The Warrior's Gambit (Zutara)

XXVIII

Katara expected to feel anxious, or maybe a sense of resignation. What she didn't expect to feel was nothing at all, yet as Aiga and Katara walked to the room where she would dress for the fights, Katara searched her soul and found strangely few feelings on the entire matter.

That itself worried her, but she hardly had time to consider it.

The room, though it had only opened a minute ago, was already plagued with deep feelings. The heavy feelings seemed to vibrate off the girls, most of whom looked pale and scared.

"You are free to choose any clothing option to wear. Breakfast is through that door and the practice area is through there. You have an hour before the games start," Aiga recited to Katara, who stared unblinkingly around the space. "Err, you okay?" she asked.

"Uhm..." Katara tilted her head, "Hmm."

That wasn't much of an answer, she completely realized. Aiga pursed her lips, as though understanding more than Katara said, and shook her head.

"I'm going to get you a plate," she said.

Katara wandered over to the racks of clothes offered. Most were very lightweight and tight-fitting, exactly what someone would want to wear in a spar. Katara found some fresh wrappings and used a small curtained-off area to change. She elected for something close to what she'd wear to bed but tied tighter; Minimalistic, kept all her soft places tied town securely, and would not get in her way. She opted for a pair of linen shorts instead of a skirt. With a spare piece of leather, she caught her hair into an untidy pony and tied it up and out of her face.

Outside, in the seating area, it seemed all the girls had woken and arrived. Maiha was puking into a bucket.

Katara sat beside her, rubbing the girl's shoulder comfortingly while her handmaid tried to encourage Maiha to drink a glass of water.

"I'm...so...scared..." Maiha blubbered, "I don't want to be Fire Lady anymore!"

"Drop out, save yourself the heartburn," Avizeh said simply across the way. She was stuffing her face with much more food than Katara would suggest eating right before vigorous activity, and there was something in her hands. Katara thought it was a weapon for a moment before she realized it was an embroidery needle.

"What's that for?"

Avizeh looked down at the white cloth in her fingers.

"Well," she said, completely calm, "I'm not going to go out there and 'try my hardest' and still lose. I know my own limits. Might as well expedite it," she said, showing the corner of a surrender flag.

"Oh," Katara said, eyebrows knitting. She almost offered Avizeh some parting words, such as "I'll be sad to see you go" but didn't know if it would be true. She could appreciate the woman's simplicity about her departure, however.

"Here you are," Aiga said, handing Katara a plate of food that would give her energy throughout the day, not dissimilar to what warriors would eat before going off to battle. Katara wasn't hungry but forced herself to eat it anyway.

"I'll stay in my own clothes, thanks." Toph's voice caused Katara to turn. Toph was waving off the options with a dismissive hand.

"I don't know if it's fair to make a blind girl fight," Nadhari said, wrapping her fingers as she exited the changing area, loud enough for Toph to hear.

"I'm fine, thanks," Toph sneered.

"Oh, now you're concerned about disabled people?" Suki muttered.

"I'm just not sure how a blind person can lead anyone, except for off a cliff," Nadhari continued, "They should do the kind thing and cut her from the competition now before she's embarrassed out there."