Day 5 [LM] Pincers and Tails

[Bayushi Suteichi]

((Thread is essentially Open but I am Expecting))

Suteichi did not want to seem too eager to rush to check on Mizuki. He would have heard word by now if anything happened to her. So much seemed to happen and while he did not want to put too much stock into rumors he still had some reservations on some matters. He actually was concerned for Liu Yue, mostly because of Liu Fei. The feelings of love and care were new because he had always been taught to suppress them. His love for his sempai was one thing, his growing likeness and fondness for the ever fiery Liu Fei was another.

He began to stretch out after placing his hair in a ponytail. He was dressed down from his usual extravagant wares. He picked up a bokken after stretches and began to familiarize himself with it as he awaited Matsu Kogo.

[Matsu Kogo]

((Thread is essentially Open but I am Expecting))

Suteichi did not want to seem too eager to rush to check on Mizuki. He would have heard word by now if anything happened to her. So much seemed to happen and while he did not want to put too much stock into rumors he still had some reservations on some matters. He actually was concerned for Liu Yue, mostly because of Liu Fei. The feelings of love and care were new because he had always been taught to suppress them. His love for his sempai was one thing, his growing likeness and fondness for the ever fiery Liu Fei was another.

He began to stretch out after placing his hair in a ponytail. He was dressed down from his usual extravagant wares. He picked up a bokken after stretches and began to familiarize himself with it as he awaited Matsu Kogo.

Matsu Kogo walked in, not quite looking like her cheery self. Her face was serious, her eyes lacked their usual sparkle and her gait was hard. She entered, and caught sight of Bayushi-san. "Hello Bayushi-san. I trust you are well this morning?"

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"I'm ok. My night was quite well... seems like the morning has been hard for many. What's wrong?"

[Matsu Kogo]

"I'm ok. My night was quite well... seems like the morning has been hard for many. What's wrong?"

She moves her face to the side, striding over to pick up two of the shinai. "It is nothing. Are you prepared for practice this morning?"

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Hmmm... doesn't care to talk... never keep secrets from a Scorpion. We'll just find a creative way to get it out of you.

"Fair enough. I'm ready. What's first?" Suteichi eyed her closely to watch her behavior.

[Matsu Kogo]

Hmmm... doesn't care to talk... never keep secrets from a Scorpion. We'll just find a creative way to get it out of you.

"Fair enough. I'm ready. What's first?" Suteichi eyed her closely to watch her behavior.

She saw the bokken in his hands. "For your first lesson, we will start with shinai. Though bokken is better at showing the form of the katana, shinai are less painful. I would not wish bruises to mar us both at the music event tonight. " not that it matters too much. her jaw clenched and she offers him the shinai.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

You're heavily distracted by something...

"Ok." He said placing the boken back where he got it and took the shinai.

"Shinai in hand. What's next, honored sensei?!" his tease was a bit antagonistic but is was to start to break her to talk.

[Matsu Kogo]

You're heavily distracted by something...

"Ok." He said placing the boken back where he got it and took the shinai.

"Shinai in hand. What's next, honored sensei?!" his tease was a bit antagonistic but is was to start to break her to talk.

Her jaw clenches further, but she attempts to ignore his dig. "Well, pupil, now we start with your stance. Start facing toward me, but with your right foot forward, left foot back, pointed out to your left. They shouldn't be too far apart. " She waits for him to move, so that she can correct him once she sees his stance.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

He does as directed. He felt awkward but he did this not only by the prompting of his grandfather but also for Liu Fei. His stance was a little wide but he got gist of it. He looked to Kogo to await her instruction.

[Matsu Kogo]

She correct him minorly by indicating with her fingers where his feet should move. "Now hold that stance. Shift back and forth in your hips. You must be able to remember this place, because you will return to it, time and again. As the feeling sinks into your body, begin thinking of the space around your body as a circle that is divided into eight pieces, four quarters that are then sectioned in half. These are the zones that you will move within."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Sounds like a lot of math, Kogo-san." he joked.

[Matsu Kogo]

"Sounds like a lot of math, Kogo-san." he joked.

Her eyes lighten for a brief second, but then return to seriousness."Indeed. One seeks efficiency with the blade. The best path for the least exertion. That way, one avoids tiring oneself. " She picks up the shinai and copies the stance he is doing but slightly farther away. "Hold your shinai up, like so. " She indicates. "This is center guard."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Center guard?!" he asked while holding the position. "I am to return to this position?"

[Matsu Kogo]

"Center guard?!" he asked while holding the position. "I am to return to this position?"

She shakes her head. "Not always, I am mostly referring to your feet when I say that. There is high, center and low guard. Each has their own purpose. But usually, when beginning, we start with center. We are going to try to teach your body several movements and the movements in between them. Eventually, we wish for the movements to flow so well, they do not feel like seperate actions, but like a flowing whole." She breathes. "So stand in center guard and then move your sword until with your right foot forward and your sword like this, you have entered the next position."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Should we be relaxed while doing this? I hear about being calm under pressure. To clear your mind. To be ever present and not. Is that right Kogo-san?" he was clearly leading to somewhere with her.