[Flashback] Difficult Lessons at the Pavilion (Satu)

[Avari]

Season of Spring, Day 5, 507 AV

It was another beautiful day in Mura, pleasant and balmy, with a gentle breeze that carried the sweet fragrances of the first early blossoms of spring. The sun shone brightly on the gracious buildings, silvery pools of water, and graceful trees that dotted the city in artistic profusion. Birds twittered and sang in the branches, the leaves rustled and whispered in the wind, and the soft murmur of Konti voices formed a melodious counterpoint to the natural sounds of the city.

Yet, despite the temperate day and lovely sights that surrounded her, Avari grumbled and muttered under her breath incessantly as she trudged across the city center. Her mouth drooped in a sulky frown, her chin jutted obstinately, and her arms were crossed grumpily about her chest as she turned onto a pathway leading to the southwest. Everything about her radiated unwillingness and irritation as she stalked down the pathway, crossed the narrow bridge over the Silver Lake, and looked up to behold the majestic edifice of the Suvai Pavilion rising before her. She hesitated at the entrance, her hands hovering over the hilts of a pair of her mother's old wooden practice suvai, and heaved a deep sigh of resignation.

It had been six days since Avari had been accused of cheating by that hairy bearded sailor with whom she had been dicing at the harbor. The man had grown so suspicious of her uncanny streak of "luck" and so affronted by the amount of money he was losing that he'd lost his temper, jumped to his feet, and charged at Avari. She had squeaked in fright, dropped the dice, and fled -- like a frightened little girl, she thought, with a flush of embarrassment. When she'd finally made it home, breathless from exertion and panic, her grandmother had taken one penetrating look at her and mildly suggested that she might want to learn how to defend herself. Her aunts quickly joined in the chorus and, before she knew it, Avari had agreed to train at the Suvai Pavilion. Or had she really agreed? Had they simply agreed for her?

No matter. She was here now, about to endure another day of learning to wave about her suvai as if she had the least idea of what she was doing. She didn't think that sailor would be much more respectful of her now than he had been six days ago.

Inside, the suvai mistress Val'mara Nitvin had already started her novice suvai fighting class, and the tall, imposing Konti frowned when she noticed Avari trying to sneak unobtrusively into the back of the room. Everyone else was already kneeling on reed mats and listening attentively to Val'mara's lecture. Avari plopped down on an unoccupied half of a reed mat beside another Konti and tried halfheartedly to pay attention.

Almost immediately, though, her mind started wandering as Val'mara droned on and on about proper suvai fighting stances and techniques. It seemed to go on for hours. Even if Avari clearly needed to learn how to use a weapon, it didn't mean she was particularly interested in what she viewed as the overly complicated and intricate art of the suvai. More than once, her eyelids drooped and her chin dropped toward her chest as she fought to stay awake and alert. Why can't we just learn to stab them where it hurts, instead of learning all these fancy dance moves and poses? Avari wondered peevishly. So much simpler and so much more useful for fighting someone for real.

Besides, confound it, it was just too early in the morning for something like suvai training. That damn sailor, Avari thought resentfully. If it hadn't been for him, her aunts would never have sent her here.

After what seemed like hours, she finally jerked awake when she heard the shuffling noise of everyone rising solemnly from their kneeling positions and bowing to Val'mara. Avari hastily climbed to her feet as well. Glancing guiltily to her left, she watched the Konti beside her and made sure to bow at the same time she did, though not nearly as deeply or gracefully.

"Thank you for this day's lesson, Mistress Nitvin," the students intoned in unison.

"Learn well and train hard, my pupils," Val'mara responded formally.

The brief ceremony concluded, the icy-haired suvai mistress waved her arm at the crowd of students. "Now, everyone! Begin sparring with each other, using the techniques that I mentioned this morning. I shall be watching all of you closely to make sure that you have properly understood my lesson."

Oh, pe-! Avari thought, choking off the curse before anyone sensed her unrighteous emotion. It was a familiar one, after all the times she'd drifted off or daydreamed during Val'mara's lectures.

