[D7 - LE] Belated Beatings

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

It was a bit of thought to drop out of his stance; how long had it been since he'd made an aggressive act?

He was clearly rusty as his kick merely wafted a bit of wind at Myo-en.

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

Myo-en grins as she dodges Kodama's flying foot and ducks in closer to land a palm strike!

At the last second, she shifts her momentum to hit with a rough but glancing thump, rather than the bone-cracking force she's capable of. That was closer than she'd wanted to come to hurting a sparring partner. She's rusty too, and looks a little sheepish about it as the two spin apart again.

---
Fluffy fluff spar D7 LE--round two attack, TN.... 20, maybe?: 8d10o10k4 37

I had to guess at your TN in attack stance, but either way, I think that hits.

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

As she connected with him, his own palm came around and slipped into the opening that she'd left, taking the gift that was given.

He nods appreciatively to the palm strike after they finish their spin apart and lance's forward with his knee to Myo-en's back, rebounding off as if he'd hit a tree trunk. A bit surprised, he does his best to roll backwards and recover.

******
ATN: 20, Attack Stance is accurate.

Destiny's Strike, Free Action attack on Myo-en's Init: 37 hit!

Attack on His turn, knee!: 29- Miss!

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

Myo-en huffs appreciatively when Kodama's first blow lands, and then her lips part in a silent laugh as she pivots out of the way of the next one. She turns her momentum and aims a low kick at him while he's rolling back to his feet...

... but, preoccupied with remembering not to break anybody's ribs today, she misjudges and stamps the floor matting instead of the rival monk!

"You're fast, Kodama-san," she says with obvious approval. She's breathing more heavily at this point, but still not tiring.

Fluffy fluff spar D7 LE--round three attack, TN 20, two fluff raises to pull the punch: 8d10o10k4 24

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"You're sturdy, Togashi-sama." He answers back, taking a quick stutter step and then leaping forward suddenly to clip Myo-en's chin with the toe of his foot rather than the heel. He certainly wasn't looking to break a jaw with the maneuver.

"But every tree can be clipped." He lands, still favoring the side of her first blow, but keeping his footing yet.
********

Fluff spar, and Kick! TN 31 = 36

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"If you think I'm a tree--" Myo-en swipes the back of one hand against her jaw, puffing out a breath, "--you should meet some of my brother monks. They think I am delicate." She bounces back, fists up, and grins.

"Two to you."

Then, swift as a wave, she dives into a roll and pops up behind him, landing a knee strike--barely a love tap this time--below the ribs on his good side. "Two to me."

Fluffy fluff spar D7 LE--round four kapow!, TN 20, two fluff raises to pull the punch: 8d10o10k4 39

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"Oooph," the knee was certainly a surprise. Although his could only glance off Myo-en's superb form.

He attempted to spin quickly around and launch his elbow into her side, but was again only met with the resiliency of the Togashi.

Still, he pushed himself back a few steps, shaking slightly as he rolled heel to toe and fought off the urge to hold his side.

"Have you or they ever sparred so with one of the Brotherhood sworn to Osano-Wo?"
********
Fluff spar, R4 Destiny's Strike knee Myo-en. TN 31 = 21, Miss

R5: Fluff spar, elbow, TN 31 = 24

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"No--" Myo-en ducks, twists out of reach, "--I've heard of their skill, though."

She sweeps in for an elbow strike that clips Kodama's coat without quite connecting, bounces away again, and casts him a concerned look.

"Are you well? If you're hurt, we can stop."

Fluffy fluff spar D7 LE--round five kapow!, TN 20, two fluff raises to pull the punch: 8d10o10k4 29

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

He rolls back onto his feet. "I'm well enough...but there's little reason to push harder. You've the better than me in this art." He bows, a little stiffly. "Thank you, Togashi-sama."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"Thank you, too, Kodama-san." Myo-en cups her hands together and returns the bow, a smile playing on her lips. "You have some tricks I don't, I think. But also... I have trained in this way since before I came of age. Time is its own advantage. I did not spend years learning the blade or other weapons first." Dark eyes watch curiously to see if her guess comes anywhere near the truth.

