D2LM Training Grounds, You Must Practice This Diligently (Open)

[Kitsuki Ketsudan]

Hojatsu writes "You must practice this diligently."

Ketsudan takes the First Successor's words to heart.

The cold of this mountain is not like the cold of home. In the Great Wall of the North, there is an edge to the cold, cutting into the soul. Here, further south, it is...less. And so, in some ways, the training is easier--though not less ardently pursued.

The sword falls easily at your belly with its tip pointed at your opponent's throat. The legs are spread comfortably and firmly. Both feet are flat so you may move when you wish. Never move when you must, only when you wish. The short sword is at your side, resting easily. Your enemy's confidence will be put asunder by your casual confidence.

From the stance, he strikes, again and again, returning always to the basic posture.

He must practice this diligently.

[Kitsuki Kindaichi]

Hojatsu writes "You must practice this diligently."

Ketsudan takes the First Successor's words to heart.

The cold of this mountain is not like the cold of home. In the Great Wall of the North, there is an edge to the cold, cutting into the soul. Here, further south, it is...less. And so, in some ways, the training is easier--though not less ardently pursued.

The sword falls easily at your belly with its tip pointed at your opponent's throat. The legs are spread comfortably and firmly. Both feet are flat so you may move when you wish. Never move when you must, only when you wish. The short sword is at your side, resting easily. Your enemy's confidence will be put asunder by your casual confidence.

From the stance, he strikes, again and again, returning always to the basic posture.

He must practice this diligently.

Date: Day 2 of The Sweeping Monk Incident
Time: Hour of the Serpent
Location: Training Grounds of Circle's End Monastery
Weather: Sunny, cool, no wind

Having received the first challenge of the sensei, I made my way first to the training grounds. It was generally accepted wisdom to start an investigation at the most relevant location. I'd need to track down the sensei of course, and it was fairly unlikely he was just standing in the rope circle waiting to be asked questions. Not if the intelligence on him was anything close to accurate. Still, there was an order to things in an investigation: first the place, then person of most interest, then those around him or her.

Instead of Sensei Wu, I came across Kitsuki Ketsudan doing his practice katas. It was fairly unlikely that he was actually a secret test of character rather than an actual candidate, but I could not discount the possibility out of hand. As with Boku, who I'd meet later, things were not always as they seemed. Still, a few well placed questions would likely clarify things.

Journals of Kitsuki Kindachi, The Sweeping Monk Incident.

Kindachi waited for a pause in the kata before bowing to the Kitsuki and interrupting his training.

"Good Morning, Kitsuki-san. I see that your sensei's training has found itself a home in a faithful student." he observed.

[Doji Riri]

Two Dragons. One practicing with both swords - the typical style of the Kakita's rivais, that much she of course knew -, one observing quietly, almost as if writing notes in his mind, before approaching.

She usually got along well with monks. Dragon were... probably the closest to one, yes?

Dressed in clothes that one would expect for training or travelling around, Doji mons embroidered in Crane blues on her back and sleeve, the woman approaches quietly, but cheerfully, a bo dancing by her side.

"Dragon-sans! Also spending the week?"

[Kitsuki Kindaichi]

Two Dragons. One practicing with both swords - the typical style of the Kakita's rivais, that much she of course knew -, one observing quietly, almost as if writing notes in his mind, before approaching.

She usually got along well with monks. Dragon were... probably the closest to one, yes?

Dressed in clothes that one would expect for training or travelling around, Doji mons embroidered in Crane blues on her back and sleeve, the woman approaches quietly, but cheerfully, a bo dancing by her side.

"Dragon-sans! Also spending the week?"

The studious Dragon turned and bowed to the approaching Doji.

"Good Morning, Doji-san. That we are. I am Kitsuki Kindachi. I trust your long journey to the monastery was a pleasant one?" he replied.

[Kitsuki Ketsudan]

Ketsudan, whose player has been away with family things, sheathes his swords, turns, and bows.

"Kitsuki Ketsudan, Niten-ryu," he says by way of introduction, and adds "And my cousin has the right of it.

"Care to practice with me? I am sure we can puzzle out some of the answers to Sensei Wu's questions amid it.

"And I think one of the answers obvious. Sensei Wu asks

How to defeat someone whose martial skills are greater than yours on equal weaponry?

"The answer is in Hojatsu's contest with Ujimona. Know that you will win."

[Doji Riri]

The studious Dragon turned and bowed to the approaching Doji.

"Good Morning, Doji-san. That we are. I am Kitsuki Kindachi. I trust your long journey to the monastery was a pleasant one?" he replied.

Ketsudan, whose player has been away with family things, sheathes his swords, turns, and bows.

"Kitsuki Ketsudan, Niten-ryu," he says by way of introduction, and adds "And my cousin has the right of it.

"Care to practice with me? I am sure we can puzzle out some of the answers to Sensei Wu's questions amid it.

"And I think one of the answers obvious. Sensei Wu asks

How to defeat someone whose martial skills are greater than yours on equal weaponry?

"The answer is in Hojatsu's contest with Ujimona. Know that you will win."

