Ark 17 Episode 27: A Friendly Spar

Particapantes

 * Suzume Yasutake


 * Sian Tetsu


 * Kenji Satori

Student vs. Master
SayuriAkagi: -Sian emerged from the locker room dressed in the tradition garments of a kendo fighter, her long black hair pull back at the nape of her neck white on her feet she wore a pair of white tama socks. From where she stood she could see the co-captain of their team Taiesha and Satori-sensei on the mat with their sticks in hands sitting around them on the floor were the other members of their club all watching in awe as the year three student eyes the older man in front of her carefully studying him with a keen eye trying her best to determine just which way he was move his practice sword next. It was already the middle of the school year (October) and so far all of them had progressed quiet a bit with Sensei’s help and very extra practices Sian herself had coordinated to get them ready for the tourney that was set to take place in another month, all except one Blake who seemingly dropped out even though his placement was at the contingency of the school’s principal. Of all those in the club she was especially pleased with her cafeteria partner and other bestie, Suzume. Placing a foot in front of the other she moves closer to the group to observe the Master and Taiesha’s fight lowering herself into her knee with ease like the other in a open space that was left open for her just in time to see Sensei move his stick to the right striking Tai’s hard as Tai herself went to the opposing side to land what would be know as a finishing strike to his shoulder instead of countering it to defend that unfortunately cost her the match because it was exactly what their teacher was doing as well, as he thrust the tip of the practice stick upwards underneath her chin giving it a slight tap before stepping back with a smile on his face. “Very good Taiesha I wouldn’t have seen that coming at all, but you are still leaving too many openings in your defense.” Satori-sensei would say in his usual soothing tone before placing a hand on the girl’s shoulders. “None the less good job your skills almost have surpassed my own.”

xXPanSonXx: ::Suzume had been waiting all day to get out some frustrations and calm herself a bit. She had been finding out that the more she training the more she was able to get past things that typically got on her nerves. It also gave her the satisfaction of being able to protect herself and not have to rely on someone else, namely Kin. If she was able to defend herself, she didn't have to worry about Kin putting himself on the line on her behalf. Not that it would stop him if he thought she truly needed rescuing. She had noticed his change in behavior towards her from the time they met, to now but, she could honestly day that own behavior towards him had changed as well. She found herself relying more and more on what his thoughts were on something, and whether he would think it was good. What had scared her the only a few days before is she had looked in the mirror before going to school and thought if Kin would like how she looked today. Ever since then she had been focusing allot on the Kendo club doing her best to try to get better. It may not have been the fact that she had thought of Kin in that way that scared her the most, it had become more of her truly being worried about what he thought. When she first started school she never cared about that sort of thing, but now the fact that she was growing and changing was a bit confusing. She adjusted her jacket as the cool breeze had just blown through her hair causing her skin to come up with slight goose bumps. All this thinking she just wanted to get into the hall and get her mind cleared and off of every thing she was dealing with in her life at the moment. She finally came into the hall removing her shoes at the entrance, she gave a bow of respect to sensei and Sian and then headed to the girls dressing room to change. After getting dressed in here gear she came back, respectfully bowed again and waited for whatever might be in store for her that day. She was ready, she needed to just concentrate on her training.::

