Starring:
Date: November 19, 2014
Summary:
A pair of Genin talk and practice the concepts of Kenjutsu, namely Kaguya style Kenjutsu.
"Understanding how Kaguya Dance"
Land of Water, Flora Oasis
It was near noon at the end of the week yet the first say of a new month. Naoya had bumped into Yuriko the day before once again but didn't linger for once, asking for her to meet him in the 'flower field' the next day near noon. The boy could be seen waiting in a patch with a small pouch in his hands as well as a single pill within his other hand, looking it over carefully though the pill seems to be causing him to stress over it some what.
With a slight crisp in the air, the light fabric of her yukata is replaced by a heavier kimono; the embroidered flowers in a subtle powder pink against the snow white. The young girl's footsteps are light as they tread into the flower field, the place where Naoya had wanted to meet up. Approaching from behind, Yuriko soon comes to a pause right beside him, eyeing the pill in his hand before she lowers to take a seat beside him. "You have a weird face today."
"A 'gift' from a cousin is causing it.. Chakra suppression medication." Rolling the tablet pill in his hand around, Naoya shifts it to his finger and pressed down onto it with his thumb, snapping it in half but keeping it still in his palm. "'If' I start using these it'll be a while before things stabilize again. If I over dose it'll effect more than just having a hard time focusing chakra actively, but also passively." The brows on his face furls as he slowly repositions one half of the pill, slowly snapping it again into a crude quarter. "If everything works well, then after a time it'll help improve my refinement.. but that's just a chance, not sure how well that chance is though or how long it'll take."
Yuriko blinks her bright aquamarine eyes at the boy as she watches his face, his expression. The mention of the pill in his hand earns a surprised look, blinking again as she glances from him down at the pill in his hand, being snapped into smaller pieces. The most he talks though, the more the thoughtful frown furrows at her brow. "So you don't know the chances… That's a little odd. Isn't it in Okumo's nature to figure out the 'probability' of success? I think that's what it's called." Yuriko glances back at the pill in his hand again. "You don't seem all that keen on trying it."
"I was given these this morning.. I need to study the doses, I can't afford to lose control of the brood, they will eat each other if I'm not the focus point.." Shaking his head, Naoya moves his other hand into a pouch and pulls out a tiny silken bag and puts the pill fragments into it save for one which he continued to work over in his hand. "I.. didn't ask you out here about that though, but now it's related." Looking up a bit, he focuses his eyes onto Yuriko and says, "I asked you out here about Kenjutsu.. it seems with these I'll be in your hands more than I thought. I want to learn how to 'dance'. I've been studying several of the other bladesmen within Kirigakure over the last three weeks yet none of the styles or movements seemed natural, your's on the other hand seemed to flow with ease, even when pressed."
Tilting her snowy head, Yuriko meets his bright amber eyes as she listens curious, frowning subtly when he reveals that he wanted to learn kenjutsu from her. It gives the girl pause. After a moment she lifts a hand to scratch lightly at the back of her head. "Well, I can probably teach you, with allot of work. But why exactly would you want to learn kenjutsu? It could be an asset… but your strength is in your brood."
With a light shake of his head, Naoya offers the girl a light smile. "Our strength is working together. When combat had begun, they don't fight, I'm the one who does. We work together best when not focused on a tense moment." Moving a hand to his chin, a few fingers begin to drum lightly, finding it some what difficult to pick out the correct words, when he finally speaks it's slow at first. "Planning, hunting, stalking.. we work as one. When it's time to strike, I am the largest, I go in for the kill. We mend once things quiet, protect each other.. Change one another's bodies. Make sense to you Yuriko-chan?"
Yuriko blinks once before she frown in confusion. "So… why can't they help in combat? They're small, but not useless. They would be a mighty force if they work as one. And if a swarm of spiders rushes at a target all at once, that's a scary. It can throw them off balance. Not to mention that because they're small, they're also discreet, so they can investigate or set up traps." Her hand falls into her lap again. "I still don't get why you want to learn kenjutsu."
