driftfleet | Welcome to the dojo

Entry tags:

Welcome to the dojo

Who: Kogarasumaru and YOU
Broadcast: Yes
Action: At his new dojo on the Iskaulit
When: The rest of June

Broadcast

[The face of the pretty sword of the fleet comes on and he smiles pleasantly at the camera, bowing his head in a way that makes that wing-like hair sway like the flapping of wings.]

A good day to you all. After a welcome suggestion from one of the captains here, I have established a dojo aboard the Iskaulit. It is open and welcome for all but I do wish to mention that I will be offering lessons in swordsmanship here. Please feel free to come and use the space for your purposes.

[He tilts his head just a little.]

For those who have already asked for lessons, they are ready to begin. I look forward to seeing you.

[Another smile and he ends the transmission.]

Action - Dojo

[He has been rather pleased with his find here and has taken a number of days to make sure that the dojo is properly setup. Now it looks like a dojo one might find in Japan and he's even crafted some pieces of wood into practice blades which hang on the wall. Naturally there are a number of sizes since not everyone will be able to wield the same length of blade.

Today he is in a more simplistic outfit. A modified version of what his citadel attire looks like. Something he's put together after gathering some clothes from one of the systems. It will work well for teaching others to use a blade. And this is how one will find him when they walk into his dojo. Sometimes dancing as he waits, sometimes kneeling, sometimes practicing with one of the wooden swords for himself.

No matter how you find him, he will offer a smile in greeting. Welcome to the dojo...]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The foes I face are large and quick as you are. My size allows me to be faster and lighter.

[He positions himself again with a smile that shows just how he's enjoying himself. It always feels good to be in combat with talented warriors. It makes him feel alive and like he is being used for his proper purpose.]

It is what I was created to be.

[And just like that, he takes his turn to be the one to rush at Ulaz, jumping high into the air for a strike towards his head.]

I can see that. You are good at that.

[Ulaz is glad to see that Kogarasumaru is enjoying it. He is too. Rarely did he find a challenge in anyone except another senior member of the Blade of Marmora. So to find someone to able to make him work was something he'd enjoy.

As the sword rushed him, jumping to try and hit him, he dodged a few steps away, crouching and using the sword to block the downward decent of Kogarasumaru's blade. At which point, he'll push up, standing at the same time to try and push the blade from the sword's hand]

[The sword stays in his hand and he instead lets his own body fly up. Feet touch the ceiling and he uses that to bring himself back down, slipping into a graceful rolling ball.]

You are very skilled as well.

[Standing up, he points his blade at him. Ready and waiting.]

I would have been honored to be held by a warrior of your skill.

Thank you. You are skilled as well.

[Hearing that Kogarasumaru would have been honored to have been his weapon sounded strange, but also was oddly validating that sword could see his skills.

And he did pause for a long moment before he moved to make his own attack, charging again, aiming to hit Kogarasumaru with a swinging arch of an attack]

[He ducks under the swing, moving forward so he can make his own swing right at Ulaz's stomach while it's so exposed to him.]

[Ulaz caught what Kogarasumaru was doing when he ducked and in mid-movement, attempted to change directions. He was successful in that, but he was not successful in completely clearing the sword's range before the practice sword could connect. In what must have been the first time in a long time, Ulaz had been grazed by a sword - even if it was a practice sword.

He pushed back out of the way, pausing a moment with his sword still at the ready to see what Kogarasumaru would do]

[The shift of the sword in his hand tells him that he grazed him. Were these real blades the wound wouldn't be fatal but certainly enough to slow a human. However, he knows that this one isn't human and would have different limitations. It's fascinating to spar with such an opponent.

Taking a deep breath, he rushes at him and seems to come low before leaping at the last moment to strike at his head instead. Several times actually. In that amount of time he almost seems to be floating in the air. In truth he isn't but his light frame and the way his hair extends behind him certain contribute to the illusion.]

[Ulaz wouldn't have stopped even he had been more injured. Being grazed by a sword was practically nothing for him and he was trained not to focus on a trivial would anyway. It was the way the Blades operated. If you weren't going to complete the mission, death was always an option.

The hair and the lighter frame did very well give the illusion that he is hovering. Ulaz is quick to try block and try to get out from under the attacks, lowering down to put more distance between them and also give him more space to move. Once outside the range, he makes his own attack as well, swinging back at Kogarasumaru]

[One thing he's been aware of from the beginning is that Ulaz's range is greater than his own. This makes it easier for Ulaz to reach him before he can reach him in return. He has to get closer and he is realizing quickly that he'll have to be a nuisance up close or he will stay right where that blade can swing at him.

So he takes a calculated risk and actually lets his feet land on the sword Ulaz is holding, proving to him just how light he really is. Balanced perfectly like a bird on a branch, Kogarasumaru smiles then runs along the length to swipe at his head.

It's unorthodox but sometimes creativity is needed.]

[Boy... he really was light to be standing on Ulaz's sword without much disruption to how he was holding his sword. Impressive.

But that also meant he had to be quick, because Kogarasumaru was aiming to hit him on the head again. Quickly, he moved his own sword, swinging it in a loop at his side, both to take away Kogarasumaru's perch, but also attempt to block the sword swipe at his head as he moved, ducking to the side before aiming another strike at Kogarasumaru.

Boy, he hadn't had to work this hard in so long. It was oddly appreciated]

[The strike almost clips him but manages to fall just short as he arches himself to dodge the hit even as he falls. He has seen that the idea was rather successful though. Ulaz has to go on the defense if he gets too close.

