Sapphire Ambassadors

Yoshaiki was true to his word to Otoko yesterday. He arrived at the dojo at roughly the same time he had the day before. Even away from his school he maintained his schedule, just shifted a little to enjoy a bit more sleep.

He was in the dojo once again in only his loose hakama and began with going through the basic warm ups and motions to loosen his muscles.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:43 pm

Yoshaiki was true to his word to Otoko yesterday. He arrived at the dojo at roughly the same time he had the day before. Even away from his school he maintained his schedule, just shifted a little to enjoy a bit more sleep.

He was in the dojo once again in only his loose hakama and began with going through the basic warm ups and motions to loosen his muscles.

"You know, predictability is something that pleases both Akodo and Bayushi...though for entirely different reasons." came the very voice he had given such words to.

Shosuro Otoko had entered the dojo, changing her clothes for a more practical workout gi, though the full face mask remained.

Shosuro Otoko wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:40 am

"You know, predictability is something that pleases both Akodo and Bayushi...though for entirely different reasons." came the very voice he had given such words to.

Shosuro Otoko had entered the dojo, changing her clothes for a more practical workout gi, though the full face mask remained.

Yoshiaki had begun to move toward forms hands and feet splitting the air swiftly. Small whooshing sounds accompanied the movements.

He heard the voice and paused mid kick, his knee high in the air but leg still folded, taunt and ready to lash out like a snake. He slowly lowered it and turned to face Otoko. He bowed

"Living the life of a monk breeds adherence to a schedule. Though I am glad you have decided to join me again Shosuro-san." He straightened from the bow.

He gave her a curious look that had a touch if amuesment to it "Though you seem prepared for more than just watching and conversation today."

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 5:23 am

Yoshiaki had begun to move toward forms hands and feet splitting the air swiftly. Small whooshing sounds accompanied the movements.

He heard the voice and paused mid kick, his knee high in the air but leg still folded, taunt and ready to lash out like a snake. He slowly lowered it and turned to face Otoko. He bowed

"Living the life of a monk breeds adherence to a schedule. Though I am glad you have decided to join me again Shosuro-san." He straightened from the bow.

He gave her a curious look that had a touch if amuesment to it "Though you seem prepared for more than just watching and conversation today."

She lifted her hand to her mask as if to hid her mirth.

"Well, I did tell you I wanted a closer look at that poetry of yours Togashi-san." she offered, her voice teasing at a smile. "Assuming, of course, a togashi is willing to take on any challenge, no matter how unorthodox."

Shosuro Otoko wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 5:53 am

She lifted her hand to her mask as if to hid her mirth.

"Well, I did tell you I wanted a closer look at that poetry of yours Togashi-san." she offered, her voice teasing at a smile. "Assuming, of course, a togashi is willing to take on any challenge, no matter how unorthodox."

His smile was not hinted at but plain to see as he nodded "Indeed you did. What sort of challenge did you have in mind? If it is one of martial nature I will warn that I am not among the most skilled fighters of my brethren."

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:22 am

His smile was not hinted at but plain to see as he nodded "Indeed you did. What sort of challenge did you have in mind? If it is one of martial nature I will warn that I am not among the most skilled fighters of my brethren."

This was met with a small shrug.

"My training is mostly theaterical at any rate, Togashi-san." she offered, moving towards the practice weapons rack.

She drew a short wooden blade, and tossed it from one hand to the other with a flip.

"While I wouldn't beat you in a fair fight, I can at least make it look good."

Yoshiaiki nodded again "Ah fair point Shosuro-san. Though I wonder if there is much difference between theatrical and actual training? I imagine it takes almost as much skill to convincingly look like you are about hurt someone as it does to actually hurt them." He mused as she grabbed her weapon.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:42 pm

Yoshiaiki nodded again "Ah fair point Shosuro-san. Though I wonder if there is much difference between theatrical and actual training? I imagine it takes almost as much skill to convincingly look like you are about hurt someone as it does to actually hurt them." He mused as she grabbed her weapon.

Otoko chuckles at that.

"Ah there is truth in that, Togashi-san. I am reminded of an incident with a novice actress and director. The actress was instructed to beat her partner with a sandal. Eager to please she really put force into those swings, perhaps thinking her partners cries of pain was merely dedication to his craft."

She shook her head.

"fortunately for him, the director came to the realization that no level of craft causes bruises to manifest, and instructed the actress to strike with the strap than the base of the sandal." she related.

That drew a soft chuckle from the togashi, the sound rich and full even in its quiet brevity

"I'm not sure if I'd be more upset about the assault or pleased one believed my craft so skillful. Though it speaks to her counterparts dedication that he endured such assaults for the sake of the production. Is such a thing common among theatrics?"

He bounced a little, rolling and stretching muscles as he prepared for her challenge.

Otoko went through her own bout of stretches and libering up, her movements quite graceful.

"Ah well, beyond humans being human, sometimes it does seem like the spirits of sakkaku are drawn to performances." she admits.

"In that same production there is a scene where the general is conferring angrily with two of their commanders. At one point the senior commander says something that displeases the general, who then orders them off stage. Then while conversing with the second commander, the general utters a line to prompt someone to yell from off stage 'Fortunes help us! She stabbed the commander!' Setting up for the drama of the commander being incapacitated."

She takes a perfunctory swipe at the air.

