The New Winds

A bare chested Kokyou stood in the middle of the open dojo area. There's a perfect circle around himself dug on the earth, that one would even wonder how it was made. In the middle, the performs his fighting kata in an odd fashion. Was he... drunk?

The scandal! Kokyou is known for going too far in bending the rules, after all.

How many points could this boy lose this time?

Sakura had been passing by after the Kyujutsu training and something caught her eye. She blinked, looking confused. What was the boy doing?

Sakura moved closer, bowing.

"Kokyou-san?"

"P-poppet!" He says with what seemed to be a hiccup and continues his kata.

"...What are you doing?" Sakura frowned "you shouldn't be drinking here, it would look bad."

"Naught looks bad when ye're around, poppet." He says, laughing with his hands at his waist.

"Kokyou-san. We're at an Imperial dojo. I don't think it's right to be drinking as a child while here" Sakura looked concerned "where did you find sake?"

He laughs even harder. Holding his stomach and blushing at the same time. "I didn' find any, poppet. Unfortunately, I know I am nah ole enough fer that."

"Huh? Then what's wrong?" Sakura said, looking more concerned "are you unwell? Ill? Should I get a sensei?"

"Me? Unwell. I am always i me best shape. Even when I am in me worst condition, poppet. Like when I wake up. I look like shit, but I am still the most handsome seadog around." He chuckles inwardly and explains. "I am trainin' me Family's hand-t'-hand kata. They be known fer... well... fight in any condition."

Kazuko, making her way through the dojo area, lets out an audible groan and rubs her eyes in disbelief at what she's seeing. Who in the 12 realms does Kokyou think he is? Knowing him, he'd probably say something along the lines of "The most dashing scallywag yer ev'r seen!" Wait... he did just say that. She grabs a bucket and fills it with water before approaching her potentially drunk and insane classmate and her more respectable and less drunk and insane classmate. She bows briefly to the latter before addressing the former.

"Kokyou-san. What do you think you're doing?"

She tries to sound stern but can't hide her mischievous smirk as she holds the conspicuous bucket behind her back.

Sakura bowed to Kazuko, then frowned as Kokyou explained.

"I don't really understand. You were doing...a kata?"

Kakita Kazuko wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 11, 2020 4:20 pm

"Kokyou-san. What do you think you're doing?"

"Har! Ain't it adorable. Are ye... stalkin' me, eh?" Kokyou wiggles an eyebrow to Kazuko and chuckles more. "I am havin' a good time explainin' t' Doji-chan some o' the many mysteries that I carry o' me exotic 'n incredibly cool Clan."

He narrows his eyes at Kazuko's smirk and whatever she was holding at her back. It could only be one two things: jealousy since Sakura was talking with him or... well... of course she was jealous.

Doji Sakura wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:13 pm

"I don't really understand. You were doing...a kata?"

Kokyou waves a dismissive hand to the little Doji. "Aye. A jujutsu kata. Many samurai o' th' Mantis fight on board o' ships. The movements flow like that. It copies the movement o' water. Within 'n around."

Kokyou wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:38 pm

Kakita Kazuko wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 11, 2020 4:20 pm

"Kokyou-san. What do you think you're doing?"

"Har! Ain't it adorable. Are ye... stalkin' me, eh?" Kokyou wiggles an eyebrow to Kazuko and chuckles more. "I am havin' a good time explainin' t' Doji-chan some o' the many mysteries that I carry o' me exotic 'n incredibly cool Clan."

He narrows his eyes at Kazuko's smirk and whatever she was holding at her back. It could only be one two things: jealousy since Sakura was talking with him or... well... of course she was jealous.

"I'm not stalking you! I just wanted to make sure you weren't up to any trouble or harassing Sakura-san. Besides, it's just hard to not notice a scrawny mantis boy that looks like he's been too indulgent on the sake."

She rolls her eyes at you and sets the bucket down behind her, no longer quite as intent on dousing you.

"He didn't have sake, he said he can't find any" Sakura quickly said in defense of Kokyou "it's just a Mantis kata. I don't think it's right to criticize another clans kata."

Kokyou shrugs and gives Saura a warm smile. "Thanks Doji-chan. It may nah be as elegant as a Crane kata, but 'tis quite effective."

The boy inhales and flexes his bare chested torso filled with teenage musculature. "Now, about this scrawny lookin' Mantis ye natter about. He ain't here. Why don't yo look..."

He flexes his arm even more, pointing a finger as if he would shoot a lightning to show, "That way."

Doji Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:57 am

"He didn't have sake, he said he can't find any" Sakura quickly said in defense of Kokyou "it's just a Mantis kata. I don't think it's right to criticize another clans kata."

"Nah, I'm not denouncing the kata, I'm just saying that it looks silly when such a scraggly rascal is doing them."

Kokyou wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 13, 2020 5:06 am

Kokyou shrugs and gives Saura a warm smile. "Thanks Doji-chan. It may nah be as elegant as a Crane kata, but 'tis quite effective."

The boy inhales and flexes his bare chested torso filled with teenage musculature. "Now, about this scrawny lookin' Mantis ye natter about. He ain't here. Why don't yo look..."

He flexes his arm even more, pointing a finger as if he would shoot a lightning to show, "That way."

Giggles escape from Kazuko between breaths as Kokyou tries to flex and show off his muscles, almost unable to believe the audacity of the boy. She takes an exaggerated look at the direction he points, pretending to be deep in thought and stroking a nonexistent Fu Manchu as she does so.

"Yeah, alright... I'm taking a look... And I see... A gawky teenager... who's going to lose to me tomorrow in the duel! Wow, I'm a prophet now!"

Laughter erupts as she is unable to pretend any longer, Kokyou's silly eyebrow wiggle and repeated flexing too much for her to handle.