So he does that again, giving fast and short strikes at him as he works to keep himself close so that the longer swings are harder to use. It's something he's learned about fighting such large opponents honestly. They have to figure out how to improvise to match the fact that this up close they can't always use their blade as they would like to.

It's been awhile since he's had a spar like this. Or even a fight. This is even better than the one with Manji. It feels good to have to be so creative.]

[Yes, Kogarasumaru had gotten inside his defenses. There wasn't much way around it at the moment. He was too close for Ulaz to do much offensively without leaving himself open. He was fast, but Kogarasumaru was fast too.

So he's using his sword more to block, waiting until he has a moment... When there was enough of an opening, he pushed off to jump backwards away from Kogarasumaru, doing a back flip to use his hands to spring himself back even further back before launching himself towards the sword, aiming to strike at him again]

[He sees already that Ulaz has seen how to get free of this but there is nothing he can do to stop it. All the crow sword can do is get out of the way. It means that he has to allow the arm without a sword to be clipped but it is a sacrifice that is necessary.

In exchange he can get himself out of the way and jump up to try to get back inside of Ulaz's defenses again.]

[It wasn't hard for Kogarasumaru to get back inside of his defenses. The sword was small and quick and Ulaz had trouble keeping him back if he got around him. This time, he's going to try hard to try and block for longer. Running was not something he could allow himself to do too often.

He had at least landed a hit of his own]

[So he can get back inside his defenses where he can for Ulaz to defend. The little sword is thinking quick on his feet, looking for weaknesses in the defenses now that he's close to him. Now that offensive strikes are so much harder to achieve. The other is a skilled warrior and knows battle as well as he does. He supposes it would be an honor to lose to him.

Ah but that really isn't an option now is it? An owner of a dojo should not be losing to one of his first opponents. Or ever.

So he lets his practice blade slide along Ulaz's at one point during a strike so he can let it smack hard into the fingers of the other man. It's true that it won't cut but that hardly means it won't be painful.]

[Ulaz was doing pretty good keeping Kogarasumaru back for all of the challenges he was finding he had with someone shorter than he is. He was good at thinking quickly as well, but his movements by nature were much larger than the sword's and it was hard to keep weaknesses hidden.

Now that strike to his hand. He wouldn't have expected that. He had no guard to speak of to stop it. The strike to his hand unbalanced it enough that along with the strike on his hand he lost his grip on it and he was disarmed.

Kogarasumaru would probably notice the momentary half-glare half-pout that Ulaz gave the practice sword laying on the floor of the dojo, like it was the practice sword's fault. But it was quickly gone and he looked up]

It seems I've been disarmed.

[Such a thing was practically unthinkable to a Blade of his level, but he had never dueled with an actual sword before]

[He laughs and waves for him to come to the center of the room.]

Now, we bow to show the honor it has been to cross blades.

[He does so with him then goes to collect the fallen sword from the floor, looking up at the large man who was his opponent only moments before.]

Remember, it is never the fault of that which does not move without aid.

[Just a little scolding for pouting a sword clearly not at fault here. But his smile says that he's not actually upset by it as he puts the swords back on their display.]

You fight well. It has been some time since I have had a challenge.

[Ulaz did meet Kogarasumaru back in the center of the dojo, bowing back to him at the request. He watched as Kogarasumaru went to pick up the sword that he had dropped.

It didn't show in his face, but he felt a little silly now for the fact how he had reacted to being disarmed had been noticed. He was spoiled perhaps for being a senior member of the Blades. Few of them had been practicing as long as he had been. But he'd also been out of practice with an actual opponent who could not only challenge him, but could actually out think him]

Of course. It is not the sword's fault.

[Acknowledging that he had done that and he shouldn't have]

Thank you. Your fighting is exceptional. I would appreciate the opportunity to practice with you more.

You are welcome to come here whenever you wish to. I would be honored to practice with you.

[He waves his hand to another part of the room.]

Would you care for some tea while your body cools down?

Yes, I think tea would be good after a session like that.

[And he will start in that direction, letting Kogarasumaru catch up with him before heading over]

I haven't seen a training area like this before. Areas for tea were not something that was considered.

It would not have it where I am from either. I simply saw no reason not to include it.

[Setting down some cushions, he kneels on his then sets two cups before them, carefully pouring hot tea into them.]

Have you a preference for tea? I could look for some to serve during your visits.

For the aesthetic purpose of that, I cannot argue.

[For the longest time, everything had to be practical and in its place. Slowly, he's starting to realize not everything had to be practical. Especially around humans (or swords) who didn't think the way Galra did]

I don't have much preference. The werewolves seem to have a preference for "English" teas so I have tried a few of those. I would be open to new varieties.

I am afraid I know little of western teas. So I will introduce you to what I know and you can decide what you like.

[Setting the cup before Ulaz, he shifts back and lifts his own up, enjoying the aroma of it.]

I have been collecting tea since I arrived.

That is a good option. There seem to be a lot of different options so perhaps I will find one that I had never considered.

[Ulaz picked up the cup presented to him, picking it up. He paused a moment to feel the warmth coming off the cup and let the scent of it wash over him]

Is there are a name for this tea?

This is hojicha. It is known for the toasted warmth in its flavor.

[He takes a small sip and then sighs.]

It is roasted over charcoal typically before being brewed into tea.

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