunch of pirates. He's also a terrible liar. TERRIBLE. Boy couldn't lie to save his life.
History: The early years of Masato's life were routine enough. Born to air nomads (shocking, I know), he never had much of a connection to his parents, as they followed through with tradition and allowed him to be taken away from them for training. If there ever was any resentment or sadness, Masato never knew. It was simply the way the world worked for the air nomads, and him being taken raised no audible questions or concerns.
It was in the Northern Air Temple that Masato came to be raised in, serving with the other young boys his age as acolytes under the older, wiser masters. His memories of the place evoke some mixed reactions, though Masato generally speaks fondly of his days in the temple. He got along very well with the other boys, often serving as the ringleader of the little gang whenever mischief was involved (and boy, was there a lot of mischief makin' back when Masato was there). The games, the fun, and the flying he remembers fondly. But the training? The meditation?
Ugh.
In regards to the meditation and studies expected of all airbenders, Masato was by far the most lacking amongst his peers. He was too full of energy, too free-spirited to be tied down in quiet contemplation and seeking deep meaningful inner spiritual connections. The elders quickly caught on to Masato, and much as they tried to gently rein him in and temper him, the boy refused to yield. If anything, he got worse.
Frustration and tension began to run high on both sides of the argument. The elders became increasingly exasperated with Masato and his habits, and Masato grew increasingly resentful for what he perceived to be them forcing their ways upon him. He just wanted to be free, to go see the world beyond the confines of the temple. All the other boys were starting to make their way out in the world, why not him?! He couldn't stand being confined to one location. Not when there was so much out there!
When he was 14, things finally hit the breaking point. Words were finally exchanged, tempers flared, and Masato took his bison Samaya and left. Placing himself in a self-imposed exile, Masato finally found himself free to wander and see the world as he pleased. He wandered aimlessly for a time, making several attempts to send Samaya back home with no luck during that time. While freedom was a wonderful thing, young Masato realized that leaving as he did came at a price- he had no home, no money, and no one to turn to for support. He managed to scrape by well enough, living rough and using his airbending to perform tricks for coin. It was when he was along the coast that his fortunes took an unexpected turn.
He remembers it clearly. He was in a bar, drinking some root beer (he had heard tales of it and had been dying to taste it for himself), when he caught the attention of a certain captain.
How Masato caught the captain's eye he'll never know. Yet the man approached Masato in the bar. Well, he approached several men that night. The man was known by Mordred, and was the captain of a ship known as the Cuttlefish. From what Masato learned later, the ship had just undergone a brutal failed mutiny, and so Mordred was scouting for potential crew members. Not knowing what exactly he was getting into, the young Masato eagerly agreed to the captain's proposal. Go adventuring on a boat? Sounded fun!
He's been on the Cuttlefish ever since. While Masato never intended to stick around as long as he has, the young airbender has become quite well ingrained in the crew, both because of his talents as the lookout and because of his gregarious personality. Although the whole pirating thing isn't his deal, he's become too attached to the life to seriously consider leaving. Besides! They always seem to be on an adventure! That was the life that Masato sought, so why not stick around a while longer?
Personality: Ever hear the phrase 'free spirit?' That's Masato in a nutshell. Energetic, enthusiastic, quick to laugh and quicker to smile, Masato possesses that carefree view towards life that few can hope to match. He's a “leaf on the wind” as he likes to say, flitting and gliding through life in a complete lackadaisical manner with no thoughts or regards to the consequences... until they come to hit him in the face. It happens.
Not like it ever puts a damper on Masato's cheer. The boy is almost sickening with how he always seems to be in a chipper mood. If not sickening, then adorable. There is just a certain sense of naivete to him that people seem to find endearing. Does Masato notice? Nope, not really. He just thinks they're all friends! And he likes that! Masato is (for the most part) a real people person. He loves people! They always have something interesting to say, or some fascinating story to tell. Masato loves stories, almost as much as he does flying.
He's pretty bold as well, surprisingly. Brave, some would say. Reckless idiot, others would comment. Masato is absolutely fearless, to the point of foolhardiness. His relentless curiosity overrides good sense more often than not, and he's not afraid to stand up for himself (nonviolently, if he can help it). Has this gotten him in trouble before? Yep. Has he learned his lesson? Nope. Masato has a skull like iron, sometimes.
Speaking of his iron skull, it does get him into trouble. Being as free-spirited as he is, Masato naturally often finds himself at odds with authority figures. Those that know well enough when to give some slack in the reins and subtly offer guidance and instructions find themselves to have no trouble with Masato. Those that try to control and conform him, however, often fall on his bad side. Masato is too independent to allow himself to be directed about. He has to do things his own way, otherwise he tends to cause trouble and butt heads. That's why piracy works for him. The captain and the crew let Masato operate as he pleases, and in return he rewards them with his unwavering loyalty. Masato's not the sort to ditch his friends, after all. He's a better man than that.
Though he has broken away from the Air Nomads and placed himself in a self-imposed exile, Masato still follows the tenants and faith of his people as best he can. He denies it, but Masato really is a spiritual young man. He just isn't fully aware of it himself yet. In time, his boundless energy should mellow out, but for the moment he's just living life as it comes to him and loving every minute of it.
Pet: Theoretically, Masato possesses a flying bison, whom he calls Samaya. In truth, Masato is... not the most attentive pet owner and allows her to run wild. Hey, you try keeping something as big as a flying bison on a ship. To the untrained eye, Samaya is indistinguishable from the rest of her species, though she does seem to be on the smaller end of the scale for a flying bison despite being a fully mature adult.
Masato has tried several times to get her to go back to the air temples, but it seems the girl is too attached to her human to listen. Yet Samaya is independent enough that she goes off roving and roaming on her own for long periods of time, and somehow always manages to find her way back to Masato. She is a calm and gentle creature, who does not mind the presence of strangers in the least... unless they try to climb on her back. Samaya only lets Masato climb on her normally, and only lets others ride her if he is present and is able to coerce her into a grudging state of acceptance. Usually lots of bribery in the form of fruits are involved for her to even consider it.