Lesson One: The Wooden Sword You Must Wield (Solo)

[Blythe]

OOCI have been given permission by Alice to use Kariha in my thread. =) Timestamp: Spring 6, 511 AV Blythe was standing a few paces away from Kariha. They were facing each other. The two Konti had met the day before, and the katana master had agreed to teach Blythe her ways. The katana mistress was wearing black pants, and a simple black top, two swords were tethered to each of her sides, and concealed in a simple black scabbard. Kariha's long, silvery white hair was tied up and into a high ponytail. Blythe on the other hand, was wearing a white dress that ended at her ankles, and only had a strap on the right side. Her hair had been left down, and was tumbling around her shoulders. "Good morning," Blythe called as she bowed her head in respect to her teacher. Kariha did the same, before each of them straightened their bodies out. "Good morning," Kariha replied. Her hands were resting on the hilts of the swords. Blythe eyed them excitedly, her eyes appeared to be glimmering. Kariha smiled, and untied of the ropes that secured the scabbards, keeping everything in place. Kariha handed the scabbard to Blythe. "Tie it around your waist as I have done," she instructed. Blythe extended her right hand towards the katana, and took it from her teacher's hands. She looked up at Kariha's waist, where the blade lingered ominously. Blythe then turned to her own body, and wrapped the string around her waist. The hilt was facing the front of her body, towards Kariha, and the blade towards her back. "There," she said as she looked up. Kariha nodded, "now pull the blade out of the scabbard with your left hand, since the blade rests on your right side," she paused for a moment before adding, "it will keep you from hitting yourself in the face." Blythe reached across her body and pulled the katana from the scabbard. Her fingers were wrapped around the hilt so that her thumb was pointing downwards and into the blade. The rest of her fingers folded into her hand. Blythe's eyes grew wide at the sight, "it's... made of wood," she said, rather confused, as she looked up at her teacher. The blade was still dangling between the space before her body, and within the scabbard, about half of the wooden blade was out in the open. Kariha's eyes sparkled knowingly. "Yes. It is so you do not hurt yourself when you are still learning. Blades are not toys, you know, Blythe. They are weapons made for one's protection, as well as the destruction of others. Although, in no way do I support such endeavors. The use of the blade should be for protection, and one's self-preservation, not for picking fights." Blythe nodded. "Of course, I would think of nothing else." "Good," Kariha replied. "Now draw your sword," she added, as she pulled her own wooden sword from its scabbard. She was holding it tightly in her right hand. Blythe followed suite, and finished removing the wooden sword with her left hand. When she had drawn it, the katana wavered uselessly before her, it was pointed directly at Kariha, and remained level with the other Konti's eyes. Kariha's blade was much the same, although her hand did not waver. The two were faced off with one another, staring directly into the other's eyes; their wooden blade. "Good," Kariha said, "but try not to let your hand waver so much. Shaking the blade is never good. It makes one seem weaker and uncertain in a fight. Uncertain of how the blade is merely an extension of the arm, uncertain of how the blade functions, and how their own body is in space. How their own body moves, and may be used to their advantage in a fight." Blythe nodded, and finally got her hand to stop shaking. She breathed in through her nose, and out through her mouth as she awaited her next set of instructions, and willed her heart to stop pounding. She was simply too excited, and happy to learn something new, and it was this excitement which translated into nervousness. "Much better," Kariha said as crossed the reed matts to Blythe. "Now, we will practice the proper stance," she said, as she took her place on Blythe's right side. She looked up at her student and said simply, "do the same with your body." Blythe nodded as she watched Kariha place her right foot in front of the left. Her toe was pointing forwards, so that it was going in the same direction as her body. Her left foot, she kept maybe six or seven inches behind the right. The foot was turned to the side, so that it was facing Blythe. Together, the feet formed a ninety degree angle. Kariha's blade was held out before her. The blade was pointed upwards, towards the ceiling, and remained at least a foot ahead of her. Her arm was bent slightly at the elbow, and the blade rested almost directly in the middle of Kariha's shoulders. When Kariha had stopped making subtle shifts to her stance, Blythe imitated. She switched the wooden katana from her left hand to her right, and stepped forward with her right foot. The left foot, she turned so that it was facing away from Kariha. Blythe then raised her katana so that it was placed in the air, about a foot away from Kariha's blade, and was maintained in the same form. "Good," Kariha said, "the last thing we need to do is shift our torsos, and our shoulders, but nothing else from the waist down. This is often the most difficult for students, so I always save it for last." With that said, Kariha twisted her stomach and her shoulders, so that they were square with her feet. Her chest was now turned towards Blythe, as were her shoulders. Her feet and her legs however, had not moved. They were still slightly bent at the knees, still firmly planted on the ground. Blythe shifted her body in the same way as Kariha, but stretched her legs so they would be straight. "Like this?" Blythe asked as she looked over her shoulder at her teacher. Kariha brought her sword down and gently nudged the back of Blythe's knees with the tip of her katana. "Just make sure to keep your knees bent Blythe," she said. Blythe instantly did what she was told. "Very good," Kariha said as she brought the sword back to her, and slowly crossed the room so that she was standing three feet away from Blythe, in the same standing position. It appeared as though teacher and student were facing off. "This stance reduces your stomach as a target, and will make it easier for you not to get hit. The bent legs will bring spring to your step, and keep your body from becoming tight and stiff." "Understood," Blythe replied. "Now for balance, and to make sure that the hand doesn't get in the way when it is not being used, we place the extra hand behind us. Some students fold the hand they're not wielding the katana with behind their backs, and others, set them straight in the air behind them. Supposedly it helps them maintain their balance that way," Kariha explained. "It doesn't truly matter to me which method you use, as long as your spare hand is kept out of the way when you're not wielding the katana with both hands... which will be most of the time, at least, in the early stages of your training." Blythe nodded as she folded her left hand behind her back. "Now what?" she asked. Kariha's eyes sparkled, "now you learn to fight," she said with a sly smile.

