The New Winds

Kaidan went to the practice his swords skills. At least he didn't have to compete with the other bushi in the dojo. He wanted to do this just for fun not a mandatory thing. He took his bokken and started practicing on a dummy calling out his hits.

The young Matsu student was standing near another practice dummy. With his practice sword thrust through his saya, Matsu Qiang attempted to draw the bokken and strike the dummy in the same movement. Unfortunately, the Lion's stance was not quite right and the bokken scraped the floor as he drew it, causing the strike to be flawed.

Frowning, Qiang stuck the bokken through his saya and prepared to try again.

This was a new face for Kaidan. He might have seen the Lion on the mandatory training but never had a personal experience with him. The Scorpion looked at the stance an the size of the bokken the Matsu wielded and was puzzled. He approached but waited to be addressed.

After one more strike at the training dummy, the Matsu looked up at Kaidan. "Ah, hello," he said, lowering his bokken and bowing to the Scorpion. "I hope my feeble efforts are not disturbing you. I'm Matsu Qiang."

Kaidan shook his head. "Not really, I was admiring your effort." Kaidan bowed "I am Bayushi Kaidan." He looked at the weapon. "I think you should change your stance. I know little of iaido but what you seem to be trying is a iai strike." He wondered "Am I right?"

"Yes," Qiang admitted, a little embarrassed that his technique wasn't even clearly recognizable as iaijutsu. "I've had basic iaijutsu training, but it seems I am a very poor student. I am hoping to improve. In what way do you think I should change my stance?"

"I think it should be a less wide a bit more flowing." The Matsu might note that Kaidan position a bit less wide and a bit more flowing. "It should be a mix of openness but not to allow yourself to be struck... and allow the sword to be eased out."

"Hmm, let me try that," the Matsu said thoughtfully. He adjusted his stance to have his feet closer together, then quickly drew his wooden sword with a sharp snap to strike the dummy.

"That seemed better, but still not quite right," Qiang said critically. "I .. don't quite understand how to make it more 'flowing'. Isn't the whole point of iaijutsu to attack as fast as you can? So a sharp, efficient attack should be better, shouldn't it?"

"I think it depends on the duel type." He gave it some thought. "Do you want to try?... I am really unskilled in iaido but I am willing to help out."

"I don't mind trying," Qiang allowed. "But are you sure you were done with what you were doing? I wouldn't want you to mess up your own training, just to help me out."

"There are more than one way to train. I would like to see how I am in iaido and haven't had a partner to practice with." He bowed. "I would be honored to have this time with you."

"Thanks! Let's do it, then," Qiang replied brightly. Then attempted to adjust himself to a serious expression as he returned his bokken to his saya and squared off with Kaidan.

-
not sure we can still roll dice for day 7, shall we just RP it?

"Show me your stance Matsu san." Kaidan bowed taking a center stance.

Matsu Qiang assumed a dueling stance - narrower and somewhat improved from before. The Lion placed a hand on his bokken and eyed Kaiden speculatively, trying to decide which direction the Scorpion would try to move at the decisive moment.

The boy seem to be fast and Kaidan tried to read him but little was known of this Matsu. He glared trying to see if there was an opening or something of a weakness in his stance. Kaidan switch slowly a bit into a more comfortable position.

In the moment that Kaidan shifted stance, Qiang drew his sword in a flash. Swinging it downwards, he tried to gently strike the Scorpion's forearm before his opponent could change the direction of his movement.

Kaidan noted the hit and bowed to the Matsu. "Good one Matsu san." He straitened his clothes where he got hit. "You got me."

"Oh-!" Qiang said, looking almost surprised that the strike had landed. Lowering his bokken, the Lion bowed. "Your suggestion on making my stance less wide definitely helped. Thanks, Bayushi-san."