Slowly, she turned toward the other Konti sharing her mat. To her dismay, this Konti looked half a foot taller than Avari and carried herself with a grace that made her grit her teeth with envy. Avari's eyes fell on her capable white hands, which were already grasping her pair of wooden practice suvai with easy familiarity. She gulped. This girl looked like she knew what she was doing far better than Avari ever had. Avari could feel the presentiments of bumps and bruises already.

I'm doomed, she thought inwardly. Outwardly, though, she tried to show no emotion. Awkwardly tugging her own practice suvai out of their sheaths, she only asked, "Um. So. Should we spar now?"

[Satu]

Satu sat on the reed mat, long legs crossed beneath her. Enraptured, the entirety of her being was fixated upon the lecturing suvai mistress. The intricacies of the suvai forms, the beauty of the practice filled the Konti’s youthful imagination; her only regret was that she could not excel fast enough in the art. Always the girl wished to be further ahead. Most days, she could be found training in the suvai pavilion, even when she was supposed to be elsewhere, attending to other studies. But here at the Pavilion, Avalis’ gift of the HeartSense was tempered by the physical exercises that focused her mind and quieted her Gift. And for a time, the bombardment of other’s emotions and feelings into her psyche lessened, and she could find peace in the dance of the suvai movements. The lesson was a beautiful thing, and the girl tried to note each stance and its ultimate uses, and the ones that the older girls so easily transformed into graceful yet explosive kicks, or even something entirely unexpected. Satu was focused, and her Heart blessedly still... until a late-comer rushed in and sat next to her, disturbing the little pocket of stillness around her. Satu’s HeartSense flared, noting the tardy girl’s emotions… Unwillingness. Irritation. Resignation… But the HeartSeer was too polite to comment on private feelings; for it was not the Konti way to force one’s gift upon another… So she sat, eyes forward, and she tried to recapture her former attentiveness. It was not a hard task. So hopefully Satu leaned forward, taken in by Mistress Val’mara’s strong words, as if trying in her enthusiasm to understand more than what was actually said. The art of the suvai fit her temperament readily, for the Konti was too easily distracted for the sterner academics. The physicality of the suvai lesson movements, and her mother’s background in dance, offered Satu a solid foundation of how a body fit into the space around it. Perhaps the new girl had also found her niche here as well, Satu thought, a lovely smiled appearing on her face as her eyes shifted to rest upon her mat-mate. The face was not familiar… and Satu would have remembered the girl, after her own long hours on the mats. She must be new and – but… the girl was falling asleep! Satu was surprised… and taken aback – and all during the suvai mistress’ lecture! Almost the taller Konti reached out a hand to touch and wake the girl, but already the lecture was ending, and the girl jerked awake. Satu gazed upon her companion briefly, a soft look of friendliness. Then eyes upon Val’Mara once more, Satu bowed. Deeply and gracefully she offered her respects, as a follower, a believer… as an acolyte might with long straight legs and an even straighter spine. Mistress Nitvin left them to practice, and Satu’s face lit up beautifully, “This is almost my favourite part! Though I could listen to the suvai mistress all day!” She hoped her new partner would prove challenging, and push her to sweating… for that was the best way to learn. The techniques needed to be experienced and she wanted to lead, yet also to learn how to defend against them as well. No sign of emotion graced the shorter girl’s features, yet the HeartSeer could not help but feel the hidden feelings... they were hardly enthusiastic… or confident. It wasn’t right of course that Satu used her Gift, but it was so difficult to rein in. Still Satu had learned to judge no one on the mats; the island women had so many hidden talents. Besides, Satu wanted to believe in the best of everyone. “Oh yes! It would be no fun if we didn’t!” Satu enthused, ready to begin “My name’s Satu, but you pick! Would you prefer to lead or defend? I want to try everything!” Sapphire eyes sparkled with excitement as the other girls around them began the sparring. The wooden suvai rested, secure and natural in her hands, ready to be danced with…

[Avari]

The longer that Avari looked at her new sparring partner, Satu, the deeper her unease grew and the more her misgivings multiplied. Tall and willowy, with a dancer's lithe muscles and legs that seemed to go on forever, she appeared to be everything that Avari was not: long-limbed and lovely, self-possessed and sweet. And her unbridled enthusiasm for suvai practice was a little frightening. Avari had seen little girls beg for candy or toys with less fervor.