"A pleasure to meet you, Kitsuki-san, Kitsuki-san", she said bowing again to each of them in turn. The repetition was somewhat awkward, but for some reason she seemed to have decided against using full names... from her rather fast speech, maybe she thought it would be too long?

"It has indeed, Kitsuki-san! I'm not very used to walking through the mountains - surely not as you and Kitsuki-san must be - But it is a nice change of pace. And place!" Her voice sounded proper, perhaps surprisingly so, but her cheerful disposition somehow still managed to get through. Maybe in the way she kept shifting her balance from one foot to another in the snow...

"Hmmm." She looks at the Kitsuki who has just sheathed his weapons. "Kitsuki-san has been giving this one some hard thought, ne?", she finally adds with a friendly nod. "But... how can you know you'll win?"

She creases her brow a bit, then changes the grip on her Bo once, twice, three times. "I had thought of something a bit different! Your opponent's skills are greater than yours on equal weaponry, ne? But... not on different weaponry, maybe?"

Her shifting feet hopped to one side, then to the other. "So I kept thinking - what 'weaponry' would you have? Besides the obvious you carry?"

She seemed, maybe for the first time, thoughtful and quite serious.

It looked as if she was about to say something smart. Or wise.

No words came out, though. She just shifted her weight again, a slight grin covering her lips, and changed her grip on the Bo again.

[Kitsuki Ketsudan]

"A pleasure to meet you, Kitsuki-san, Kitsuki-san", she said bowing again to each of them in turn. The repetition was somewhat awkward, but for some reason she seemed to have decided against using full names... from her rather fast speech, maybe she thought it would be too long?

"It has indeed, Kitsuki-san! I'm not very used to walking through the mountains - surely not as you and Kitsuki-san must be - But it is a nice change of pace. And place!" Her voice sounded proper, perhaps surprisingly so, but her cheerful disposition somehow still managed to get through. Maybe in the way she kept shifting her balance from one foot to another in the snow...

"Hmmm." She looks at the Kitsuki who has just sheathed his weapons. "Kitsuki-san has been giving this one some hard thought, ne?", she finally adds with a friendly nod. "But... how can you know you'll win?"

She creases her brow a bit, then changes the grip on her Bo once, twice, three times. "I had thought of something a bit different! Your opponent's skills are greater than yours on equal weaponry, ne? But... not on different weaponry, maybe?"

Her shifting feet hopped to one side, then to the other. "So I kept thinking - what 'weaponry' would you have? Besides the obvious you carry?"

She seemed, maybe for the first time, thoughtful and quite serious.

It looked as if she was about to say something smart. Or wise.

No words came out, though. She just shifted her weight again, a slight grin covering her lips, and changed her grip on the Bo again.

"A samurai is a weapon for their lord," Ketsudan replies. "And the way you stand with a sword in your hand is the way you stand with a teacup in it."

A smile, and the adoption of a stance, open-handed, very much like that he had shown with his swords--right hand ahead and centered, left near the hip, feet just outside shoulder-width.

"Show me your stance, please."

[Kitsuki Kindaichi]

Kindachi considered the Crane's patter for a moment.

"Hmm, a very Dragon solution, Doji-san, to find your own way to walk the path. In return, allow me to present a more Crane solution." he offered taking up his own bo and circling behind the other Kitsuki and settling into his stance.

"If you must defeat someone of greater skill with equal weaponry, call upon your allies to assist you." he suggested.

[Doji Riri]

Kindachi considered the Crane's patter for a moment.

"Hmm, a very Dragon solution, Doji-san, to find your own way to walk the path. In return, allow me to present a more Crane solution." he offered taking up his own bo and circling behind the other Kitsuki and settling into his stance.

"If you must defeat someone of greater skill with equal weaponry, call upon your allies to assist you." he suggested.

The girl's eyes widened for a moment before she nodded. "Oh! That could mean winning without a single strike, indeed. Maybe it even counts as different weaponry?", she says with a small grin.

A moment later, she stands with her bo touching the ground on her left hand, her right hand held up as if she were holding a cup, then looks at Ketsudan, as if waiting for his comments on her "stance".

[Kitsuki Ketsudan]

He laughs.

"If the Way is one thing, it cannot be another," Ketsudan says, still laughing. "I am satisfied for now."

[Doji Riri]

He laughs.

"If the Way is one thing, it cannot be another," Ketsudan says, still laughing. "I am satisfied for now."

She furrows her brow a bit. "Um! If you say so, Kitsuki-san!"

Some more shifting her weight around, hands at the same odd position.

"But how do we know if a way is 'the Way'? Can we know?"

A side glance at the bo, then at the other Kitsuki.

.

"Is there a single way?"

Her bo is suddenly raised and she holds it with both hands. "Can Kitsuki-san know you're sure to win with a bo, by the way?", she asks, grinning.

[Kitsuki Kindaichi]

"Hm, well, I am neither Hojatsu reborn, nor trained as Kitsuki-san has." Kindaichi admits.


He paces the circle a bit.

"His way is not my way. I hear these words, and rather than use them to banish doubt, I consider the duel between Kakita and Matsu. Both entered the duel with each other confident in their victory....but only one of them won. If neither had doubt of their victory in their heart, then what caused Kakita to succeed and Matsu to fail?" he posed to the pair.