Chuckling at the look of confusion on Yuriko's face he shakes his head lightly. "We aren't like what you know of Sei-san. While they aren't useless, they don't work together very well. We are still adding poisons to the brood along with their size to aid with hunting." Moving a hand to his chest, Naoya taps it lightly a few times. "Traps, hunting, spying.. That is where they have specialized in. Working together as a swarm? Not so much. I won't risk them or ask them to die just for me to strike. If someone has to be hurt or has to die, then I will. I will not ask them to for me."
The young girl beside him promptly gives Naoya a flat look, but doesn't argue. Instead she leans closer, reaching up a hand to lightly poke at the tip of his nose. "Tell me. Why do you want to learn kenjutsu? There's lots of other different ways to fight, but you haven't told me why kenjutsu specifically." The corner of her lips tugs upwards as Yuriko smirks. "Not that I'm not flattered that you want to learn from me. It's kinda cute that you're looking for an excuse to spend more time with little 'ol me."
"Oh, that's simple.." At first Naoya doesn't seem to react much to the poke before tilting his head up quickly and snapping at her finger, the snap wasn't a faint and actually tries to make it's mark before speaking again. "I found out what the reward I want /when/ I make you ask for knee. I want you to shape me a blade you think is best, from your own bone." A smug smirk quickly forms on the boy's lips as he looks at her in the eye. "Anyways, shouldn't the hunter study it's prey to the uttmost?"
The finger doesn't flinch when he snaps at it, though the small girl is too quick for him to actually chomp on anything. Yuriko calmly quirks a pale brow as one eye observes him. "Hm, I guess. Though I'm also starting to think that you might be a little obsessed with beating me. Even after all we've been through, friends and everything." she smirks. "And while that could be an interesting trophy, that wouldn't be the best idea. You know that I can control and track my own bone. That means if you're wielding it against me in a spar, it would be too easy for me to make it useless."
"If anything, you'll try to make it strike you more than less. You're too proud to act like a coward, trying to cheat just to stay ahead?" Closing his eyes, Naoya shrugs his shoulders faintly before seeming to relax, the tension in him almost completely gone. "I wouldn't turn it against you, I'd use another blade for that if you are so 'weak' you'd cheat to keep up with me." The boy's tone wasn't serious but he was teasing her lightly, opening one eye to peek out to look at her reaction
"It isn't weak to use every advantage you have at your disposal. Especially when the other person considers you 'prey'." Yuriko idly shrugs her shoulders to herself. "I do find it weird that you want me to teach you how to beat me. Makes it seem like you can't figure it out for yourself." Shifting her weight to one side, the Kaguya girl reaches for the pouch at her side to pull out a kunai. A normal metal weapon. She holds out to Naoya, hand offered to him. "It may look easy, but it takes allot of practice. So much that it becomes instinct."
"It is weak if to gain an advantage you have to betray a friend's trust, though.. You're right. I'll tell you my terms not when you're on a knee but pinned to the ground." Closing his eyes, he nods his head a few times towards Yuriko a few times and slips the fragment of a pill into a pocket before standing up. Moving his hands to his knees before moving a hand to the side of his head. "Hmm.. Now I have to learn my own style, to beat you utterly even at your own best skills, kenjutsu." Naoya opens his eyes and looks down at the girl with a grin on his lips.
"It's not betraying if you already know about my control over my own bone. You're being forewarned. If you don't heed it, then that's your problem, not mine." Her bright eyes narrow on Naoya for a brief moment, though Yuriko twirls the kunai in her hand before burying it into the soft ground. "You sound optimistic, even though you don't know much outside the basics. 'Let me try to stab you and hopefully I hit something'."
Extending a hand, the young Okumo points down at Yuriko but then leans forward and tries to tap her forehead. "I already have a blade and know how to use a kunai." Reaching his right hand over his shoulder, he slowly begins to draw his blade, once it was fully drawn he twirls his wrist, though not letting the blade get close to the girl or the blade in the ground. "I don't need more lessons of how to use a dagger, I know how different it feels."