Those eyes... Avari dropped her own gaze from those radiant, jewel-like irises, unnerved by the way they glowed insistently at her. Involuntarily, she backed away slowly from Satu, until the smaller Konti was standing on the very edge of the mat and couldn't retreat any further without stepping on the floor itself.

"I...uhh...my name is Avari," she stammered. "I've only just started studying here, so...uhh...why don't you lead? Yes! You should lead! I'll...um...just defend, over here. Yes. That sounds good."

She drew out her practice suvai, holding the one in her right hand high at roughly chest level in what she imagined was a defensive posture, while the one in her left hand dangled nigh uselessly to one side. The suvai were originally intended to be wielded in pairs, one in each hand, with both weapons flowing in graceful, complex forms that allowed the suvai fighter to shift effortlessly from offense to defense and back again without pause. As someone who had barely grasped basic suvai technique in the first place, though, Avari could only manage to concentrate on using one weapon at a time, and rather clumsily at that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she peeked at their nearest neighboring pairs of sparring suvai fighters to see what they were doing and to adjust her own stance. To her inexpert eye, it looked as though one of the girls had adopted a defensive stance very similar to the one that Avari had just invented off the top of her head right now. Observing her discreetly, Avari tried to imitate her pose a little more closely, lifting her right arm a little higher and angling the wooden suvai a little further across her chest, as well as stretching her left arm straight out at a shallow angle from her body with the suvai pointing toward the ground. To complete the picture, she then stepped one foot forward and bent both knees slightly, dividing her weight between both legs to achieve what she fondly imagined was perfect balance.

She tried to picture how she looked standing in this pose and decided that she must look quite cool and really very competent. I totally know what I'm doing, she tried to project through her stance, even while her mind internally murmured, Well, actually, I have no idea what I'm doing. Surely, even the strict eye of Mistress Nitvin couldn't possibly find fault with her right now. Avari had copied her stance exactly from another girl's on the next mat. What could possibly go wrong with that?

"All right, I believe I'm ready now," she told Satu. "Why don't we, uh, start? I guess it's probably the best way to learn, right? So, uh, let's spar whenever you're ready. But, you know, feel free to take your time, too! I'm in no hurry, I promise."

[Satu]

“Oh Avari! Don’t worry!” Satu exclaimed, in an attempt to halt the backwards motion of the newcomer. “You will love it here! And the Suvai Mistress… she might appear a bit rough at first, but she is really very helpful And - if you like, I can introduce you to the other girls…” Her hand waved around the Pavilion to take in any number of youthful, white haired Konti. It appeared the young HeartSeer might hug the other girl in her enthusiasm, “Really? Sure, I’ll go first then! Thanks!” She had wanted to take the offensive role, but had not wished to be too forward or push her desires upon Avari so soon after meeting her. Satu backed up on the mat, giving herself room to move. Her head cocked slightly as she watched Avari lift one suvai into the defensive posture… The positioning seemed a little off… But when her partner raised the second suvai into position, it appeared a bit better. Satu smiled in encouragement and as Avari’s legs shifted into proper stance, the HeartSeer’s doubts about the newcomer dissipated. Excited as Satu was to spar with a new partner, she ignored the information her HeartSense offered, and with deliberate action she settled into her own first position. The movement of Satu’s primary suvai was not perfect, but close to being accurate. It was the spirited emotion that shown on her face and in her body’s movement that gave the Konti’s practice life and energy. The suvai lifted to travel in a circular arc where it settled at her side, pointing out and downwards. The second suvai followed soon after, and ended at her opposite side, also at the downward angle. She had tried to so hard to move them as one in the dual wield; but try as she might… one always lagged. Inwardly the girl chastised herself, for though she was just learning the dual art form, she wished to be more graceful and competent. A foot shifted to the right, giving the Konti an angle in which to ground from. Satu’s hair was tied in two, tight braids with bright, blue ribbons intertwined throughout the strands. For a moment, she stood with bowed head, trying to settle her excited, youthful mind enough to find a meditative stance within the posture. What had Mistress Nitvin said? She tried to remember… and imagined that she actually could embody the stance within. Her face was partially lowered, yet soon the Konti girl looked up with a secretive half smile, and whispered, “Ready?” Though she asked eagerly, Satu barely waited for an answer before she lowered her eyes once more, her brow furrowed in concentration. She brought the angled leg around to slowly circle behind her. Once there, the slowness became deceptive and Satu sprang forward, pushing off from bent knees. Both the practice suavi cart-wheeled through the air, but the primary one moved through its arc fairly quickly… while the other moved so damnably slow to her mind, in the dual wield. It was not the true arc of a well-placed suvai, but close enough that Satu’s enthusiastic intent helped to hide the flaws within it. As her arms wind-milled and Satu’s weight shifted onto the balls of her, the first suvai rushed swipe at Avari’s abdomen.