SayuriAkagi: -She’d focus on the fighting at hand before her generally looking the direction of the door to see Suzume enter the hall giving a nod of her head once the younger girl bowed Sian turned her attention back to the spar between Tai and Sensei just in time to see that their co-captain had just lost telling the girl where she needed work and also praising her efforts before gesturing to the floor as if to tell her to rejoin the others then nodding his head at Suzume as well as moved swiftly by to go change. “Alright who wants to be next while we wait for Suzume, any volunteers?” the teacher would ask them leaning the practice stick up onto his right shoulder looking over his pupils carefully noting that Mike, Riza, and Sian would have their hands up high over their heads. This Satori-sensei found interesting. “Alright Tetsu-san you’re up.” The older male would tell her moving back in the traditional space of an opponent on the mat his feet moving into position as Sian stood up to retrieve her own practice stick from its place in the corner and joining the Kendo Master on the floor in front of her peers also doing the same with both hands clasp about the hilt portion of the stick with her feet slight spread in vertical matter and her lunar blue eyes completely focus on the person before her. “Ready when you are Satori-sensei.” She told him. “Very well, begin.” At his word Sian stepped forward motioning the stick towards their teacher’s motioning into semi-circle to the left which was countered by one to the right by him, following his flow once he tried to retreat back she moved forward to give chase striking again and once more Satori evaded her actions locking their sticks together briefly before using his weight to push her back with perfect precision, The 16yrs manages to maintain her balance on her feet clasping the stick in her left hand still before allowing her right hand to join it in order to block a head on strike given her by their teacher once more to which she turns on the bottom of her right heel, allowing her back to face him with the kendo stick overhead  to avoid it returning his earlier favor this sending him onto bended knee before her. This in turn earns Sian a chance to land a finishing blow of sorts in the middle of his chest which she goes landing the tip of the stick just inches from it just as the older of two attempt to throw her but a second or two too late. “Very good Sian.” He stays chuckling standing as she withdraws the stick bowing him. “You also have improved over the past view months I am pleased to see that you and our little Suzume have a warriors spirit this will serve you both well when we enter the tournament next month against Nakashima High.”

xXPanSonXx: ::She watched as Sensei with Sian, that left her with the possibility of going against someone else.:: "Hey Mike, me and you?" ::She asked, Mike's eyebrow rose he had only sparred with her on rare occasions when he was desperately bored. So the fact that Suzume had picked him out right peaked his curiosity.:: "Yeah, why not.." ::He shrugged and picked up his practice sword. She had already had hers in hand, Suzume took her stance her hands firmly gripping the wooden sword just under the hilt and her right leg slid out in front of her to make sure her feet were firmly balanced. She knew Mike was a hard hitter and his size against her frame if she didn't keep her feet balanced she would end up on the floor and the duel would be over before it even started. As always Mike was the first to make a move, circling around her Suzume kept her sword out in front of her watching his movements one foot crossing over the other as he went around. Mike gave a smirk, and swiftly went straight for her chest, however Suzume had watched his eyes shift, and how he had towards the left. She dodged him and stepped to his right that he had left open, underestimating her ability to keep up with him. Suzume sent her own practice sword into his open right side.:: "Dammit" ::He cursed under his breath, you could tell his pride was a bit hurt for leaving himself open.:: "I'm not gonna let that..." ::He was cut off again by Suzume's sword contacting with his chest. She smirked herself, still at the ready for whatever Mike would do next. He growled a little under his breath and lunged at her again, she sidestepped him this time tagging him in the back this time.:: "That's it I'm done, I'm gonna spar with Riza!" ::He stalked away Suzume couldn't help but smile and shake her head.::

A Long Road Ahead...Keep up the Good Work
SayuriAkagi: “Very good Suzume. I can see that all of your hard work and practicing with Sian has completely paid off.” Satori-sensei tells her leaving the center of the floor a sign for the other students to begin their work out among each other while he made his rounds to observe them. The others moved to their feet pairing off with one another, Mike with Riza, while Sian and Taiesha started to pair off but Satori-san stopped them. “Sian, if you don’t mind, I would like you to spar with Suzume for a moment” the Master asks with his usual soft natured smile on his face as he took his usually step back away from his pupils to observe the ongoing matches. Her lunar blue eyes looks to her teacher a bit surprised normally she wouldn’t be given a chance to spar against Susu-chan but apparently Sensei was more confident to her skills as a fighter now so Sian didn’t see any problem in indulging his wish. “Hai Satori-sensei, perhaps another time Tai-senpai.” Running over to Suzume-chan with the biggest grin on her lovely face a bit relieved that she wouldn’t have to deal with her annoying rival atm with her practice stick still in hand. “Hey Susu-chan, how’ve you been? Are you ready to show me what you got?” Sian steps back carefully planting both of her feet firmly to the ground before placing both of her feet just 3ins apart in another Kendo stance, her hands wrapped firmly around the base of the swords hilt waiting patiently for one of her best friends to make the first move if she didn’t the 16yr old would move forward giving her own sword a quick tap with hers, a form of taunting in their art form before opting to god right instead of her traditional left when starting her spars charging forward at the girl great ease and agility, a good sign in their Sensei’s eye that Sian was open to a change in strategies but he wondered what approach Suzume would take in order to counter it.

