Yamato no Kami Yasusada (
okitactless) wrote in
thenearshore2016-07-01 02:53 pm
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[open] time for the training montage
Who: Yamato no Kami Yasusada and you!
Where: Menrva's school grounds; Tuesdays and Thursdays in the ballroom, Saturdays outdoors
When: Throughout April, beginning April 5th. Schedule here!
What: In a shocking turn of events, a sword spirit has offered to teach a swordfighting class. AMAZING.
Warnings: sparring, and Yamato
The basics
Since his suggestion for a sword class was sanctioned by Elsa, Yamato has been busy. Gathering supplies, searching for students and volunteers alike--a lot of effort has gone into preparations for this class.
The first class, and all subsequent Tuesday/Thursday classes, will take place in the ballroom. (Indoor shoes are required.) Introductions will be made, along with a few fun demonstrations of strikes, take-down methods, and other skills that will be covered in the class. Questions and suggestions are always acceptable.
With that out of the way, it's time to practice! Repetitive sets and form practice will make up the majority of Tuesday/Thursday classes. It can get tedious, but it's arguably the most important part of training, and Yamato is a strict and relentless teacher regardless of your level. Done with 50 reps of this strike? Great, time for 100 more! Think you've mastered this particular footwork? Time to trip you on your face! No mercy and no breaks until you fall down, or class is over.
The fun part
What would a sword class be without fighting? Wooden swords and protective gear have been provided. Usage of wooden swords is required, and protective gear is required for beginners and recommended for advanced students. Still, if you insist you don't need it, nobody's going to argue. Yamato won't hesitate to bruise or break bones either way.
Experienced fighters are encouraged to participate in demonstration matches, emphasizing the unique characteristics of their skills and styles. For practicing purposes, lower level students will be paired with more advanced fighters whenever possible. If there are no advanced partners available or a student isafraid for their life uncomfortable, lower level students will be paired together with supervision. A few training dummies have also been scrounged up for uneven numbers.
Competitive matches may take place on Saturdays, when the class is held outdoors. These will be 3 or 5 point matches, with each contact strike meriting 1 point. Students may challenge whomever they wish, Yamato included, as long as there is an advanced fighter around to referee and preventdeath grave injuries.
The aftermath
The end of each class will involve a thorough cleaning of the ballroom-- and yes, it's just like it sounds. If your arms aren't about to fall off and you aren't covered in bruises, feel free to turn it into a competition! Races are fun, and the sooner it's done, the sooner you get to collapse. Food and beverages have also been provided outside the ballroom, so get some rest and chat with your fellow students. Group trips to some near shore restaurants for some post-practice bonding time are allowed and even encouraged. We're all comrades here, right? Right.
---
OOC notes:
-This is an open mingle for Yamato's sparring classes throughout the month! The first class will take place on April 5th, but feel free to use any date there is a class. Prose or brackets is fine!
-Tuesday and Thursday classes will take place in Elsa's ballroom, which means they'll be more restrained (practice sets and instructional sparring only). Please don't break the chandelier!
-Saturay classes are for competitive sparring matches, as well as anything a student would like to work on. This is where you can fly around and knock each other into trees and such.
-The class schedule is available for everyone to see, but Yamato has gone around recruiting and inviting people throughout March. Feel free to handwave getting an invitation if you'd like to come and play!
**NEW** -For anyone curious, Yamato practices and teaches Tennen Rishin Ryu style. I've linked some videos here if you want a visual reference!
Where: Menrva's school grounds; Tuesdays and Thursdays in the ballroom, Saturdays outdoors
When: Throughout April, beginning April 5th. Schedule here!
What: In a shocking turn of events, a sword spirit has offered to teach a swordfighting class. AMAZING.
Warnings: sparring, and Yamato
The basics
Since his suggestion for a sword class was sanctioned by Elsa, Yamato has been busy. Gathering supplies, searching for students and volunteers alike--a lot of effort has gone into preparations for this class.
The first class, and all subsequent Tuesday/Thursday classes, will take place in the ballroom. (Indoor shoes are required.) Introductions will be made, along with a few fun demonstrations of strikes, take-down methods, and other skills that will be covered in the class. Questions and suggestions are always acceptable.
With that out of the way, it's time to practice! Repetitive sets and form practice will make up the majority of Tuesday/Thursday classes. It can get tedious, but it's arguably the most important part of training, and Yamato is a strict and relentless teacher regardless of your level. Done with 50 reps of this strike? Great, time for 100 more! Think you've mastered this particular footwork? Time to trip you on your face! No mercy and no breaks until you fall down, or class is over.
The fun part
What would a sword class be without fighting? Wooden swords and protective gear have been provided. Usage of wooden swords is required, and protective gear is required for beginners and recommended for advanced students. Still, if you insist you don't need it, nobody's going to argue. Yamato won't hesitate to bruise or break bones either way.
