The Day of Thunder

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

The thick fog obscured the rising sun, making daybreak more of a lightening of the sky than a proper sunrise. The weak morning light made Yoshitsune Ayako feel rather groggy and thick-headed. Nevertheless, she put on her full kit and emerged from her tent to greet the day.

Making her way slightly outside of the Crab encampment, Ayako did some calisthenics to warm up, before starting to practice her swordsmanship. Her focus seemed to be on the basics - her stance, her footwork, drawing the sword and performing simple attacks.

[Sugri]

Sugri, too, normally greeted the sun with his morning meditations and exercises. Normally he preferred to be a little more within nature when he did so, the gurukula having been nearly a days travel from the nearest village, but upon reviewing the options of 'creepy forest' and 'creepy river' he had settled on the farmlands.

Although they were not exactly a comforting space either. Everywhere around here seemed off somehow. Nor was there much greeting of the sun to be had with this constant gloom and fog.

Still he focused his mind and body and moved through his morning exercises regardless pushing past the disquieting to find the stability that lay beneath. Even if other realms sought to intrude on this space there was still part of it that was of the mortal realm and eternal.

Noting the other party engaging in similar intent, if quite different practice, he offers a friendly bow to Ayako. Compared to the traditions of the Rokugani it was a shallow motion but still intended with respect.

(D1, EM: Meditation/Void to activate Soul of the Four Winds | 6k4 ⇒ 43 (TN: 15))

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

The young woman lowered her sword and returned Sugri's bow, then observed his exercises for a while.

"Please excuse me," she said at last. "I'm called Yoshitsune Ayako. Are you from the village? I .. I don't think I've seen anyone do that particular technique before."

[Sugri]

He offers a warm smile as he shakes his head.

"Ah, no, I am called Sugri and I am but a traveler here. My home is beyond the lands of the rat-kin in what I have heard some of your people call the Kingdom of Ivory."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"The ... Kingdom of Ivory?" the Crab woman said, looking startled. "Really? I don't mean to be rude but, uh ... I had thought it a myth. You must've traveled quite a long way to get here."

[Sugri]

"As much as a myth as a land full of new gods who fell from the heavens." He grins and laughs, "But, yes, I have traveled quite some time. I spent a few years among the rat-kin learning your tongue from those who trade with both our empires and a few more now among your people."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

“You speak really well for having learned our language from ratlings,” the Crab woman commented, with apparent sincerity. “I’m Yoshitsune Ayako, of the Crab Clan.”

“What brings you all the way to Blue Lotus Village?” Ayako asked. “Is the… madness… in the Kingdom of Ivory, too?”

[Sugri]

He shakes his head, "No..." then a slightly worried look, "At least it was not at the time of my departure. I had heard tales of your gods falling from the skies, of this new empire fighting some great evil that sought a foothold in the lands of the rat-kin, and other such stories. It is much too soon for it all to have been myth and bluster so I thought it would bear investigating."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

“Well, I have to admit we don’t have gods fall from the sky every day,” Ayako said. “I think that actually only happened once. Maybe twice.”

“But I think you’ve come to the right place if you want to see great deeds,” she added. “The revered Shinsei is supposed to speak later today, and it seems a lot of heroes have come to hear his words, from every corner of the Empire.”

“I’m hoping he’ll tell us what to do about the madness problem.”

[Sugri]

Sugri gives an enthusiastic nod, "Indeed! I had heard of this Shinsei when I asked about these past great deeds and have been seeking him out. I seemed to always be one village or town behind until I made my way here."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"Oh, he's a very wise teacher," Ayako enthused. "Though sometimes he speaks in riddles, and I don't fully understand them until someone else explains them."

Wait, is that really the mark of a good teacher? she pondered momentarily, before dismissing the thought.

"Once I understand what he said, though, it always turns out to be something good!" she clarified. "And I know he's been trying to get people to come here for awhile now, so whatever he's going to say must be really important."

[Sugri]

"It seems some things are the same between our lands then." He laughs, "I have encountered many such riddles in my training and seeking wisdom. I'll admit, despite trying to avoid them myself, I do find they slip in from time to time."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"Perhaps some day I'll be able to figure out those riddles for myself," Ayako said ruefully. "I'm still working on that, I suppose."

"May I ask, what is your training actually like?" she asked. "I saw you practicing for a little bit ... it looked pretty different than what I'm familiar with."

[Sugri]

"Ah, it is a series of stretches. Moving through them, and holding them, helps focus the mind on the flow of energy through the body as well as the flow of blood and the movement and strain of muscles. This helps center the mind with the body and, doing so in the right mental state, helps center both with the soul as well." He moves through some basic poses as he speaks, "So it is meditative, keeps one limber, and easily combines with other, calisthenic, exercises for those who wish to build and maintain strength of body as well."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"Oh~~! Interesting," Ayako said. "Let me try."

The Crab attempted to mimic Sugri's poses. The effort is well-intentioned, but her movements are noticeably hampered by both her unfamiliarity and her armor.

"Um... I'm sure it must get easier with practice."

[Sugri]

"All things do." He offers a warm smile, "It would be easier without armor as those on my path do without such hindrances. But, if it is important to be worn, then practice would still be of assistance."

"With it on..." He considers for a moment then shows some other poses that are a little less intensive and less likely to be impacted by the shell of the crab.

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"One of my teacher's principles is that we train as we should fight," Ayako said. "There's not much use in a technique that stops working when you put your battle armor on. So ... yeah, let me try it in armor."

So saying, the Crab attempted Sugri's adapted (less intensive) poses. With slightly greater success!

"I think I'm getting the hang of it!" she said excitedly. "Um, what is this technique called?"

[Sugri]

"This one is named vrksa, after the trees." He is currently demonstrating a standing pose, arms to sky, and one foot lifted to rest below his knee. "Without armor you would eventually want to work on bringing the foot higher," he repositions so that his rests on the upper limit of his inner thigh, "But there are benefits even for those who cannot lift the foot much past the ankle. It helps with balance, in general, and holding it for long periods helps build and strengthen your center."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"Verukusa," Ayako repeated, trying to etch the foreign word into her memory.

"Strengthening your center seems good," Ayako said, as she raised one foot to match Sugri's new position. The Crab woman proved to have fairly good balance, albeit with limited range of motion due to the constraints of her armor. "What kind of enemies do you Ivory people end up having to fight with these techniques? Elephants, I suppose?"

[Sugri]

He offers an approving nod at her motions, "Elephants are more often ally than enemy unless one goes truly rogue."

"In truth those of my path tend not to see much combat. We are of the priestly caste, the Brahmin, and matters of war and combat belong to the noble soldiers, the Kshatriya. Our exercises are intended for perfecting the body, soul, and mind the fact that they make us very capable warriors, if thrust in such a position, is simply a side benefit. We do sometimes get called upon when threats are more than mortal or when villages near our homes have issues with rogue animals or bandits and the Kshatriya are not near enough to respond swiftly."