Yuriko tilts her head faintly, but doesn't pull her bright eyes away from the boy, silent and contemplating. "You misunderstand." she murmurs. "A blade is a blade. It doesn't matter if it's short or long, you must use any blade that's at your disposal. You don't have the luxury of being picky." The Kaguya girl lightly shakes her snowy head. "And if you can do it with a kunai, you can do it with a sword." Reaching out, Yuriko picks up the kunai again. "The first thing we need to work on is your speed."
"You're going to teach me how to use a blade.. with something that small, really?" Sounding some what annoyed, Naoya leans down and looks at the kunai as if it might have something special about it. "Just what are you going to teach me with such short blades?" Leaning back, he boy carefully sheaths his blade before moving a hand into a pouch, soon pulling out a kunai as well with a tightly wrapped grip. "Okay then.. show me just what these have to do with swords."
The corner of her lips tugs with a slight smirk, amused at his skepticism. "Precision." she murmurs. When he looks at the kunai with an analyzing gaze, she holds it out for him. Just an ordinary metal kunai. "With a short blade like this, you'll learn quickly not to make mistakes, or else you'll be reminded. Repeatedly. Buuuuut…" Yuriko draws out the word, appearing thoughtful for a moment. "Hm. Might be better to go with wooden swords. They're blunt and won't do much more than bruises."
A flat glare sets into the boy's eyes when Yuriko mentions training swords. "Yes.. I know. That and some nurses questioning if you might have a fractured jaw because /someone/ seems to love attacking someone head on in the face." Continuing to mutter Naoya's arm drops, seeming to annoy himself even more the longer he talks until he snaps his attention to the girl. "I'll get them from Hayase-chan."
Bright eyes flitting up at him, Yuriko arches a pale brow. "In the face?" she murmurs. "Yeah. I won't do that. You're of no use to me with broken bones. That and your face is your money maker." The petite girl smirks. It lingers for a brief moment before it fades and Yuriko meets his eyes again. "Why don't you ever ask me to make you something?"
"Yes.. what was it.. four times directly a few other in glancing" was grumbled but then Naoya turns to the girl looking at her oddly. "Eh? 'money maker'? What are you talking about?" The annoyance and irritation left him, replaced with utter confusion at what Yuriko meant. Canting his head to one side, he seems only to become more confused. "You mean other than dumblings, bentos, hot chocolate and a sword from /your own/ bones? What else am I supposed to ask you to make?"
A small smile of enjoyment and amusement touches her soft lips, but it steadily becomes thoughtful again. "I mean the wooden swords. I don't get why you know that I could make them out of bone but you would go out of your way to ask Hayase for them." Yuriko pulls her eyes from his to glance at the kunai in her hand, but after a pause she slips it back into her pouch of shinobi tools.
"I wasn't asking for a training sword from your bone, I was asking for you to make a sword for me that would replace this one." As he mentioned such, Naoya gives his blade a light twirl to bring his point to a focus. "I had a few training blades that I used with Hay-chan.. not sure what happened to them after we finished though." Furling his brow, the young Okumo moves his free hand behind his neck, stroking it gently. "Hmm.."
"Not really the point…" Yuriko mumbles to herself, put off it seems as she wiggles in her seat and leans back, plopping down to lay on her back. Exhaling a breath through her nose, the small girl beside him closes her eyes as she falls quiet. "Whatever. Go ask Hayase for the wood swords."
Naoya soon walks away from the young kaguya without much of another word. The boy didn't travel very far, but to the treeline and begins to walk up one of the trees after studying them. Humming lightly, Yuriko could hear a sudden loud snap as he breaks off a branch, and then another one suddenly. After that the boy would return, tossing a branch, mostly a straight one, close to the girl. "I'll make another pair for us" was said before plopping down and crosses his legs. Moving a hand into his pouch and draws out a kunai, carefully removing the bark.
Hearing the shift in the grass and the retreating footsteps, Yuriko opens one blue green eye to watch Naoya with seemingly passive curiosity. He pulls off a branch with a snap, then another, before bringing them back. The Okumo boy plops down next to her again, and she purses her lips for a long moment before rolling onto her stomach, resting her chin on the back of her crossed arms. "How long do you think we'll have these sort of days?"