Experienced fighters are encouraged to participate in demonstration matches, emphasizing the unique characteristics of their skills and styles. For practicing purposes, lower level students will be paired with more advanced fighters whenever possible. If there are no advanced partners available or a student is
Competitive matches may take place on Saturdays, when the class is held outdoors. These will be 3 or 5 point matches, with each contact strike meriting 1 point. Students may challenge whomever they wish, Yamato included, as long as there is an advanced fighter around to referee and prevent
The aftermath
The end of each class will involve a thorough cleaning of the ballroom-- and yes, it's just like it sounds. If your arms aren't about to fall off and you aren't covered in bruises, feel free to turn it into a competition! Races are fun, and the sooner it's done, the sooner you get to collapse. Food and beverages have also been provided outside the ballroom, so get some rest and chat with your fellow students. Group trips to some near shore restaurants for some post-practice bonding time are allowed and even encouraged. We're all comrades here, right? Right.
---
OOC notes:
-This is an open mingle for Yamato's sparring classes throughout the month! The first class will take place on April 5th, but feel free to use any date there is a class. Prose or brackets is fine!
-Tuesday and Thursday classes will take place in Elsa's ballroom, which means they'll be more restrained (practice sets and instructional sparring only). Please don't break the chandelier!
-Saturay classes are for competitive sparring matches, as well as anything a student would like to work on. This is where you can fly around and knock each other into trees and such.
-The class schedule is available for everyone to see, but Yamato has gone around recruiting and inviting people throughout March. Feel free to handwave getting an invitation if you'd like to come and play!
**NEW** -For anyone curious, Yamato practices and teaches Tennen Rishin Ryu style. I've linked some videos here if you want a visual reference!
no subject
"Of course I will, Yukine-kun. You don't have to ask." This is a class at a school, after all, even if they aren't at the school. He's happy about this, though. It means Yukine's here of his own accord, not because his god forced him here. Yamato's aware that his methods aren't for everyone, and that someone so young should find value in them... it means a lot.
"You came to the first two classes, didn't you? How did you feel?" He'd noticed, of course, and gauged Yukine's skill level on his own--but it's always best to hear a student's own thoughts.
no subject
Lifting his face he smiles faintly, then stands at attention at the question.
...How did he feel? He idly scratches a finger along his cheek as he thinks.
"Um. It felt kinda cool, actually. B-but I'm taking this seriously! It was like... A completely different perspective. I don't know how much use it will be, but... I feel like I'll get stronger if I try to learn more about how to use the sword. Swords." He's two, after all. Although it might take him a while to be able to use two, himself.
no subject
But he smiles at Yukine's response, tucking his hair back behind his ear. "You're not the only student who's here for their master's sake," he says, and doesn't stop to think about his choice of words. 'God' and 'master' are completely interchangeable to him, and neither have negative connotations. "You're lucky that Yato-san is skilled with a blade, but you're right. If you understand them, it will be easier for you to work together and deal with your enemy efficiently." Not that that's a problem for Yato and Yukine, but still. There's always room to learn.
"I'm glad you like it," he adds, honest in his appreciation. "It's not just a way of fighting, it's a way of life, so I was a little sad to see it's not so common with living people."
Not that he'd expected everyone on the Near Shore to be wearing swords at their hips, but... he has yet to see a single sword being held out on the streets. It's a bit disappointing, he has to admit, but all the more reason to keep the art alive up here. Er. "Alive".
no subject
Yukine doesn't think anything of Yamato's word choice either. It is what it is. But he's glad he seems to have given Yamato-san an answer he approves of.
He grins a little. His name 'Yuki' and being Yato's shinki is his life, literally.
"Well, the living don't have so much need to fight with swords anymore. But plenty of people still keep the tradition going. Kendo clubs and that kind of thing. Gods, on the other hand, kinda need to do it, don't they."
no subject
For the living, anyway. Yamato certainly isn't going to complain about being needed on this shore, and becoming Shepard's shinki is probably the best fate that could've awaited him. Fighting ayakashi, answering prayers, playing with children and stray cats and teaching swordplay in his spare time? He can't imagine anyone that wouldn't be content, with a "life" like this.
"It would be nice if we could keep getting stronger," he adds, "But I think that's always true, for everyone."
no subject
But he looks at Yamato-san with admiration. He's that strong already, and he thinks it would be good to get stronger...
"I for sure want to get stronger too. Even though I'm a hafuri, I can't be complacent."
There are still enemies out there, beyond the ayakashi.
no subject
"Isn't it the same for everyone? No matter how strong you are, you can't stop working to get stronger. As soon as you stop, you've already lost to the person that didn't."
Yamato, of course, has no basis for this. It just seems painfully obvious. If you're not constantly trying to be better, then sooner or later you're going to lose.
Hafuri, though... that's something he's been curious about for a while. "Yukine-kun, would you mind telling me a little more about being a hafuri? I've heard it mentioned before, but I don't really know what it means."
He understands the word, of course, but in this context, he only has vague assumptions to go on. Yukine is two swords, he knows--so does that mean if Yamato gets stronger, he'll split into two? That would be... weird, but not too bad.
no subject
For all that he came for sword lessons, Yukine can't turn down a question asked.
"Hafuri. I guess you might know it literally means 'blessed vessel'. It's something really rare, even though it sounds like a lot of shinki try to do it." Going by how he'd been hammered with questions afterwards.