xXPanSonXx: ::She bowed to Satori-sensei when he complemented her, it actually made her smile to hear it. When he left the students to train among themselves, everyone paired off in their typical teams Mike had already teamed back up Riza after becoming frustrated when sparing with Suzume. Sian moved to go against Taiesha, leaving Suzume to well go train with a dummy she was used to this. Because she had typically been the one with the least experience the others wanted more of a challenge, except when it had just been her and Sian alone in the Hall. She and her friend had spent many times just sparring to pass the time on weekends. However as she was heading to the other side of the room where the dummies were, she heard Satori-sensei stop Sian, and asked her to team up with Suzume stopped and came back to where Sian was. She smiled gently at Sian and the turned to the instructor.:: "Hai Satori-sensei." ::She said in unison with Sian. Facing Sian the older girl smiled really big and asked how she was.:: "I'm doing pretty good, and I'll do my best." ::Suzume put her training sword up in the traditional stance, she could tell that Sian wanted her to go first, typically Suzume would wait for her opponent to move first but she knew Sian would expect that from her. They had grown accustomed to each other styles over time and she knew that if she didn't change it up with Sian that the older more experienced girl would probably be the victor. So Suzume, swiftly lunged forward on her right foot, the tip of the training sword aiming right for the center of Sian's chest protector. However she was sure that Sian would expect this and block it, so to keep things interesting she changed her trajectory just a few steps before making contact with a block and sidestepped to the left hoping to catch Sian in the side. If it would make contact, she would take the opportunity to turn herself around crossing one foot over the other so that she would now be facing Sian's back.::

SayuriAkagi: -Sian sees Suzume’s attempt at striking her chest gear and moves slight towards the right countering it with a block with her own stick before darting back onto her left heel some to prepare for the younger girls next attack. Si had to admit she was surprised when the younger girl countered her from another angle she had indeed come a long way but the oni inside of her didn’t like to be beaten so she changed up her stance a bit bringing her own practice stick towards the center of her body as Suzume moved to catch her from the side. ~Very good my friend but I won’t let myself get beaten not today any how.~ Sian thinks allowing her to make the move by appearing to lower her stick  just enough to make it look at is she were admitting defeat before jerking her body towards the general direction of Suzume’s attempted strike, her wrists turning the stick down in a semi circular motion before pulling it upwards in a slow yet regal motion to try and hit it with enough force that her opponent would have no choice but move back in order to rethink their next more thoroughly. “Getting good there Susu-chan.” Sian said huffing and puffing with sweat starting form on her brow as she retakes her stance again, this time one of a defense nature. Satori-sensei watched the girls in this iron clad form of combat both doing their best and giving it also in order to defeat the other. He was very impressed with the level of skills that they both were showing right now as he continued to moved through the hall helping his other students who were still indeed of his guidance and training but the master soon realized that both of them were starting to become rather serious with their techniques as well so much so that he called out, “Sian, Suzume to your corners.” Sian doing as instructed between allowing her lungs to inhale then exhale the oxygen she has consumed during the spar with a smile on her face bowing to Susu-chan before stepping back into place.

Satori-sensei would finish up giving some helpful advice to Riza and Mike before walking over to the two friends a beaming smile on his face. “Both you girls have shown tremendous progress over the pass few months.” He begins. “Ik it’s a long road to nationals but I am sure that if you both keep up what you are doing I am sure we will be able to bring the Tsuki Cup back home to Kasaihana High where it belongs.” “Hai Satori-san.” “We will do our best.” “Glad to hear it, carry on then.” He tells them allowing both girls to resume their spar together.