Lesson Number One (Day 4, Late Morning)

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue's eyes turned to Taira and then back to Khulun. "He has potential in horseback riding. But I should not keep him waiting." She gave the woman a bow and went over to the Soshi with a nervous smile. "Gomennasai," she whispered to him. "Shall we begin, Taira-dono?"

[Soshi Taira]

Taira glanced over to her, and nodded.

Glancing at the Moto, he took a slow breath, and said, under his breath, "I... well..."

A slow breath, as he sought his center.

"Well, let us begin."

Assuming a balanced stance, if a rather traditional one, he inquired, "Would you like to begin with demonstrations on one-handed grappling, or alternative techniques to avoid that outcome?"

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Though she caught on to his discomfort, the younger Shinjo sister did not find it proper to press him on it. "Let us start with the one-handed grappling, Taira-dono." She looked at his form and tried to copy his stance to the best of her ability. "I want to be prepared for all situations."

[Soshi Taira]

Taira nodded.

"Then I will get a grip, and show you ways you might break it."

Suddenly surging forward, his hands reached out, one grasping her wrist, one at the collar of the leather she wore.

"Now, to break loose, you will use you legs. Sweep my forward foot out, and turn sharply. Pull where I have grabbed your hand, and use my own weight to move me off of my balance."

(beat a 19ish to floor the taira http://orokos.com/roll/507147)

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

The woman blinked. Why did I not expect him to surge forward like that? Well, nothing to do but to break out.

Except she did not. She stumbled as she tried to maneuver her foot around. The only force that she had going for her was her arm's pull. "That did not go as planned," she said, followed by a soft giggle.

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Jiujutsu/Strength TN 19: 8 Failure

[Usagi Tomoe]

The dojo was soon swamped... which she felt a little surprising, as she had expected more to be attempting the Shinjo's test.

As two of them began wrestling, the Hare moved to the side to take a drink of water, seating herself in seiza to observe the match so that she might perhaps learn something.

[Moto Khulun]

The dojo was soon swamped... which she felt a little surprising, as she had expected more to be attempting the Shinjo's test.

As two of them began wrestling, the Hare moved to the side to take a drink of water, seating herself in seiza to observe the match so that she might perhaps learn something.

The Moto Princess wanders over near Rabbit-sensei and leans against the wall and says, “Rabbit-sensei, did you come here to study?”

“I don’t see any books.”

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I came to practice, and now that others are here, I can study how others fight unarmed too, Moto-san," Tomoe gave a small bow to the Moto.

"Matsu Nintoku-sama has started to teach me jiujutsu."

[Moto Khulun]

“He is good at… that,” she says with a wry smile.

[Soshi Taira]

The woman blinked. Why did I not expect him to surge forward like that? Well, nothing to do but to break out.

Except she did not. She stumbled as she tried to maneuver her foot around. The only force that she had going for her was her arm's pull. "That did not go as planned," she said, followed by a soft giggle.

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Jiujutsu/Strength TN 19: 8 Failure

Taira nodded. "It rarely does."

Shifting his stance, he looked down at his foot, guiding her gaze. "See how this foot was pushed forward during my rush? My balance is currently forward, and so instead of a contest of strength, widen your stance with your left foot, and then twist with your whole body, and add your own strength to mine, pushing me forward and past you."

----

Take a free raise for explanation.

[Usagi Tomoe]

“He is good at… that,” she says with a wry smile.

Tomoe had seen what happened the previous night between the two of them, so she knew what Khulun was getting at.

"A Matsu like him would be a good match for Moto-san," the rabbit said with a clever smile.

[Moto Khulun]

“He has his merits, we shall see if he continues to prove himself. Are you and the Lion good friends?” she asks.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I haven't known him long, but I would be honored to call him friend. He is a good, honorable samurai... though I wish him the best of luck in trying to impress you."

[Moto Khulun]

“I would rather he just be Nintoku than some version of Nintoku he thinks I want him to be, best to be person you are I say. A goat dressed as a horse is still a goat,” she says.

“Not that Sayyed Nintoku is goat, more handsome than goat.”

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Taira nodded. "It rarely does."

Shifting his stance, he looked down at his foot, guiding her gaze. "See how this foot was pushed forward during my rush? My balance is currently forward, and so instead of a contest of strength, widen your stance with your left foot, and then twist with your whole body, and add your own strength to mine, pushing me forward and past you."

"Sou desu ka." The younger Shinjo absorbed the information and suddenly kicked her foot sideways. She threw her body around, as if she was following her tetsubo's swing, and sent Taira...

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Jiujutsu/Strength TN 19 Fluff Roll, FR: 19 Success...!