"I don't.. That's why I'm trying to make them count." Watching his hands, Naoya runs it over the stripped branch, soon smoothing things over with his blade making sure it didn't have pits but knots. "If the rumors about something the Suna shinobi did ends up being true then we don't have much time before we won't have much time to breath at all." Turning to Yuriko, he turns the stick about and pokes Yuriko lightly with it. "Not going to start carving too?"
The tip of the stick poking at her, Yuriko lifts a pale brow as she flits her gaze to Naoya out of the corner of her eye, mildly peering for a brief instant. After a pause, the small girl exhales a breath and shifts her weight, leaning up to reach for her own branch. "There's always rumors going on about what we've done, what other countries have done, and what war might be on the horizon. But having free time to just… lounge around." Yuriko lays the branch across her lap and holds up a hand, a nail extending into a sharp claw. Silently she begins to remove smaller twigs first, then starts to work on the bark.
Leaning to one side then the other, Naoya shrugs some what to himself before looking the cleaned branch over slowly. "If you want freedom or time to rest, we could work together on assignments, finishing them quickly and simply taking time to report back. Rest within other nations for a time." Finding an imperfection, the boy begins to quickly shave along the length, boxing out a section to echo a narrowing edge but keeping it blunt and wide. "The better we become, the more freetime we forge. Simple.
Yuriko listens quietly as she steadily removes the bark, trying to smooth out the edges as she goes. After a few moments, she turns it around in her hand, looking it over with a speculative eye before she start to work on the handle. The corner of her lips tugs absently. "Sounds exotic. Are you wanting to sample the foods at other places? I heard that they have some crazy dishes." A small giggle escapes Yuriko, making her sounds more innocent than she actually is.
With a shake of his head, Naoya silently answers the question for a moment. Setting down the kunai for a moment, the boy tries to balance the carved branch for a moment. "Other meals don't interest me much. Other breeds do though.. Maybe other nation's scrolls or fabrics to bribe Feari-sensei for other things he might have that I could use." Not quite satisfied, the boy begins working again but only making a few carvings and shavings, trying to finish and work on the grip, only a faint ring where the guard should have been. "Would you really seek out their different meals?"
She grunts faintly, pondering as she listens. "I think food could be an interesting hobby. Something outside of jutsu or whatever." The corner of her lips tugs lightly as Yuriko lifts her eyes up at the boy. "We could look for spiders in every country. That could be fun too." At his last question, she shrugs her tiny shoulders. "I guess. Trying different kinds of things is fun, even if you don't like how it tastes. But there's still a chance that it'll taste good. Besides, I could maybe learn how to make it myself."
"I'm not sure.. Are you turning into Hay-chan or are you thinking of new ways to try and make her plump?" The young Okumo's tone was relaxed, though it continues to tease with words as he spoke to Yuriko. Naoya moves his kunai into the pouch at his hip pouch. Running a hand along the length of the crude sword, he soon grips it towards the center and holds it out to the younger girl in offering. "Think this one's good enough.. Hmm.. Yu-chan?" The name was more testing than teasing as he watches her face for a reaction.
Something flickers through her expression, though it's swiftly guarded as he teases her. Instead, her expression becomes thoughtful. "Not that exactly." Yuriko murmurs softer. "One of the things about being a good wife is being able to make all sort of dishes. And besides, it gets boring if you don't try to make new tasty things." Once again the younger girl shrugs to herself, her bright eyes glancing up when he holds out his own sword towards her. Resting the stick in her hand in her lap, Yuriko leans forward to take his, curiously turning it over thoughtfully. "I think it could work. Polish it a little, but good."
A light grumble sounds from his throat as Yuriko noticed something wrong with it and soon pulls out a kunai and holds his hand out to accept it again. "Already thinking of becoming a wife though you're so tiny?" At first Naoya's tone begins to tease her with his question but then just as suddenly, he pauses and looks towards the ground, his face some what tinting at drifting thoughts. Raising his hand, he bops the side of his head with the grip of the kunai mildly. 'Stupid thoughts..'
