RC - Tai

Attempting for
1st choice: FIRE
2nd Choice: Non-bender

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Name: Tai

Age: 25

Nationality: Born in Yu Dao, Fire Nation Colony

Affinity: Earth

Skills:
• Mechanics - He works at a Satomobile factory and is rather skilled in tinkering with the vehicles.

• Firebending Martial Arts (adapted for non-bending) - Tai's father had become paranoid of them being targetted by Equalists when his mother was taken. He in turn began teaching Tai an adapted martial art based on firebending that is effective without actual firebending. This is the fighting style he uses now instead of using bending.

• Chinese Zither Player - a hobby he learned from his mother before she was taken away by the Equalists and has been self-teaching and improving ever since in memory of her.


Personality:
✔ Strong Willed - When he sets his goals, Tai does not let much of anything deter him from completing it.
✔ Collected - Thinks before he acts and speaks and is rarely ever nervous or rash in his decisions, even in tight spots.
✔ Protective - Though he doesn't get close to people easily despite his friendliness, Tai is very protective of those who he does end up being close to.

✘ Suspicious - Effected by his mother's disappearance (and suspicions that it was the Equalists' doing), Tai has trust issues especially towards non-benders and those who speak out against benders. This may make him come off as paranoid and antagonistic.
✘ Stubborn - When he forms an opinion or idea, it is very hard to change his mind even though he might be wrong. He'd rather find out he is wrong the hard way regardless of consequence just to try and prove a point.
✘ Aloof - Tai has few things he's passionate about and would truly care for (his job, his father, his music and any friends who become close enough). To everything else, he may seem aloof and uninterested.

RP sample:

Tai had packed his tools away for the night. The factory and workshop had already closed for an hour or so now but he stayed in and cleaned up, polishing and sweeping. Some of his co-workers questioned why he spent the extra time when there was no overtime pay. Tai viewed it as a way to show his supervisors he was worthy of a better job than just a factory line worker. Well that...and it was an escape for him. The smell of oil and auto-mobile parts would make most people cringe or wrinkle their nose, but for Tai it was the smell of a future..of security for his father and him.

Since his mother was taken by Equalists, his father had taken care of him in her stead while working to provide for the two. This only resulted in the old man falling sick..and now the responsibility lies with the twenty-five year old to take care of his father and himself.

The radio was on in the security booth where one lone slightly overweight man sat eating his late dinner. The static-y broadcast echoed through the empty factory but was audible, not that Tai was necessarily interested. However, after listening in closely...the topic at hand was definitely note-worthy.

"The Avatar...?" He stood up straight, wiping his oiled hands with a cloth slowly. "So she's here..." Tai muttered to himself, filled with mixed feelings. He hoped that, with the Avatar here, justice would be brought to the Equalists for what they've done and their increasing illegal movements against benders. On the other hand, his opinion of the police that are supposed to protect the public hit him. What if the Avatar was the same? What if she really couldn't do anything? "No use in getting my hopes up." He shrugged, going back to finishing his work while listening to the rest of the teen's speech before heading home in the chilly night.


Additional Info:

• He hides his bending and will refuse to confirm that he is a bender at all when asked. It takes a lot for Tai to end up using firebending for anything

• Tai earns extra cash in backstreet brawling tournaments for non-benders and has earned a little reputation with the small circle of participants as the 'Tiger'. He has told no-one of his participation in such an event, finding it not something he's particularly proud of.

• Hasn't fire bend in public sight since he was rejected entry to the Elite Anti-Crime Police (exclusively metalbenders) at 18. He keeps the fact that him and his father are benders a tight secret due to his paranoia.

• Works at a Satomobile factory and is a self-taught mechanic even though he himself only works on the production line and doesn't own a car since he can't afford it.

• Has been arrested once for beating up an Anti-Bender protester who got too close.

• The scar on his face isn't from fighting - it was a work related injury where a piece of metal that was not fastened properly shot up at his face. His left eyesight is a bit shot because of it, but it's not completely blind.

• His shoes are steel toed for work. Also for kicking really hard BD.