[open] time for the training montage

[okitactless]

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 is afraid 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 prevent death 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!

Comments

[kagenonadeshiko]

Maybe we can, Shepard-san. I'm quite curious about Yamato-san, you see.

[Especially now that his goddess has confirmed a connection.]

How much do you know about the Shinsengumi and Okita-san?

[There are few as familiar with the inner workings of the Shinsengumi as Ayumu is. She'd been taken captive for such information.]

[roeh]

Just what you can read about on the net. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out that's the sort of organization that's got a lot going on behind the scenes. The sort that doesn't make it into public knowledge very easily.

[As if on cue, Shepard gestures to lead them further from the gathered class without quite looking like they're on their way out. Shepard has a way of moving in the shadows when she needs to and that's what she does now.

While she maybe have no particular feelings about the Shinsengumi itself, they evoke a sense of disquiet, even dread to speak of so openly like this and the less that are privy to the conversation, the better.]

And I've seen him. Whenever he's in battle. It's always with Yasusada at his side. [In fact those kinds of scenes dominate what she's seen of them both and that's what seems peculiar in a way she can't make sense of. Like she's missing something.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[And the enigma surrounding the man deepens. Ayumu allows Shepard to lead her away, grateful for the privacy. Despite everyone being long dead, she can't quite break old habits completely.]

To my knowledge, Yamato-san's never fought at Okita-san's side. My duties were different from his but had he accompanied him into battle, I would have heard of it.

[Ayumu sifts through her memories, trying to recall if she'd ever seen Okita in the company of Yamato but she's certain she'd never seen him before coming to this place.]

He's very skilled. I'm sure that such a perfect match to Okita-san would have caused a stir in Kyoto, especially among the men.

[Heisuke and his friends were a good source of gossip. Ayumu's heard more than a few colorful rumors about Okita's personal life.]

Okita-san often spent time with Hijikata-san, his students, the children, and his pet, Saizo, but no one matching Yamato-san's description.

[roeh]

[Ayumu seems awfully confident about her knowings of the ins and outs of this group and Shepard has no reason to doubt the woman. Her interest in Yamato was genuine enough, apparent even when she didn't have anyone to put on a show for. So it's rather telling, and somewhat disconcerting.]

Let me guess. You dealt in information. The boys back then did all the dirty work and let the women take care of them. But that kind of thing has it's uses too.

[She doesn't wait for her to answer however. It's not that Shepard's overconfident in her assessment. But someone like her will confirm or deny that sort of thing on their own terms, won't they?]

I know you're right though. And I would have seen it too. I think there's others like him too but beyond that I never see him without that guy until... [Ah... how much does Ayumu know about that. Best not to be the bearer of shitty news just in case. Especially when there's already so much to miss in just being here. So she shrug.] It's like he's a ghost.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[She notices the slip but lets it slide for now, more preoccupied with the suggestion of others like Yamato. Ayumu's brow furrows further in puzzlement. Until coming to this place, she never would have thought this but Yamato being a ghost made the most sense. But others like him? Suddenly, she wishes she'd paid more attention to Saitou's superstitious ramblings. It's somewhat chilling to imagine Okita and the others being haunted by unseen ghosts the whole time she looked after them.]

Perhaps he was but Saitou-san would know better than I. Spirits and ghosts were his area of expertise, not mine.

[As for Shepard's assessment, she's not wrong. Ayumu had been an information specialist. As for the dirty work, her occupation dirtied her hands more than most. But there's no reason for her to bare all so quickly.]

I was just the housekeeper and cook.

[roeh]

So you saw a lot. [It's not a question but a matter of fact and she shrugs knowing it may not come with much elaboration one way or another. But she knows a little of the history and furthermore she's not completely unfamiliar with the life herself. The badge on her chest and the stripes, they marked her as a marine, a mere soldier with little to differentiate her from the kids that stood beside her in basic.

But she never much preferred the front lines and battles were won just as easily if not more so from the shadows.

And the right information. Which is what she's after now.]

Sounds like that sort of thing isn't impossible where you come from at least. [There's a faint note of skepticism in her voice.]

In my time it just begs for a scientific explanation.

[kagenonadeshiko]

Well, I never saw spirits myself.

[There's a slight hint of skepticism in her tone as well, not unlike Shepard's own.]

There could be another explanation, one that's much more mundane. Perhaps Okita had relatives he didn't speak of to anyone.

[Such as a child of his own. It's seems so absurd but it's easier for Ayumu to process than the concept of Okita being haunted by some kind of spirit.]

Oh, are you from a different time, too, Shepard-san?

[She'd assumed her to be from this era. Obviously not from this country but...]

[roeh]

Hmmmm [It's certainly worth the consideration but Shepard doesn't sound so sure. Whatever the case, it's clear that neither of them have enough information, not even together, to solve the mystery. Not that she wouldn't persist.

But that didn't mean they couldn't get acquainted either. She sounded like as useful an ally as any she's found.]

That's right. The year 2183. So I guess you're looking at about 320 years after your time, give or take. [Japan and its antiquated dating. How is she supposed to keep track of all those details.]

You'll still find people that believe in gods and spirits but it's a lot harder to use than as an excuse when you're practically living with them.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu really needs to learn more about the calendar people use today. But Shepard confirms what she'd initially thought; the other goddess is from a faraway time compared to her own.]

This is a strange land of the dead we've all found ourselves in, isn't it? It's hard to know what to expect from this place.

[Threats were so much more straightforward in her time. And Shepard's certainly not alone in her desire for allies.]