Handing the sword back to Naoya, handle first, her bright eyes glance up at him and she quirks a pale brow. A small smile touches at the corner of her mouth and leans forward, voice lowering as if she were sharing a secret. "Some boys like tiny girls. Makes them feel protective and strong in comparison." a small girl giggles lightly as she leans back again. Her attention returning to the sword in her lap, she turns it over thoughtfully. "I like thinking about things like that. I want to be the best kind of bride, but in my own way."
Quickly accepting the blade again, Naoya soon begins to distract himself with it. The boy's hands run along it, looking for imperfections and soon begins correcting segments that were fine along with rougher section. "If you ever find a fool that needs you to be weak, frail or something like that to stay with you, tell us. We'll make sure someone like that isn't to bother you. Might help you from accidental breaking them when they mess up your dinner." A light smile returns to the boy's face as did his teasing tone though his face was still slightly tinted. "Something like that should be earned, not offered."
The tip of her button nose wrinkles lightly, listening while she absently looks over the sword in her own lap. "It's not the same thing." Yuriko answers. "No matter how strong I might be, I would think it would feel nice to be protected. It means that he would care enough to stick up for you, or… love you so much to give his life for yours. I would hate if that would happen, but it's romantic." She reaches up to lightly scratch at the back of her head. "I would do the same thing for him though, I'd imagine. When mom talks about the way she was with my daddy…" Her hand falls in her lap and she shrugs lightly. "Having something like that would be special." Exhaling a breath, Yuriko scrunches her face as she tries to blow her bangs out of her eyes.
Naoya lightly nods his head as he listens, not once taking his eyes from the blade he was working on. "You'll find something like that, don't worry." Shifting how he held the blade in his hand, additional cuts were made, more for decoration than efficiency. Once he was done with a few simple designs, he looks towards Yuriko, but not in her eyes. Soon he leans forward and deposits his blade in her lap and takes her incomplete one, soon starting to work on it without offering, let alone asking. "Just trust me on that, okay?"
Another absent smile touches at the corner of her mouth as Yuriko glances up at him. "I'm not really all that worried. I'm a catch." she replies, her smile easily turning into a grin as she gives him a wink. Even if he doesn't look her in the eye. When Naoya leans forward to take her own blade from her, the Kaguya girl tilts her snowy head at him curiously, but doesn't really object. Finding it odd that he wanted to work on it himself instead of leaving it to her. "Hm." Shifting her weight, Yuriko crosses her legs and rests an elbow on a knee and her cheek in a hand. "Is it weird that I want to learn different kinds of foods? It's one of the few things that makes me seem normal I thought."
The last few lines from Yuriko causes the boy to chuckle lightly but he never stops working but he does slow down. Naoya looks away and glances towards Yuriko briefly, "Yu-chan.. You're talking to someone who thinks your normal. Doing something to seem normal.. when you /are/ normal is just odd…" An idea struck the boy but it also made him grumble and glare into the distance, "Anyways, learning to make so many different dishes is a headache.." It would be a moment before his hands move, but soon he began to carve the branch into a wooden sword as well but was taking more care this time.
A slight frown furrows at her brow as she listens. "Even if you think that, I'm not. If I honestly compare myself to other Kaguya though, I'm not normal. You're the one that's odd to think that I am. Or maybe you're blind to it because you're around me all the time." Yuriko shrugs lightly to herself. Hearing his grumble and his reply, another faint smile tugs at her lips. "Maybe, but I think it's an accomplishment. Maybe it just shows the level of dedication to my future mate. I think it's romantic." she giggles. "He'll be worth it. I know it."
'He's lucky' was breathed out rather than properly said, and quietly at that. Naoya stays quiet, focusing on the task at hand, blowing onto the branch, clearing some of the shaving before testing the balance only to carve a little more and begin to rebalance it again. This focused nature wouldn't last for too long before decorative cuts were made, as well as a pattern to act as a better grip within the hand with crossing patterns. "Hmm.. What do you think of this one?"
