[D1LM] Preparing for the Unknown

Bayushi Yukinaga · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:23 am **Posts:** 175

Yuki nodded his head briefly "A noble sentiment Akodo-San. I imagine I will be seeing much of you if you spend time here regularly. This is a good dojo."

He situated himself to behind again "but for now I will return to my forms and allow you to return to your pupil. She seems promising."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki bowed again. "We are honored that you find it so, Bayushi-sama. And yes, I have spent much time here this season.

Another bow as the man went back to his training, and then he turned to Yukarin, his bland expression tinged lightly with amusement. "It seems Bayushi-sama agrees with you. Well." He gave her a nod. "Carry on, student."

He eyed her form critically, but in fact she was doing well enough that he had no advice. Well, except to carry on.

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

She did turn to him at a certain point, maybe a minute later, though she did not stop her steps and swings per say as she spoke up, "Sooo... this is a kind of muscle memory thing, right? I know I was talking to a Shinjo friend of mine and they said archers here don't even pause to aim; They just rely on a repeated form so the shot... instinctually goes where they want it to, I suppose."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Slowly, Touki nodded. "Yes. You must do it again and again, until you could do it in your sleep if necessary. Or, more importantly, if your life is in danger. Battle excitement can rob you of your skills, unless those skills are as natural to you as breathing."

He gestured with open palm. "Observe Suzume-sama. She strikes again and again, and while her strikes vary, they are no more than adapting to the situation. I expect she does not need to consider, she merely does." He gave Yukarin a nod. "That is the idea, Yasuki-san."

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

A couple nods herself as she glanced over at the Suzume, "...I am hoping I never need to use any of this, but I suppose that just makes it all the more important it's automatic when needed. I don't want to shame the Crab by needing to be rescued from danger because of lack of being prepared, you know?"

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

A couple nods herself as she glanced over at the Suzume, "...I am hoping I never need to use any of this, but I suppose that just makes it all the more important it's automatic when needed. I don't want to shame the Crab by needing to be rescued from danger because of lack of being prepared, you know?"

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki gave her a nod. "Very well thought, miss. Although it is not shame for those who are not warriors to be unable to fight." Well, he and his fellow warriors might look down on them a little. But that was just pride.

He tilted his head, regarding her with mild curiousity. "Yasuki-san... from some of the names you have mentioned, I gather you were not always a Crab. I hope it's not rude of me to ask about your former clan. But I've never met a Unicorn before."

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

"I mean, we have not been back in the Empire proper for very long, so that is not too surprising. And it's never rude to ask in my book; You just need to be okay with the answer if someone says they'd rather not talk about it. I myself am an expert on getting people to talk about things I'm interested in."

She put a hand to her chest with pride as she said this, training sword's point lowered to the floor.

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

Chihaya paused her own practice, turning back with interest to hear a little of the Unicorn.

She'd never met them in person, after all.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki's eyebrows went up. "Does this mean that you were interested in talking about the Unicorn? As that is where the topic has shifted."

Half-smiling, he gave her a nod. "I'm not sure I know where to begin. Could you tell us a little about it? A firsthand experience I mean, if you don't mind, miss."

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

"Yosh. I mean, where would one start even? It's hard to know what to talk about exactly when it's what your every day life was and what you knew as your world. I suppose clear up some of the usual rumors; Yes, furs are just as warm as people say, but most Unicorn outside of the Moto rarely wear them as clothing. I do have a fur blanket for those cold winter nights though. Yes, red meat is delicious, but any rumors about it making you crazy or acting as an aphrodisiac are just silly. And no, no Unicorn has ever married their horse."

That thing with Shinjo was neither marriage, nor technically a horse as such.

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

Chihaya's expression was bland as the list of crazy, barbarian things was rattled off.

... huh.

"Are the Moto... wild? I know I've heard they are huge, hairy men, and women, for that matter, who sleep in the saddle."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

"I, uh... hadn't heard that." Touki said, scratching his head delicately. "The bit about red meat. Or the bit about marrying their horse."

He shook his head. "Which family were you a member of?"

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

"I am a Yasuki, obviously."

Getting that out of the way...

"Before this though, I was an Iuchi. We're a family of priests descended from a shugenja that served Lady Shinjo O-kami herself. I didn't inherit my family's gifts, however, so I trained with the Ide Emissary school, as well as the Ide Trader school."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

"Obviously." Touki agreed dryly.

"Well." Touki bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Yasuki Yukarin-sama. Perhaps you can tell me more of the Unicorn sometime." He smiled, just a little. "Perhaps when it is time to teach you the next strike that you must repeat ten-thousand times."

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

"I will do just that then. Just like I shall prace my strikes and steps."

She turned and gave a deep bow to Touki before raising the practice sword back up.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I was on thirteen so far."

Yukarin started stepping and striking again, making sure to keep it snappy.

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

Chihaya nodded faintly, and then glanced at the Lion.

"Do you really practice the same strike so often in succession?"

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Clearing his throat, Touki turned back to the Suzume, bowing. "Perhaps not quite that many times, Suzume-sama." Touki intoned. "Ten-thousand merely means 'many'. I'm sure there are those that count their strikes." He didn't quite smile, but his lips curled up just the tiniest bit. "Every time I've tried, I've lost the count before I've reached a thousand."

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

"Ah."

She nodded thoughtfully.

"The Kata I was performing was my clan's compromise - we found if you practice a single motion too often in succession, you will begin to take shortcuts, to become sloppy or inattentive. Thus we rotate our students through each of their basic forms, forcing them to do each correctly in turn - it keeps the mind focused on each task in order."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki acknowledged this with a bow. "A fine solution, Suzume-sama." He said in his bland monotone.

He bowed again. "Well. If I do not continue my training, I shall fall behind. With your permission..."

(let's /scene; I get confused by older threads!)

[D1LM] Preparing for the Unknown

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