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"Hai. Letting go of the past is a difficult thing, especially when that past dramatically informs your present, which is my unique case. Still," He holds up his left hand. "My previous lives did not focus on my left, to anywhere near the degree. Thankfully the Brotherhood is full of those who have left bits of themselves in the past, and understands the need to overcome that past."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"The whole world is full of people who have left past lives behind. It's just that in your Brotherhood--or my Order--we know with more certainty when we have done so." Myo-en twists a little from the waist, back and forth, testing how the exertions of their brief sparring match have suited her core muscles.

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"Hai. That is so. Are you curious about my own, or in how it overlaps with the Fortune of Heroes, Togashi-sama?" He asks, beginning to stretch to make sure he recovers properly from the spar. The different body blows were clearly ones that could have killed, had the woman wished it.

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"I think you are inclined to tell it." Myo-en is also continuing to twist and stretch gently, taking advantage of warmed-up and limber muscles to flow slowly through a few more acrobatic forms. "If that is so, then I am inclined to listen."

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"It is both my training and my duty. Finding those to listen, so they might better examine their own heroic tendencies, as well as the dangers of them."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"If I don't listen, I am not only missing a lesson, but standing in the way of your path?" As Myo-en tilts her body forward and lifts one leg into a standing split, a smile plays about her mouth and eyes. "How can I say no?"

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"If you don't listen, then it was my path to speak, but not yours to hear." He looks to the Togashi a moment. "When the tree falls in the wood, it has fallen whether or not we ever saw it stand. It is not the way of trees to sprout lengthwise along the ground and pretend to have stood in the sky."

He stretches as he thinks of what to share.

"I suppose I should start at the beginning. In those very early days, Reichin-no-kami was hard-pressed to find those who would believe him that the threat he had seen was truly on the way. After all, every other army that had ever marched on Ryoko Owari eventually got lost in its streets; whether in finding a soldier's vices or in actual navigation."

He squatted, holding a seated position with hand outstretched above his head. "He was a ronin. Albeit one with many connections, as he'd served as an information broker for sometime. have the right question and the right coin, and he'd tell you the answer or find those who had it. Very often he worked with the cities magistrates, insuring that those who went too far were found before they could bring the city undue harm."

"It was to them that he turned. To the few that knew he would not betray the city that he loved. And when they saw the seriousness in his face when he made his report, the urgency in which he requested they act... that was when they ordered the evacuation."

He wavered slightly, but held the position as it forced most of his muscles into service. "Can you imagine? One of Rokugan's largest cities, evacuated on the word of a ronin. Not just a ronin, but one known to often be drunk, to often gamble away his last coin. Perhaps it was because he was utterly sober. That I do not know. Why they listened was decided less important then that they did listen."

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"I have been in Ryoko Owari," Myo-en says in a voice gone studiedly neutral. She's folded herself neatly to a crosslegged seat on the floor as Kodama began his tale; her posture is light, easily balanced in its straightness rather than rigid. "I did not find it an easy city to love. And I saw that its samurai did not much bother to love the townsfolk. Reichin must have been good at speaking--or good at putting truth into the language of profit, which does not naturally suit it."

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

"It was heavily scarred from the occupation. Don't know if it will ever be the same." A small shake of his head.

"As he said it, 'There is a time to put down one's vices and act.' He fought in multiple battles, even went to Zakyo Toshi to recruit other Ronin to fight alongside him, using the coin he'd earned from the Scorpion to do so." A look to the Togashi. "He was single-minded, focused, but still cracking jokes before battle. Only time he had sake during it, was just before he volunteered to go into the occupied city to delay and find out their plans. And that because we suspected the enemy had fouled the water."

"He proved Shinsei's idea of one man stopping an army; without him they would have left before the Imperial Legions arrived." A brief stop.

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

"What vices did Reichin-sama put down?" Myo-en's eyebrows arch curiously. "And did he find something in that poison city itself worth saving? Or was it just because there were people there, as there are people everywhere?"

[D7 - LE] Belated Beatings

Who is online