[Avari]

Holy shyke, this girl was quick! After a moment of meditation, the other Konti, Satu, veritably launched herself straight at Avari, tensing back on bent knees and leaping forward with the explosive velocity of an uncoiled spring. Avari barely had time to gape in dismay before Satu's two suvai swooped toward her like the talons of a pale, delicately beautiful, disturbingly chirpy, and alarmingly enthusiastic bird of prey. Sheer instinct caused her to swivel her hips to one side and thus swerve her midriff out of the way of the primary suvai. The blunted point passed harmlessly only an inch or two from the fluttering fabric of her shirt.

Her clumsy attempt to dodge pushed her off balance, with most of her weight planted on her right leg. Fearing that the off-hand suvai must not be far behind, Avari fumbled with her hands and hastily raised her left suvai to parry. She cried out in triumph and, it must be admitted, in relief when she managed to catch Satu's second suvai between the prongs of her own weapon.

The impact of the clashing suvai was loud enough that Avari was sure that everyone in the room must be wondering where that clacking noise came from and hard enough that her left wrist ached from the collision. Every self-preservation instinct rose to the fore of her mind, recognizing how much better Satu was with the suvai than she could hope to be and not wanting to receive bumps and bruises from Satu any more than she'd wanted them from the hairy sailor who'd charged at her. With a jerky hop, Avari readjusted her feet on the mat, making sure she could keep her balance so that one push from Satu wouldn't send her sprawling ignominiously to the ground.

Then a clever idea came to mind, causing Avari's eyes to brighten with delight. With an abrupt flexing of her wrist, she tried to twist her suvai while Satu's was still entangled in its prongs, attempting to pluck Satu's suvai straight out of her hands. Surely, Satu would never see this move coming and then, armed with two suvai against one, Avari would definitely have the advantage. The older Konti gloated at her own brilliance.

Except that her maneuver failed badly, when Avari's strength proved not quite enough to wrest the younger Konti's weapon free. Satu kept hold of her suvai, leaving Avari with a sore left forearm and wrist. Satu was stronger than she was and more practiced, Avari realized, noting how effortlessly Satu seemed to perform the fluid, flowing forms of suvai fighting.

What should I do? Avari wondered hopelessly. She looked down briefly at her hands. Oh, right, I have a right hand too! I should...I should attack, that's what I should do! The best defense is a strong offense, didn't the suvai mistress say so at some point? In that case, it's time for me to...defend.

With a shrill, inarticulate shout akin to a battle cry, which rang out incongruously and inappropriately within the peaceful, meditative confines of the Suvai Pavilion, Avari raised her twin training suvai above her head and charged at Satu. The three prongs of each suvai were pointed downward directly at Satu's heart. She fully intended for her attack to appear aggressive and intimidating, and perhaps it would have looked that way to an amateur fighter at first glance.