"Um, it's basically that you do something that puts your god-given name, and therefore your very life, on the line for your god. I... can't explain it very well. It just happened before I knew it."
He pauses thoughtfully for a moment. "Kazuma-san and I are the only hafuri, as far as I know. I haven't heard the story of how it happened to him, though. ... Come to think of it, I should ask him sometime."
He then bows slightly as he grins self-effacingly. "Sorry. I don't know if that tells you much, but I suppose it qualifies as 'a little more'."
no subject
"God-given name...?" he repeats, a mildly puzzled look on his face. He can hazard a guess as to what that means too, but it doesn't make any sense. "Do you mean you didn't arrive in heaven with your name already chosen?"
Shepard hadn't even been able to read his name at first glance. Granted, they were running for their lives at the time, but still. It was a lucky thing they didn't get eaten by the first ayakashi they came across.
no subject
"Nope, not really. Yato found me and named me on the Near Shore." Yukine runs a hand through his hair, thinking it over for a moment.
"Honestly, I don't really know much about it myself. First thing I knew, I was being used to cut down an ayakashi. But even if none of you remember it, I think your god must have named you somehow, otherwise how else would you belong to them? ... Well, that's going by the rules I know. You new shinki and gods break a lot of norms, so why not that one too." It's not their fault, exactly, but is is disturbing.
no subject
Well what on earth (haha, on earth) was Yukine doing down there? To Yamato, of course, Yukine's situation is the one that seems strange. And who's to say which one of them is "right", anyway? A more philosophical person might've thought to ask such questions, perhaps. But Yamato isn't the type to concern himself with the nature of souls, beyond his own beliefs. There's only one thing that really matters, as far as he's concerned.
"And you're happy, aren't you?"
no subject
The second question kind of floors him though.
"Happy? As if I have time to be happy, when I spend most of my time being angry at that idiot god, trying to keep him in line!"
So he says. (But actually yes, now that he has his 'reason'... he's happy.)
no subject
"Yukine-kun is such a good shinki. Yato-san is lucky to have you taking care of him." Yukine already knows that, surely; he's a Hafuri, after all! There isn't much more of an A+, 100%, 10/10 than that. "I'll work hard to be like you."
no subject
"Darn right he's lucky to have me." He feels his cheeks warm slightly at the compliment though. And he feels even more embarrassed at that last.
"J-just be yourself, Yamato-san. Shepherd-sama and you get along well after all, right?"
no subject
Luckily, Yamato's painfully easy to distract. The mere mention of Shepard knocks the idea of hair ruffles clean out of his head, and he nods happily.
"Yes! I'm very lucky, I get to serve the best god." Some other shinki would disagree, but that's fine. One should be loyal to their own master, after all. "I'm very glad I got to be a shinki like this. I wish everyone who died could be one."
Heaven would be awfully crowded, but it's fine, there's room.
no subject
"Heh. You're a pretty good shinki yourself, Yamato-san. And I look forward to your sword lessons now too.
"So, should we start? It's like..." he puts on a more serious tone, "we are losing to the people who have already started."
It's just a play on the words that Yamato-san had used before. But it's true, isn't it?
no subject
Yamato's not going begrudge him for eagerness, and he nods, falling back into the role of the strict teacher. "Go get your equipment, then," he instructs, glancing over towards the other students. He should probably check on them before he gets caught up with a single student, huh. "You remember the kata we began working on in class, don't you? Start warming up with that, and I'll be back in a minute."
And don't slack off, Yukine. He'll be watching you, too.
no subject
It doesn't take very long to get the (heavy) practice sword and return to the yard. Honestly, Yukine thinks that doing the kata forms is too finicky, with 'put your feet that way' and 'keep your elbows this way', but he will practice the basics diligently. Foundations are important.
...But despite his good intentions he's still a relatively impatient teenager.
So he moves through what he remembers, occasionally hesitating when he's not sure what the next form is, and then moving too quickly, impatient to get past that part.
no subject
"Don't rush," he says, shifting his grip on his own sword as he comes around to face Yukine. "You're better than that, Yukine-kun." He's smiling, though, like he'd expected it, adjusting Yukine's grip very slightly before he steps back to take his position. Yukine did come to spar, after all. "How would you describe Yato-san's fighting style?"
no subject
Yukine exhales sharply in surprise as he gets his balance back after that hit. But he answers with another firm 'right'. Well, he says 'don't rush', and Yukine gets it with his head, but sometimes it's just annoying, you know?
(He's glad that he said he's better than that, though!)
Paying attention for a moment to how Yamato-san adjusted his grip, Yukine is taken a bit by surprise at that question. He then snaps back to attention and firms up his posture, realizing that distraction is an opening.
With a grimace he steps forward, his sword hovering close to Yamato's, ready to block.
"What 'style'? He just swings me around as he wants. You might as well call it flailing."
...Well, that's not completely true, but that's sure how it feels. And the time against the baby's refection is never far from his mind when it comes to the hard 'lessons' he's been through.
He sets his lips in a thoughtful line though. Yamato-san will probably ask him for a better answer than that, so he takes a moment to shove his irritations to the back of his mind and try to think about it in more technical terms.