Yuriko blinks her bright eyes up at the sword in his hand as he asks about the second sword. Narrowing her gaze at it, she looks over the blade thoughtfully, pursing her lips after a long moment. Finally, a smile tugs at one corner of her mouth and she leans forward, taking not hers but Naoya's wooden sword. "They look good. Just needs one thing added to it." With a claw nail, Yuriko scratches a symbol into the end of the hilt. Kanji for 'alpha'. "There."
Lowering his gaze, Naoya watches as the girl uses a finger to quickly carve into the hilt with a single word. A smirk appears on his lips before her tosses it into her lap and takes the other one. "That one's your's. I took time to make it nicer to look at too, hope you don't mind." A grin spreads across the boy's lips before standing up and holding the sword properly in his right hand.
Relinquishing his sword, the slight smirk on his lips makes the girl giggle to herself. "Yeah, I noticed. Just work on yours now. Baka." Yuriko wraps her hands around the wooden blade in her lap now, taking care to engrave another symbol into her blade as well. 'Alpha'. Now that they had these, the Kaguya girl looks them over with satisfaction. As if it was a project well done.
Tilting his head to Yuriko, he looks down at her slightly confused. "Why? Your's is the only one that needs to look good. I might work on mine later if I remember." The smirk on his lips widens some, flashing a smile to the girl before taking a few steps backwards before stretching his arms out, testing their limits for a time. "A pair just for us, happy?"
Her bright blue green eyes seem to sparkle with mirth and mischief as she rises to her feet, gripping the hilt of the new blade as Yuriko swishes it out at her side. "It's alright. I'll just have to work on it myself when you're not looking." she giggles. "They were made from the same tree, so I'm satisfied yes."
"Eh? Why do you need to do that? It's just mine. It can be dull, I won't mind." Naoya glances to the girl, watching her some what questioningly but then shrugs his shoulders and rolls them backwards. "To answer you before.. I wanted to learn Kenjutsu to get closer to you and Hay-chan. Both of you are skilled with these things.. I want to be closer." Closing his eyes briefly, he nods his head faintly and sighs, when he opens them again he places his left hand behind his right along the grip, holding the blade at a slight slant. "I'll make it my own, not just an echo. Good enough of an answer this time?"
Yuriko loosely rolls her bright eyes, but doesn't go into explaining just why she would want to go out of her way to polish up the sword they'd just made together. Instead when he continues, she glances back at him, arching a brow and tilting her head curiously. "Really? But the last time you two teamed up against me, all she threw were punches." Maybe he knew something she didn't. The word 'echo' catches Yuriko's attention, and she frowns to herself. "I'm not sure what makes you think you're an echo." she mumbles, "But either way I think you're worrying a little too much. You're probably my best friend and I don't know how we could get closer." The petite Kaguya shrugs her shoulders. "Do you have any questions about kenjutsu?"
"The first time me an Hay-chan faced each other, blades were drawn." Curling his lips inwards, Naoya runs his tongue across them faintly before shifting his stance, slowly shifting his weight back and forth. "I understand the basics as you said, but I don't know much more than that. Why don't you show me how you learned? Hmm?" Tilting his head slightly, the boy turns an ear closer to Yuriko, acting as if he was trying to listen intently.
Yuriko lifts a pale, skeptical brow at the boy across from her. "I was a toddler when I first held a blade. How am I supposed to remember that?" With a relaxed stance, she idly twirls the the wooden blade in her hand, getting a measure of it's weight. "Alright. Speed is one of the key elements you will need to work on, because without it, you'll waste more time and energy than you need to. Second, always keenly observe your target. Their mistake will turn into your advantage. Now. We are going to combine both right now, but we'll be going in slow motion so you can see how it works, kay?
Yuriko lightly twirls the sword at her side briefly, before she shifts her weight and right foot steps towards him. With exaggerated slowness, she brings down the wooden sword as if trying to make a straight forward slash at his torso. "Now. How would you defend against this?"
'Toddler? Is she trying to tease us now?' was mumbled softly but soon Naoya quiets again as he nods and listens. Glancing downwards briefly, the boy watches Yuriko's feet as he stance differs. Shifting his own stance, the boy takes a step forward and brings the flat of his wooden sword across to block the slow blow while speaking. "Don't use the edge, but the broader flat of the blade to block is possible, it preserves your edge but.."