Any practiced suvai fighter with even a modicum of experience, though, would note that her form was much too angular to be correct and that her mode of charging left her wide open to all sorts of counter-attacks, especially low around the abdomen and legs. Avari's impulsive decision to attack had opened herself up to an easy rebuff, showing her to be most certainly not on Satu's level in the art of the suvai.

[Satu]

The practice blade failed to connect! Avari had shifted to the side, only a hairs-breath from the edge of Satu’s suvai. And to the Konti’s surprise, the new comer’s secondary suvai parried and caught her weapon the grasping prongs. The clash rang out as the two suvai collided, yet it was not loud enough to disturb the other girls in the Pavilion as they fought. Most, like Satu were used to the sounds of fighting now, and they had their own opponents to contend with. Satu was neither upset nor intimidated to have her weapon so tangled, for the young HeartSeer loved the dance of the whale blades - no matter who was ahead. It only meant that now she must try all the harder, especially since Avari was a better fighter than she first appeared. As each girl vied for control of the trapped suvai, Satu beamed brightly. Their contest thrilled her and she enjoyed Avari’s success almost as much as the other girl. As their wrists strained, Satu’s smile stretched wider across her animated and pretty face; she wished to see more of the girl’s fight! Holding her grip firm and her wrist immobile, she would not let Avari wrench the suvai from her fingers, for the HeartSeer had built up strength in her wrists with the constant practice. Satu tried to let the impact of the shorter Konti’s action simply roll across her forearm, then she stepped closer into Avari’s personal space, her sapphire eyes bright with enjoyment. Satu felt the girl’s wrist giving… and she almost made a decisive move, but Avari moved more quickly and – hopped? Astonished, Satu took a step back, the now untangled suvai in her hand. Avari let out a loud and terrible shriek. Had the girl twisted her ankle? Or stepped on something sharp? Satu did not know what had happened to her partner, and it appeared the other girls in the Pavilion did not either, for all eyes were upon her opponent. Satu watched incredulously, as Avari moved into a stance Satu had not witnessed before – at least not by any properly trained Konti. The girl’s arms were raised above her head and she – just charged - straight at her! Satu’s eyes widened… and while normally quick, in this moment the HeartSeer stood dumfounded. Unsure, at the last second Satu spun to the side, her braids flying about her head, to avoid the on-coming rush of the charging Konti. With the arms extended, Avari’s belly, and the entire front side of the body was exposed. Easily Satu leaned in, to lightly tap her blunted suvai against Avari’s navel. TAP. And though it really did not matter at this point, Satu followed through with the duel wield as the girl passed in her momentous rush, to pat the blunted tip of the blade along her back. When she pulled the weapons back, Satu waited for the ‘blow’ to register in the other girl’s mind. The HeartSeer wondered kindly, and a bit naively, if perhaps the girl were alright… or needed some kind of help… or that she might be ill… but whatever the girl’s reasons for acting so strangely, Satu was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and offer assistance. Softly she inquired, "Do you need... help?"

[Avari]

Avari went sprawling onto the ground when Satu easily sidestepped her ill-advised frontal charge while delivering two light taps with her training suvai on Avari's stomach and back. Neither 'blow' did much to stop Avari's momentum as she found herself rushing forward with windmilling arms and legs past Satu toward the mat behind them, where another pair of girls was sparring. She managed to skid to a halt just before colliding into the nearest girl on the other mat, landing on her knees and flailing with both arms to catch herself before she fell flat on her face.

"Do I need help?" she repeated irritably, turning her face to regard Satu. "I shall leave that up to your judgment. Don't let the fact that I lost my balance and got tangled up in my own arms and legs affect your final verdict, either."

Hearing Avari's sharp words, the Konti she would have crashed into signaled to her partner for a pause and turned around to help Avari regain her balance. Avari accepted her proffered hand with a modicum of grace, though she made a face when the other Konti bent down to whisper admonishingly in her ear. "You shouldn't say such unkind things to Satu, you know. She was only trying to help."

