Flashback Present Practice and Practicing Futures (Estrellir)

[Okara]

Summer 49, 502 Mid-morning sunlight streamed into the Suvai Pavilion, bouncing off flashing blades and quickly moving limbs. Pairs of women sparred with each other using a variety of weapons though the suvai was the most commonly held. A green eyed Konti peered nervously from the doorway, looking in on the practice. From an outsider’s perspective the Konti looked only slightly younger than the beautiful and seemingly ageless women around her. However, a Konti would know from the baby fat still clinging to her cheekbones that she had some years to go before she was fully grown. Okara heard the clearing of a throat behind her and moved forward into the room with a mumbled apology for blocking the doorway. Okara held a suvai of her own loosely in her right hand. She had some experience training with the weapon but still felt awkward and unsure holding it. She had determined to practice with it that morning but seeing all of the women working so confidently had made her nervous. Her gaze drifted across a few individual women practicing with training dummies and she decided to follow their lead as she was far too nervous to ask someone to partner with her. Walking along the red painted wall to avoid disrupting sparring matches the young Konti found an unused training dummy to practice on. Okara examined the lines painted on the ground around her that indicated the fighting space to be used around the dummy. Standing within arm’s reach of the dummy she arranged her feet with one foot slightly back from the other, so it would be easier to shift and bounce on her weight. She held up her suvai in front of her chest. Traditionally the weapon was practiced as a pair of suvai but Okara could barely keep track of what was happening with one weapon, dual weapons could come later. She jabbed her suvai at the dummy, poking it with the tip of the weapon. She jabbed a few times before she misjudged a swing that almost sent her sprawling. With embarrassment she returned to her stance and looked around to see if anyone was laughing at her. Okara realized all the other practicing women were far too involved in their own work to bother with what Okara was doing. Feeling more confident knowing that she wasn’t on display, she tried again. She brought her suvai up to chest height and jabbed it out at the dummy. She imagined the dummy had a weapon of its own and she jabbed the suvai upwards in the air a few times, imagining catching a blade in the tines of the small pronged weapon. Her confidence increasing, Okara jumped to the left and struck the side of the dummy. She leapt back and then to the right striking the other side of the dummy before returning to her center spot. The suvai was not a blade meant for death so focusing on the typical weak spots of the throat or heart was unnecessary. The suvai was more effective as an incapacitator with its poison tip so focusing on the more accessible places like limbs would be just as effective in combat. The green eyed woman began to get more excited and enthusiastic with her practice. She imagined a long blade swishing toward her so she pivoted on one foot to avoid it as she thrust out her suvai to poke the dummy. Despite her enthusiasm her movements were still awkward and stilted compared to the fluid, dancer like combat moves of the masterful practitioners on the upper floors of the Pavilion. Okara moved from side to side of the dummy, dodging imagined blows as she jabbed and swung her suvai at the training dummy. Okara slowed as her breath became ragged and finally she stopped to rest. Stepping back she leaned against a red wall and raised the back of her hand to wipe sweat from her scaled forehead. She moved her hand along the braid running down her neck, noting the tufts of white blonde hair protruding from it, knocked out of place by her exertion. She let her eyes travel across the pavilion, noting particular moves from spars that she wanted to try herself. Her gaze traveled to the nearby staircase that led to the underwater training rooms and she wondered if practicing underwater was easier or more difficult. It would certainly be more beautiful amidst the coral at least.

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir Konrath was sitting on the boardwalk that led to Suvai Pavilion and looking out over Silver Lake. The white wood felt warm under her hands and bare thighs. She was wearing a sleeveless tunic tucked into shorts, both pastel colored, that accentuated the opalescent scales on her skin. Swimming attire. She was taking a break from exploring the lake, dangling her feet and admiring the scenery. The isle was beautiful in a serene, peaceful way that delighted and annoyed her in equal parts.

Flipping white locks over her shoulder, she opened the waterproof sack lying nearby and pulled out a painted wooden box. Inside was an avocado sandwich that she started devouring. Estrellir had arrived at the old home (as she called it) not long ago, but she’d immediately started exploring, determined to see every nook and cranny.

While she ate, she looked over to Suvai Pavilion. Frequent whacks and cries of practitioners carried over the water, yet the architecture seemed more interesting. Blue and red, calm and heated emotion, both had to play together for balance, and not only in battle.

The Konti was still thinking about how those two mixed and interplayed when she finished her sandwich and removed crumbs from her lap. With a content sigh, she wondered where to head next. The water blinded her with inviting sparkle, so clear it was absurd. The other day at the Emporium, an elderly sister had mentioned a coral reef somewhere near the Pavilion. It sounded like a good spot for a little diving trip, exploring the lake in-depth, so to say.

With a (somewhat uncharacteristic) spring in her step, Estrellir pushed herself up and walked down the boardwalk towards the pavilion. She intended to take a peek at the training Konti before leaving. Some were sparring within training circles drawn on the floor, some jabbing at dummies sitting on reed mats. Being a born and bred Kenashian, Estrellir still knew the suvai and had seen female relatives use it before.