Shifting his weight, he changes the angle of his hands to a much sharper downwards angle, guiding the slash away and towards the ground. "Guiding the strike away, lets you expose your target's weak points for a following strike." To express his point, Naoya slips his blade lower, closer towards the younger girl's fingers.
"That… could work." Yuriko agrees. On both accounts. "But guiding th strike away from yourself will only expose the fingers. At most you can disarm them, but even if you do it's likely that they will have any number of other tools to attack you with. So. What we're going to do is first, observe the stance. Where the target is intending his strike to land, then use it to your advantage. This is where you're going to use speed to your advantage."
The girl shifts her stance again, trading positions with Naoya so that it's his blade that appears to be striking at her. "Right now I'm going to take a step to the right. The blade will be close, but it'll miss. And because of this, several other things happen. That one step means that you are moving now, and that momentum can be used to your advantage. Speed for both offense and defense, speed to add to your power. So, because you're right handed I'll take a step to the right as well." Yuriko demonstrates this by taking a step to the right, into him. "With the same momentum, I'll use my blade to slash at your stomach. Simple as that. So with one move, I access, dodge, use your stance against you, and strike where you're open."
As the younger girl continues to explain the steps, Naoya doesn't resist her resetting his pose to let her show what she meant. When Yuriko shifts her position and lightly taps his stomach, he takes a step back and makes a light face. "Hmm.." Soon he begins to look Yuriko over as well as himself, shifting his hands grip, parting them notably compared to before. "At that point there isn't really a way to defend against it with a block or another counter, is there?"
Rolling his shoulders, he settles into a new pose a and applies more force with his left hand making for a more conservative slash without letting himself become more exposed. "The only way to stop that is to not become over exposed and wait for them to make an opening, isn't it?"
"If the target is slower than you are, they won't react in time to defend themselves. Their gut is slashed and it's too late to defend themselves." Yuriko lowers the wooden shaft to her side as she straightens. "Usually it's smart to wait for the target to make their move first, but again, with speed on your side you can make your own openings too." The wooden sword is lifted up to rest on her shoulder, gripping the hilt. "And I would always recommend dodge instead of block too, because of everything I just mentioned. It's a large part of why the Kaguya way of fighting is called 'dancing'. Dodging, building momentum, and striking. Though I'm sure that you will need to focus on dodging more than I do."
"Yes yes, still haven't managed to harden my skin just yet" was said with half a grumble as Naoya watches the girl relax in her stance. Tilting his head slightly, he studies her before asking, "Planning to end the lesson there or.." Taking a step forward, the boy making a shallow slash, aiming at Yuriko's side before hopping backwards trying to avoid a counter strike, not wanting to test his luck. "Planning to show me at a quick pace rather than just a slow one?"
The corner of her mouth tugs with a slight smile. Seeing him hopping to avoid a possible counter amused the girl. "Alright. Quicker pace it is. You can try to hit me if you want. Are you also wanting an 'initiative' too, or is just getting a hit in enough?" Yuriko smirks some. Lifting the weight of the wood on her shoulder, the sword is extended out in front of her, prepared to either go on offense or defense.
Humming lightly to himself, Naoya's stance changes once again. Rather than standing still, the boy shifts his stance a few times and begins to slowly pace back and forth in a crescent pattern around Yuriko until he suddenly takes a step closer. Both of his hands move together, not slashing at the girl but thrusting forward, aiming at her left arm before once again trying to hop back a few inches to increase the distance between them.
Yuriko seems to watch him calmly as Naoya moves around her, though she keeps her eyes trained on him the whole while. When he finally decides to make his move with a sharp thrust, she takes one step to the right with even quicker speed, avoiding the point. Again he hops back, avoiding a counter that doesn't come. "Keeping a target off balance is also in your favor. Through attitude, like intimidation or confidence, or even appearing like a little girl with an innocent smile and covered in the blood of his comrades."