The words "Well, standing there doing nothing isn't much help, is it?" rose to Avari's lips, but she bit it back at the last minute. As much as she hated to admit it, it wasn't Satu's fault that Avari had ended up looking like a fool. Instead, Avari swallowed her harsh reply and thanked the other Konti girl for helping her up.

As she did, the delicate silver chain that the Konti girl wore, with its exquisite pearl pendant, caught her eye, and a lance of covetous envy stabbed her heart. In the envy's wake arose a powerful wave of desire to possess the lovely, graceful thing hanging around the Konti's neck and resting in the tender hollow of her throat. She wanted it to be hers, so much so that for a moment Avari pictured herself reaching out and snapping the chain clean off the Konti's neck. Furtively, her eyes darted this way and that, assessing her surroundings and in particular the possible getaway routes open to her, before she got a hold on her emotions. It was the height of stupidity to even imagine taking something from another Konti without her permission in the middle of a building full of Konti. But then, even Avari had never thought of herself as a particularly wise Konti.

With an effort, Avari wrenched her eyes away from the luminous pearl dangling from the Konti's silver chain. She tried to muster some semblance of dignity as she walked back to her own mat and faced Satu again. Drawing herself to her full height, almost half a foot shorter than Satu's, she raised her chin and cleared her throat.

"Sorry," she said, stammering a little with the unfamiliar experience of candor. "I...uh, I wasn't really paying much attention to Suvai Mistress Nitvin's lecture, to be honest. I guess you can tell, after that disastrous attempt at defense I just made. I don't really know what I'm doing here, and I, uh, I appreciate your putting up with me."

With that, Avari turned her body sideways toward Satu, placing her left foot back behind her right and pulling her left shoulder back. She raised her training suvai, her forearms crossed. For a moment, her eyes drifted back toward the Konti girl on the other mat, seeing a gleam of silver on her slender neck, before she reined them back in toward Satu.

"This is the only defensive stance I know," she confessed. "Why don't you attack me with this one and help me get the hang of this stance, at least? Then we can see about you catching me up on whatever the Suvai Mistress was trying to teach us this morning."

[Satu]

“Oh look out!” Satu called worriedly, taking a step towards where Avari was about to trample the Konti on the neighboring mat. A hand rose swiftly to cover the little exclamation of ‘oh’ breathed outwards from her mouth The collision was narrowly averted much to Satu’s relief, but the poor HeartSeer was taken aback when the new girl turned on her and spoke such hurtful and accusing words. Without complaint Satu took the angry barrage; she was too polite to argue, most especially after the girl’s embarrassing misfortune. Concern lay across her features, and belatedly Satu moved to help Avari. She did not get far, for already the Konti nearest the girl began to assist her instead. Satu’s full attention was focused on Avari, as was most of the pavilion. It was then that Satu witnessed the Envy that resided in Avari’s Heart. Envy… it covered the beating Heart vessel hungrily, it was an ugly thing… And Satu, still learning to use her gift, was taken aback by unfamiliar feelings of greed. Naively, she believed it to be a decidedly un-Konti like emotion. Satu knew! She knew what Avari felt, and she felt guilty for it… and for the girl. So entwined in the emotions of others, the HeartSeer could not hide her own. Nervousness played across her face, and the normally sure Konti fidgeted over her own lack of manners. Avari walked toward her. Should she admit what she knew? And confront the girl? Or was it better to keep a Heart’s secrets? In the end, Satu decided to say nothing… it was the proper and less intrusive response. It would be harder to trust the girl now that she saw this. But - Avari did act so genuinely sorry, even as she stammered with honesty. Satu looked down at her, to study her face, to try to read more through her features, though she could not – that was not her talent. Was she naïve for wanting to help Avari? Satu didn’t think so. It was apparent the new Konti had no idea what she was doing with the suvai… and to make the ordeal worse, the other girls in the Pavilion still stared in hopes that something interesting might transpire and bring excitement to the day. Satu felt sorry for the girl. “It wasn’t so bad,” she lied, trying to help Avari save face – though really it had been disastrous. “…at least not at first…you… just need some practice,” she added and smiled genuinely, a small offer for peace between them. Avari settled into the defensive stance. It was a beginner posture, but one the girl appeared more comfortable with. “That is a good start.” Satu said encouragingly. Poor thing, she thought, she only– But Envy came again to the other girl’s Heart! What did Avari covet so greatly, she wondered? Not knowing what else to do, Satu set into her own stance, countering the one her partner had chosen. Her front leg went straight before her, one leg behind bent at the knee just so. She leaned from the waist, tipped forward slightly to hold the leading suvai low, while the back suvai was raised to shoulder level. Satu didn’t move at first… and the moment dragged on and lengthened, until unbidden the words came. Satu could not keep herself from the truth and she blurted out, softly, “Oh Avari… Please don’t covet things that are not yours! Corlia doesn’t have anything you need” Satu saw the world in black and white… and not in shades of grey. For all her helpfulness, she was closed minded and only wished for people to be proper and good, as the more soothing emotions were easier on her sensitive Heart. As if nothing had happened, Satu again said, “Ready?” But this time as she moved, she moved more slowly, as if she sparred with a much younger opponent. And, “Remember to bring your suvai up…” She offered helpfully as she spun to circle her primary suvai straight towards Avari’s chest. The secondary suvai lagged more slowly behind in the dual wield, to try to slice Avari from the side. But it was a shaky movement at best, as concentration narrowed Satu’s normally sparkling eyes.

