[D12, EA] Sword Swingin' (expecting)

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

Having sent a letter to Maiya that morning, Yukarin waited around the dojo after lunch. She hadn't had anything particularly proper to train in before, but she had bought something.

She waited for now, sitting near the door and taking in the sunshine on the cool spring day.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

There were no reports of enemy activity. As such Maiya had decided to meet Yukarin in the dojo in more casual clothes, leaving her armour behind in her room. If someone sounded an alarm signalling an enemy assault she would have to hurry back. However, most sieges tended to be long affairs and Nikesake's walls were strong. Her garrison was also hardly lacking.

Arriving on the dojo grounds in her kimono she quickly spots the carp. Lifting a hand and opening it she sought to acknowledge her from a distance. When she was closer she bowed to the dojo and stepped inside, adding a second bow for the courtier.

"Konnichiwa Yasuki-sama. I received your letter this morning. Thank you. I hope you are well."

She looked up and then around the dojo. "Because I'm quite happy to do some practice with you." Her attention quickly returned to Yukarin and she actually grinned. "I didn't expect an invitation to train in the dojo, but it's a welcome surprise. You look pretty serious in those clothes. Like a model student."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

Yukarin stood as Maiya approached, bowing deeply after the greeting, "And I shall strive to be just that, sensei. I am taking this very seriously."

...her expression actually spoke to that, her usual smile all but absent apart from a quick one that had crossed her face when she'd seen her Clanmate approaching.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Maiya was impressed with Yukarin's seriousness. It was a good side to the courtier in her humble opinion. She would honour that.

"Ja, kenjutsu, ne?"

The Kaiu moved over to the weapon racks to pick up a bokken for herself. If Yukarin didn't have one either then she would pick up another and offer it to her, handle first.

"Let's see your stance first. Do you know any kata Yasuki-sama?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"A few; I had an Akodo bushi teach me a stance and a few practice strikes. And an Ikoma gave me a few pointers."

Yukarin picked out the heaviest practice sword that was there, a piece of wood longer than the Yasuki woman was tall. She settled into the stance; It was balanced enough, really, making up for the shorter woman's lack of muscle.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Oh?" She observed what Yukarin picked up. "Okay then. Hmm."

Maiya returned to the racks to pick up a similar practice blade. There were not many!

She joined Yukarin after that, settling into a firm stance that would let the weapon's reach speak for itself. It was similar to Yukarin's stance, but slightly more developed.

"Let's see your strike." She hoped Yukarin would be careful with the momentum and not hit the floor or anything.

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

Yukarin nodded and performed the particular stepping strike Touki had taught her, a step forward and a half strike from overhead that never went very low, ending at her waist. She did have to be a little careful with the momentum indeed, though with the way it was taught to her, the whole point was the suddenness of the stop. The sort of thing one might shout a 'KYAA!' if you were doing it in unison with a bunch of other students.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Okay."

Maiya shifted to be side on to Yukarin before mimicking her. However, she immediately took a half step back after the strike and settled into a neutral stance with the blade before her.

"Try to finish like this. It's a good habit to get into. You may not have defeated an opponent or there might be more. Teaching yourself to return to a balanced stance will be better than remaining with the blade out where you struck, ne?" She goes on to explain.

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Oh."

Yukarin tried that; It took a try or two, honestly. One thing about attempting the same strike over four-hundred times (Touki had said to repeat it ten thousand times, but she'd learned that wasn't a hundred percent literal) was that it had turned into a bit of a habit or muscle memory for her. And as one of only a few strikes she'd even practiced with the no-dachi length blade, changing it up took a bit of concentration, which certainly showed on her face, Rin even biting her lower lip a bit after messing it up the third time.

"I will try it like that from now on then."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"That's good. It could cost you a split second of having to adapt for the first time in a fight otherwise, such as if you missed. Ano, I think you can imagine how bad that could be, ne?"

Maiya asserts, having lowered her weapon to watch Yukarin's movements closer. She had a few comments, but they could wait a little longer. She wanted to see more.

"How about hitting one of the dummies? Have you tried that?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Um, no. Not yet, that is."

Yukarin lowered the long sword.

"I didn't want to try it on my own. At least not without learning more about steps and balance and such. I suppose, if there's anything I've learned lately though, it's that sometimes the best way to learn things is to ride right towards them, if you will forgive the Unicorn saying."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Ano, you're welcome to use Unicorn sayings. That one makes sense to me. Hai." She gave a nod. "Sometimes we learn best by doing. Hitting an actual target is different to hitting air. Much closer to hitting something real."