[Blythe]

Kariha proceeded to slash her wooden katana through the air, left and right. Up and down. Diagonally and vertically. She moved the blade so quickly, and so skillfully, that it seemed little more than a flash before Blythe's eyes. As if noticing the awe contained within Blythe's eyes, Kariha said, "you shall learn to do the same Blythe, but first you must learn the basics. First, you must learn how to defend yourself." "Now, we shall start a simple exercise," Kariha continued. "All you have to do is keep the blade from touching you. Sounds simple enough, right?" Blythe nodded. "Now, defend yourself," Kariha said as she stepped forward, and Blythe heard the wooden blade whizz past her ear before it tapped her on Blythe's right shoulder. The wooden sword made no sound upon impact, and didn't hurt at all. It was all though Kariha has mastered the blade in such a way that she could make it almost invisible as it cut through the air, but just before impact, she could steady her hand and bring the wooden sword to a halt, so as not to harm her opponent. Within an instant after having tapped Blythe with her blade, she returned to her starting position, "defend yourself," she said, before she launched into her next attack. You know this would be a lot easier if she had bothered to teach us a few blocks. Then maybe, we could stand a chance. Well maybe she never taught us anything because it'd be faster if we simply figured it out as we went along. Surely everyone has their own style. The first side of Blythe's brain to speak shut up, as Kariha's wooden katana tapped Blythe's right calf, before returning to her starting position. "Concentrate Blythe, do not allow yourself to be distracted." Blythe nodded, this time, when Kariha, lunged for her, Blythe moved her blade to the side in order to cut the blade off. "Good," Kariha said, "now how about you block this one," Kariha added as she twirled to the right and then extended her blade with the movement, nearly whacking Blythe's right arm. Thankfully, Blythe had jerked her sword to the right in time. There was a loud clicking sound when the wooden swords made contact. Kariha smiled before she swirled to the left side of Blythe's body and whacked Blythe's arm with her sword. Kariha then twirled back to her starting position. She's like a ballerina with a blade. A ballerina who will kick Blythe's ass if she is not careful. "Good Blythe, very good. You are acting on your instincts, and using your senses to determine my movements. Excellent work indeed. Now, when you defend yourself, you don't have to stand in one place, try to move around a little, and from time to time, make a move. Attack your opponent," Kariha commented. "Also, try to move your blade a little more forcefully. Your attacker may not always be so easily deflected, so put force in your movements, and be sure to tire your opponent out. Then, go in for the attack, alright?" Blythe nodded. "Good," Kariha said with her usual playful smile, "now defend yourself." Kariha lifted her right foot a bit, and hopped off her left heel before putting it down again. Her body sprang forward, and her body lunged towards Blythe. Her right arm stretched outwards, and the wooden blade was headed directly for Blythe. Blythe stepped to the right, and dodged the blade, she brought her own wooden katana down upon Kariha's, and whacked it out of the way, before Kariha counted by twisting her body and bringing her wooden katana up and around her head, and then tapping Blythe's forehead with it. As soon as she had, Kariha straightened her body back up, and sheathed her wooden sword. Blythe did the same. Blythe bowed her head to Kariha, and Kariha did the same. They straightened their bodies up again, and Blythe untied the wooden katana, and handed it back to her teacher. "Thank you," Blythe said. Kariha smiled. "You're welcome Blythe. Now, why don't you come back tomorrow, and I shall teach you some proper blocks, so that you don't have to depend entirely on your instincts." "Sounds good Kariha," Blythe replied, as she gave another slight bow, and then turned on her heels, and walked out of the pavilion. OOCThe text in bold is Blythe's brain speaking. If the sentences are spaced out, it is because one portion of her brain is responding to another.

[Alice]

Blythe

Experience: 3 Katana
Lores: How to Draw a Katana, The Basic Fighting Stance, How to Defend Oneself, Using Instinct in a Fight

Comments

Interesting read. I quite like the teaching method you came up with, and it fits Kariha. If you feel that anything is missing, by all means tell me.