[Avari]

Avari's eyes swiveled instantly toward Satu's face when the younger Konti divined her feelings of envy and avarice and blurted them aloud for the whole world to hear. After living among the most perceptive and insightful race known on the face of Mizahar all her life, she shouldn't have been surprised that this tall, pretty suvai fighter she had only met this morning could discern her thoughts and emotions. Before she could suppress the thought, Avari bitterly yearned for the possibility of some genuine privacy in her everyday existence, where her heart and mind belonged only to her and no one else was ever privy to their contents.

In a way, Satu was right, she reflected. Corlia, the girl with the lovely necklace, didn't have anything that she needed. She did, however, have something that Avari desired. And, as Avari had learned from experimenting with her own gift of Konti perception, need and desire seldom overlapped, especially when it came to things that didn't belong to the desirer.

However, Avari breathed a sigh of relief when Satu simply disregarded her own reading and continued with the sparring as though nothing had happened. For all that the younger Konti had picked up on her emotion and identified it immediately, it seemed that she hadn't understood the sentiment or couldn't believe that one of her sisters would experience such an alien and un-Konti thought. That was fortunate, for otherwise the girl might have gone running to Avari's aunts or grandmother, and then there would have been an appalling mess of questioning, lectures, and chastisement. Just thinking about what might have awaited her if anyone besides Satu found out about her wayward emotion gave Avari a headache.

Absorbed in these thoughts, Avari was jerked from her reverie when Satu reminded her to bring her suvai up. Hastily, she looked up at her opponent. The sight of Satu spinning agilely on the mat caused the smaller Konti gape and rendered her frozen with astonishment.

Startled, intimidated, and lacking the perceptiveness to see that Satu was in fact thoughtfully treating her like the novice she was, Avari only saw how the younger Konti's grace and skill far surpassed hers. Her unsettled mind thus read Satu's slower, more deliberate movements as a deceptive feint concealing a larger threat. It was, after all, what Avari herself would have done to throw off an opponent in battle: moving slowly during attack and luring the enemy into a misstep, setting them up for an underhanded killing thrust. In her confusion and haste, the thought that Satu might be benignly taking it easier on her didn't enter Avari's mind.

Bringing her suvai up clumsily, she turned her back completely on Satu's primary suvai, convinced that it was only a ruse intended to trick her. She grinned triumphantly when she spotted Satu's secondary suvai curving toward her for a side slice. Grunting with effort, Avari swiped at the side-slashing suvai with her own weapon in a grand, sweeping gesture that she was sure would knock the suvai out of Satu's hands.