This, however, was different. The best women were all but dancing, moving light on their feet, thrusting and jabbing and cutting from one direction and then the next. Still, her violet gaze came to rest on a young, less proficient sister. She’d been training with a dummy before leaning against a wall to catch her breath. Slinging her sack over one shoulder, Estrellir moved closer to the girl. She was always eager to chat with young sisters, seeing as their upbringing differed drastically from what she knew. “This is beautiful. I didn’t think people would practice combat earnestly in such a peaceful environment. Say, how long have you been training with the suvai?”

[Okara]

Okara looked up as the voice broke through her drifting thoughts. The Konti standing before her was unfamiliar which intrigued her. Mura was a small community, Okara knew the face of everyone who lived there even if she didn’t know their life story or interests. But this Konti was completely unfamiliar. Given the wandering nature of the Konti as they experienced their Calls it wasn’t unusual for some to be born away from Mura but Okara didn’t personally know many who hadn’t grown up on the quiet island. Her breathing slowed to normal as she examined the woman and she abruptly realized she had allowed an awkward silence to build after the woman’s question. ”I’ve practiced since I was old enough to hold a suvai. Though I was never very serious about my practice so I can’t claim to be a master or even really very good. My grandmother was amazing with suvai and she always encouraged me to practice. She used to say that you never know where you will end up in life so you had better learn to take care of yourself.” Okara said and smiled, thinking of her grandmother. Okara was the firstborn of her grandmother’s youngest daughter and they had always had a close bond. She remembered her grandmother springing around the Suvai Pavilion with energy and vigor even when she was old enough for her age to show as a Konti. Memories of her grandmother were what had led Okara to practice at the Pavilion that day, she felt close to her grandmother during her practices and like she was keeping her memory alive. She doubted she would ever have the skill of her grandmother but it was fun to dream of such mastery. ”But you know, being peaceful isn’t the same as being pushovers. I am Rak’keli marked and I take that seriously so I don’t think I could ever willingly take another’s life, but not all Konti are that way. Many of our sisters in the city are quite fearsome. If you get the chance you should watch some of the masters practice their suvai dance. It’s beautiful. And I know some women practice with more deadly weapons than the suvai. Do you practice anything?” Okara asked pleasantly. It was curious that this woman was surprised at martial skill of the Konti in Mura. It made Okara wonder how the rest of the world perceived Maur and its pale inhabitants. She couldn’t recall Konti Isle ever seriously being threatened by attack but if it ever occurred the Konti wouldn’t roll over and accept it. They would defend their home. ”You aren’t from Mura, are you? Can I ask where you are from? Have you been in the city long?” The questions came out in short, abrupt succession. With the insecurity of youth Okara worried that she had been too forward with her questions and a healthy teenage blush stained her cheeks. She was growing into an adult body but was still young enough to worry what her older sisters might think of her and whether she was giving them appropriate respect. ”Oh, I’m Okara.” Realizing she had not introduced herself prolonged the blush a few moments more and her smile was tentative and questioning now. Okara’s green eyes swept over the other Konti, only now noticing that the woman was several inches shorter than herself though they seemed to share a similarly boyish figure.

[Estrellir Konrath]

Grandmother. Always the blood, it seemed – Konti in Mura took care to pass on their heritage to their daughters and granddaughters. And if their offspring didn’t share the talent, it didn’t seem to matter much to both. The family elders were honored and respected, not for their cunning or sway over others, but for inherent ability and wisdom.

“That sounds reasonable,” Estrellir offered. If you wished the other person to speak, you often had to offer nothing but attentive silence peppered with noises of encouragement. As the girl continued, violet eyes surveyed not only her oval features, but also the way her toned arms moved, how she stood, how her gaze travelled. Not much different from Estrellir herself, with that lack of feminine curves and long hairstyle. If anything, she seemed more toned and obviously exercised more often. Like many of her local sisters, she sounded kind and genuine.

Yet there was strength bubbling underneath. Rak’keli, yes, she hadn’t radiated Avalis the way all marked seers did. “So it’s for self-defense, but also an art form. I like that. But no.” She laughed sharply, probably out of place among such soft-spoken pacifists. “No, if I picked up a weapon, I’d only end up hurting the wrong people… including myself.”

Then she grinned. That flow of questions and the embarrassment on her red cheeks hinted at her age and confirmed what Estrellir had already guessed. A young dreamer, a child of Mura gazing towards distant lands and adventure. Estrellir hadn’t been on the isle long, but she’d already learned it housed many girls like her. “I arrived not long ago from Kenash, a city to the south, near a swamp and by the sea. My ancestors were among the first settlers, now we’re mostly businesspeople. I’m Estrellir Konrath.”

She paused long enough for the younger sister to offer her own name, then answered the last question. “Oh, I’ve been here a few seasons. Not all that long. I feel like I haven’t learned half of what’s to learn and experience yet. Say, what would you recommend to me, a visitor? What’s most important or worth seeing?” She hoisted her sack higher on one bony shoulder, eager to get advice from a resident. In fact she’d already asked the same question several times, but everyone came up with a different answer. That was the fun part, really.

[Okara]

Grades and Awards   Okara Experience Observation 2 Suvai 1 Endurance 1 Socialization 1 Lores Mura Location: Suvai Pavilion Suvai: For Incapacitating Opponents, Not Killing Estrellir Konrath: Grew Up in Kenash Notes Self grade.   Estrellir Konrath Notes Estrellir, if you should return please PM me and I will provide you with a grade. [/tabset] Please edit your post in your grade request to reflect that it has been graded. PM me with any questions.