"However, during one performance, the general skipped the line that would prompt the commander to leave, and hit the line that prompted the off-stage yell of 'Fortunes help us! She stabbed the commander!'"

She shifted her weight from foot to foot.

"What was that?' offered the general as was their planned line.

'I.....don't know' replied the somewhat dumbstruck commander who was still onstage and unstabbed.

His eyes tracked her movements with an unreadable expression but as the story developed his hand came to cover the laugh rolling from his lips, not loud or audacious but soft and longer than before.

"Well I can applaud the actors for dealing with such adversity in stride. It must be a bit nerve inducing to have the success of your production rely on so many and not just your talents."

He settled down warmed up and ready, looking to her to see if she was as well.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 6:48 pm

His eyes tracked her movements with an unreadable expression but as the story developed his hand came to cover the laugh rolling from his lips, not loud or audacious but soft and longer than before.

"Well I can applaud the actors for dealing with such adversity in stride. It must be a bit nerve inducing to have the success of your production rely on so many and not just your talents."

He settled down warmed up and ready, looking to her to see if she was as well.

"No more so than an army in the field, or a delegation in the court." she demurred. "Despite how iconic the lone Togashi monk is, surely they have cause to work together from time to time?"

She slid into her stance, ready to spar.

(No need for rolling, we can just act this out.)

He looked thoughtful for a moment "I suppose you are right. I guess I lose myself because my art and duty are a mostly solitary one."

"We engage in teamwork of course, it has been recorded times we had to fend off an attack or deal with bandits in the mountains. Though the teachings of Togashi are rather slanted toward the individual. We all seek our own paths to enlightenment. But we help each other along the way."

He explained and settled into his own stance, silver eyes tracked her and waited for her to make the first move.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:53 pm

He looked thoughtful for a moment "I suppose you are right. I guess I lose myself because my art and duty are a mostly solitary one."

"We engage in teamwork of course, it has been recorded times we had to fend off an attack or deal with bandits in the mountains. Though the teachings of Togashi are rather slanted toward the individual. We all seek our own paths to enlightenment. But we help each other along the way."

He explained and settled into his own stance, silver eyes tracked her and waited for her to make the first move.

"It must getting lonely walking your path alone though." she offered in a sympathetic voice....before launching towards him, coming in low with the practice knife.

His reaction was near the last second but lighting quick almost as if he was waiting for her to get close enough. He pushed her wrist away to move the blow off target. It came more as a gentle redirect than a block.

He then shifted and struck at her neck with a flat knife hand, a pulled blow that would result in more of a tap than a chop if it landed.

"It can be at times." He confirmed with calm tones despite the quickness of action.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 11:07 pm

His reaction was near the last second but lighting quick almost as if he was waiting for her to get close enough. He pushed her wrist away to move the blow off target. It came more as a gentle redirect than a block.

He then shifted and struck at her neck with a flat knife hand, a pulled blow that would result in more of a tap than a chop if it landed.

"It can be at times." He confirmed with calm tones despite the quickness of action.

The redirect was successful as was the blow to the back of the neck.

"Well struck, Togashi-san. I suppose you have a great deal of time to train without distraction." she mused...lauching herself again, this time coming in high with the right hand....but the blade had been shifted to her left hand which was coming low for the actual strike.

Shosuro Otoko wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 12, 2022 11:26 pm

The redirect was successful as was the blow to the back of the neck.

"Well struck, Togashi-san. I suppose you have a great deal of time to train without distraction." she mused...lauching herself again, this time coming in high with the right hand....but the blade had been shifted to her left hand which was coming low for the actual strike.

He moved to again redirect the most obvious flurry of motion his eyes not good enough to distinguish if it had a blade in it. So the misdirect landed true.

He smirked "not usually this much talking during training. But clever attack Shosuro-san."

"It seems your theatrical training has been....extensive." He said with the smirk still in place.

He moved for a hip throw grabbing the wrist of the arm he blocked and attempting to pull her off balance and leverage his hip to cause her to tumble to the mat with him not far behind in the top grapple position.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 13, 2022 12:00 am

He moved to again redirect the most obvious flurry of motion his eyes not good enough to distinguish if it had a blade in it. So the misdirect landed true.

He smirked "not usually this much talking during training. But clever attack Shosuro-san."

"It seems your theatrical training has been....extensive." He said with the smirk still in place.

He moved for a hip throw grabbing the wrist of the arm he blocked and attempting to pull her off balance and leverage his hip to cause her to tumble to the mat with him not far behind in the top grapple position.

"Well at least it gave me a clear chance to read your poetry quite closely, Togashi-san." she said from beneath the grapple.

Shosuro Otoko wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 13, 2022 1:55 am

"Well at least it gave me a clear chance to read your poetry quite closely, Togashi-san." she said from beneath the grapple.

He released it and stood offering a hand down to her to help her up "I hope the reading was enjoyable Shosuro-san." He said with a bit of a smile.

Togashi Yoshiaki wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 13, 2022 3:38 am

Shosuro Otoko wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 13, 2022 1:55 am

"Well at least it gave me a clear chance to read your poetry quite closely, Togashi-san." she said from beneath the grapple.

He released it and stood offering a hand down to her to help her up "I hope the reading was enjoyable Shosuro-san." He said with a bit of a smile.

"Of course. And I hope my limited training was able to entertain you, at least for a short while." she said taking his hand up.