Maiya walked up to Yukarin and tapped the practice blade with her own. "There is resistant. If you stop applying strength just because your attack landed then it will only hurt, not kill. Someone hurt and with a weapon will try to kill you. You need to practice swinging a weapon like you mean to use it, otherwise it is best not to wield one. As a courtier you can often just surrender and expect to be treated well, ne?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"I... wasn't really training to fight tose sorts of things regardless. More situations I wouldn't be able to surrender in regardless, or things I would not surrender to. But I suppose not holding back applies doubly there."

She looks at the closest dumny, "Is there any possibility you could demonstrate though? I am imagining there is more to it than just doing your strike but with something in the way?"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Maiya lowers her weapon and rubs her chin. "I can. Just worth saying there are different ways to practice. Some practice against a dummy to build strength, others to practice life or death drills and some do it for muscle memory. Least, that's what my Sensei said. I do it to work up a good sweat, but also muscle memory."

Explanation out of the way she moved over to one of the dummies and took an aggressive stance. However, she switched it to something closer to what Yukarin had been using. "You like standing like this, desho? Ok..." She adjusted herself and then nodded she was ready.

"Just watch."

Taking in a deep breath she then releases a loud kiai yell as she attacks the dummy. As part of the move she steps forward, turning her upper body and slashing all in one motion. The wooden training sword is brought down diagonally against its right shoulder, slashing toward the waist, and there is a hefty clunk of wooden smacking wood.

Straight after impact she shifts back and repeats the motion, but this time against the other shoulder. She alternates thrice on each and then once more vertically onto its head. This one creates an ear-splitting smack that might have made someone kind-hearted wince. It was easy to imagine a real weapon cutting right through someone's skull.

Pulling back, she again lifts the blade and yells out, blade held above her threateningly as she glares at the dummy. Then, as easy as anything, she lowers her weapon and her expression is calm as she turns back to Yukarin.

"Did that help?" Maiya asks hopefully.

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

She'd been watching intently, certainly.

"Hai, I think so. Both because of the way your strikes flowed into each other, and the amount of force you put behind them.. I would be worried about breaking the sword or the dummy, but I suppose there's no point in being tender if you're building up muscle memory for use in actual battle."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Hai, just so Yasuki-sama. And dummies and practice weapons don't last. Better to replace them and fully use them for their purpose, than try to preserve them and only get a limited practice, ne?"

With a smile she moved over to Yukarin, giving her a pat on the shoulder. "Your turn. After seeing this I'll be able to guide you properly."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

Yukarin nodded and squared herself up against the dummy. ...honestly, there was frankly something kind of eerie about it, it's expressionlessness and battle damage making Yukarin imagine it inhabited by a vengeful spirit and fighting back. Still, it was just a fleeting though as she raised her practice sword.

Then, another thought flitted into her head and she turned to look at Maiya, "Erm... how do you do this without hurting yourself though. Dummies and swords can be replaced, sure... but doesn't it really hurt your hands and shoulders smaking your bokken into the dummy so hard?"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Hai. It does. There isn't a way around that. Your body gets stronger, your fingers and hands get callouses and you feel the pain less." She answered with brutal honesty. "I've never seen anyone really hurt themselves hitting a dummy. It'll just be aches and some bruises at worst."

As much as she had come to care about the other woman Maiya's mentality wasn't one where she considered any of this a burden or something to shield Yukarin from. To her it was the same as one's feet hurting after walking all day. It was unavoidable. Even necessary.

"A bath afterwards works wonders. If my Sensei were here you'd really be in trouble." Maiya points out with a chuckle. "He'd hit us hard with his bokken for asking a question without permission."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Even a poor adorable courtier like me? Well, perhaps poor is the wrong choice of words..."

She shook her head and looked back at the dummy, raising her sword again. And... stared. Like she was trying to read its weak point or something.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

It was just them so she could be more familiar she realised. "Yukarin-sama is adorable, but this and that are different." Maiya replied, though a little awkwardly. She scratched her cheek, feeling like she was being a bad teacher.

As Yukarin paused Maiya waited expectantly. And waited.

"Ano, are you okay Yukarin-sama?"

[D12, EA] Sword Swingin' (expecting)

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