Instead, Avari whiffed. Badly. She swung her suvai and hit nothing but air. She blinked in bewilderment, wondering how she could have missed so badly.

To make it worse, with nothing to impede the huge effort she had put into her swipe, her momentum made the smaller Konti whirl dizzily around like an out-of-control top. She tried to stick out a foot or an arm to catch herself on something. At that moment, Satu's primary suvai, which Avari had so unwisely chosen to disregard, came sweeping toward her chest. Though the younger Konti saw her confusion, it was too late to pull back her blow. Slow as it was, the suvai caught Avari at the worst possible moment and it was just enough to throw her off her feet for good.

Avari fell for the second time to the floor, this time landing hard upon her rump in a tangle of arms and legs. Tears of humiliation and anger sprang from her eyes, and she slapped the floor with her training suvai in frustration. This was hopeless! This wasn't teaching her anything. She was just going to look like a fool again and again!

Before Satu could approach her and offer a saccharine outpouring of sympathy, Avari held up one trembling hand.

"Don't," she grated out, "even bother. I'm sick of this. All of this!"

She tossed her suvai on the mat and got to her feet on shaky legs. Her rump was still throbbing a little from her landing. Furiously, she wiped at her wet eyes, hating the thought that someone would see her at a moment of such weakness.

"Thrice-damned suvai!" she cried out. "Stupid suvai, stupid Konti, stupid Pavilion. I've had enough! You do what you like, but I'm out of here! I've had enough of it all!"

With that outburst, Avari spun on her heel and ran out of the Pavilion, her eyes still trailing tears of rage and shame. Her head was a ferment of boiling emotions and she had no idea where she was planning to go or what she meant to do. But at this moment, she was certain that anywhere in the world was a better place for her to be than here.

[Satu]

Satu’s suvai sliced the air - even the heavier practice blades had the ability to travel well. But Avari, instead of facing the attack, turned and exposed herself. It was an unlikely move, a move that perplexed… especially when Satu’s opponent addressed the secondary suvai in the duel wield instead of the first, with a wild sweep. The taller girl struggled to back pedal, and tried to pull up, but she was too committed to halt her own progress. With nothing to deflect the traveling blade, Avari, already in the spin, spun even more wildly with the full force of her body, as the first suvai hit her. The wind of it feathered across Satu’s face, and she blinked in shock as the other girl fell. Humiliation and Anger wafted outward from the girl and filled her HeartSense. As Avari’s tears flowed and the angry outburst came, compassion welled up in Satu, even as she winced at the horrible, childish display on the practice mat. The other Konti look bad… and acted… really bad – and even the girls around them stopped to stare while they giggled and whisper behind pale hands. Satu, like her peers could only stare – though she refused to laugh at the unfortunate situation. She was too polite and would not judge the odd behavior- truly the HeatSeer only wanted to make things better! As she began to glide forward, Avari stopped her with a raised hand. Satu’s breath inhaled sharply as the girl so angrily slapped the suvai onto the mat in a childish temper tantrum. Staring first at the mishandled weapons, then at the other girls’ face – Avari had everyone’s attention now. What was wrong with the girl…? Why… why had she turned her back upon the attack and then become angry when she could not deflect it? It looked as if she cried, and Satu was frozen, afraid to move. But in an angry outburst, her opponent threw the suvai on mat and stormed off, like the rest of the Konti, Satu stood stunned as she watched the spectacle. “Wait!” the suvai fighter called to the girl’s back, but her sweet voice was overtaken by the chatter of excited and catty girls that surrounded her… it was doubtful Avari even heard her as she stormed out. She felt the others Shame, it was palpable, even among the mix of emotions that swirled wildly around her. Satu watched each one… But Satu shook her head - she couldn’t let the poor girl run off alone and embarrassed like that. Avari needed a friend! And everyone else just stared and whispered… and to Satu’s horror, a few even pointed. “Avari! Wait! Please!” Satu ran after the retreating girl to try and catch up with her at the door.