Preparing for the Worst [D1 LA]

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"They've put me up in a small room in the castle. It's a bit out of the way, but not too difficult to find. I'm certainly not as important as some of the guests here, but they kindly made some room for me," he says with a nod of thanks.

"Who is your associate?"

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"A wardmaster of the Yogo family, very knowledgeable about otherworldly matters." He answered, completing another set of thrusts. He didn't seem too keen on practicing skills that didn't kill a foe, not much tricky maneuvers or defensive moves.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

He nods in recognition of the expertise of Wardmasters. "I'll be glad to learn what they are willing to teach on the subject. It's fortunate to have someone with such knowledge with us in this time of particular need. Is that your regular duty, traveling with your associate and dealing with such threats? Or is it just a beneficial coincidence?"

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"It's our specialty", he replied. "We had report of a nasty one, what's called a Kidomaru, often confused for an oni. Hides in animal skins and ambushes. Prefers live meals, its malevolent as they come for something not straight from the south."

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"I've never heard of a Kidomaru. I expect our meeting will be eye opening, and I look forward to it."

He does a few more repetitions, before switching his stance once more. Each repetition, he moves from a downward facing position into an upward swing, continuation of the second move in what would be a combination of downward then upward slashes.

"I hope that your mission either went well, or that the reports of the Kidomaru were incorrect leading to a lesser threat."

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

He cut the air, downward and hard, letting out full intent to kill in his shout. Then he rested the bokken at his side and sat down in a serviceable seiza, proper enough for the dojo.

"It went well, back to the spirit realms with that one." He took in a breath and let it out softly. He didn't seem quite practiced at meditation, more like he was just centering his breath again.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"I am glad to hear it. Such tasks are incredibly important. I'm fortunate I didn't run into anything like that in my youth. A young ronin is not equipped for such things. Bandits and thieves I know, but monsters... well, I suppose I will know."

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

Norikami shrugged. "A lot of monsters used to be people, not all of them fell to Jigoku, either. Once we had to deal with...uh...", he tries to recall something. "I forgot what Yogo-san called it, but it was the spirit of a woman who'd be murdered while pregnant. She was haunting the family of farmers who were ordered to take over her land after she died and her husband was arrested for her murder."

He shrugged.

"Not exactly a magistrate's job, eh?"

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"Well, not in a traditional sense, but I can imagine that more than a few reports of such things get filtered from a magistrates office that was looking into an issue but doesn't know how to deal with such a threat. Even simply being knowledgeable about basics would likely be beneficial for any magistrate or yoriki so they can see signs earlier in investigations."

Kin continues his upward repetitions with the same level of practiced but contained intensity.

"Although there's probably a balancing act there. If a magistrate is too superstitious and has knowledge of such things they may end up calling on specialized assistance too often and when it's not necessary."

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"Wisdom in all things, I suppose", he shrugged. "Though it'd be regret to not do what you could have, neh?"

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"Oh, I'm certainly not speaking of me. While the subject is of particular and pointed interest right now, it was a subject I always wanted to broach. Naga culture has a particular hatred for the creatures from the south. Learning of the subject would have only helped improve my ability to relate with them. I had simply hoped to learn more about them before learning about monsters. This is more like a jump start on a necessary part of my education."

Kin seems fine with the subject. He may not have learned any useful or detailed information from the Naga yet, but it apparently enters conversation enough that he considers the knowledge beneficial.

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"Well, seems we'll have more to talk about in the future, then", he said and stood up, waving the bokken around to get his arm loose again.

"How about I interest you in a match for now, though?"

...and maybe we can see just how much of that technique was borrowed from my clan.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"Sounds good," he replies with a nod, readying himself opposite Norikami. "Been a while since I sparred outside the Shinomen."

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"I haven't been fighting Rokugani much, either", he said and after they shared a bow, he took his stance and went right to work, seizing the initiative.

He struck quickly, pressuring the Ryuuta with blows aimed to the wrist and shoulder, it was actually near the opposite of the deathblows he'd focused during his repetitions.

If Kin wasn't quick, he was going to find his bokken on the dojo floor very soon.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

It doesn't take long for the Pirhana to regain his balance and begin matching the blows. But lessons learned in his youth in Scorpion lands began to show themselves. It clearly wasn't any great school technique-more like what a shugenja or courtier might learn... the generic Scorpion way of wielding a sword, not the Bayushi technique of doing so. It was clear he had one or more teachers from among the Underhand in his formative years, but certainly not in a formalized bushi dojo. He simply lacked that edge and speed the Bayushi share.

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

He backed up a pace, guard held before him.

"Not bad, you've had a lot of different teachers though, makes finding a focus difficult, eh?"

He then dashed in quickly, bokken raised to bypass Kin's guard and strike the head. At the last instant the bokken shifted in a motion so practiced and quick it wasn't easily followed, you'd have to know where the bokken was going to end up from the point he dashed.

(you can decide how this ends up, have fun with it, i'm up for anything)

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

Part of Kins problem from his somewhat eclectic training was that sometimes his skills clashed in execution. In this situation, he was actually capable of tracking Norikami's blade... with his eyes. The technique he had learned to hone his senses a bit better served him in that purpose. What it did not enable him to do was react. His body could not move to avoid and his mind could not calculate a response. It was basically like being paralyzed, knowing what was happening and not being able to do anything about it.

As the bokken struck his gut he felt the slow movement of his own trying to protect his head. It was slightly frustrating to him as he stepped back. As everything caught up, his thoughts to what he saw and his body to what he thought. His blade was in a defensive position in case another strike came again, but he knew he wasn't fast enough. He could literally see with enough speed just how not fast enough he was.

"That was a very well executed move. I'm nowhere near capable of that at my current level," Kin says with a nod.

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"Your effort does you credit, I was lucky to strike so well when it was needed", he maintained.

He found himself in an odd place right then. He was used to gloating, but then again he was also used to opponents trash talking before they begin.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"That was certainly not luck. I could see the deliberate path of the blade. Unfortunately my body cannot keep with my eyes. My brother was always the more capable warrior. I focused on training my mind and eyes. I always had the same problem with him, seeing the strike coming and having nochoice bu to feel my body react too slowly," he says with a nostalgic smirk.

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

Can't blame a guy for tying to be diplomatic though, eh?

"Well, if you can win by doing better, then do better."

He raised his bokken.

"Again?"

Preparing for the Worst [D1 LA]

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