Slipping his tongue from his mouth faintly, the young Okumo wets his lips before beginning his prowl once again. Letting his left hand fall loose at first, his fingers begin to tap impatiently in the air while his right hand rotates once. "You are a reason I question someone's strengthen even if they appear to be just a student at best." Narrowing his eyes at the girl's shoulder, Naoya rotates quickly to slash at her shoulder, though half way through the slash the grip rotates the tip downwards. Quickly gripping the hilt with his left hand, he slashes much lower, aiming at Yuriko's hip after the first faint.
The smaller girl easily smirk. "Yet another way I'm an exception." she replies. Her eyes carefully watching him as he moves, prowls around her in a slow circle. Every once in a while she would shift her weight. Just enough to keep him in her sights and narrow the range of her vulnerable points. Yuriko focuses her gaze on Naoya just as he strikes out, rotating the wooden sword at the last minute to tap at her hip. His speed quicker, he manages to hit the intended spot on her hip. It stings, but she smiles. "At least you're getting there."
A light smirk appears on his lips after he withdraws from the strike after it connects but he doesn't stop moving. "You're being quick to praise today.. you also are staying still." A low hum vibrates in his throat as Naoya continues to examine the girl. Taking a pair of light steps closer, the young Okumo uses a foot to kick at Yuriko's ankle while using his body to carry his blade closer, resting against his arm as he attempts to blade lock her sword while trying to trip up her stance.
She sees his foot just before he makes the kick, smoothly stepping to the side and out of its path while the wooden sword is lifted up, simultaneously knocking back the sword and tapping at his side. "Maybe not so quick as I thought. At this rate you might be an old man before you'd ever go up against me one on one and stand even a chance." Yuriko smirks. "So are you going to make me a bento next time or what?"
'Psft..' Naoya begins to set himself back into position, not moving his hands from his grip. "Is that so? I guess fourteen or fifteen is a old man compared to you, huh?" Taking another step forward, the boy faints another slash aiming at Yuriko's waistline before taking a step back, taking his time to begin pacing again. A light smirk tugs at his lips as he takes a diagonal step, but as he did, the blade in his hands rotates and sweeps low, trying to strike at the side of the girl's knee as he repositions. "Talking about means so easily, don't you owe me many dumplings for the marks I made on you?"
Yuriko shrugs, "I guess? I have a niisan that is almost twenty. He's definitely old." the girl smirks. As he moves forward and does a faint, she keeps pace with his speed and matches him, step by step. Though as the blade weeps low, the girl smirks, blurring with a burst of speed and appearing behind him, body close to his back and blade at his throat. "So… one dumpling. That's not much to brag about." she murmurs softer, smirk growing.
Blinking twice, Naoya furls his brow when the girl seemed to disappear for a fleeting moments but then tilts his head up slightly while grumbling. Tilting his head to the side, he glances over his shoulder and noticed Yuriko's new vantage point. "You owe me a lot more than just one from the woods, and you know it." While he spoke, the boy's tone drops some as irritation began to creep in though his hands continue to work slowly, lowering his own blade and shifting the point to intercept her's.
After closing, his eyes, Naoya nods lightly twice before saying, "Then it won't be long before I'm an old man beating you, huh?" At the end of his words, the young Okumo took a chance, shifting his grip, he uses his blade to slash at the broad side of Yuriko's wooden sword and rotates himself into a spin, trying to strike at her chest in a wide arc, trying to keep her from easily repositioning.
Hearing the irritation edging in his voice makes the slight smirk teasing at her lips growing further. Bright eyes sparkling with unspoken mirth. "You keep thinking that. But I think you'll just be an old man getting his butt handed to him." His sword slashes at hers, batting it away as Naoya spins himself, attempting to strike at her chest at the same time. Lifting up the wooden blade, she blocks it as Yuriko steps forward, getting up close and personal. The smirk grows broad. "I don't think you want those dumplings as much as you say you do."
The smirk that was on the boy's lips was faint as his vision narrows onto Yuriko with a mild glare. 'No..' was hardly whispered, though to who he spoke wasn't clear. Breathing in deeply, Naoya exhales softly, his head lightly bobbing, but when he does he seems to start working himself into a rhythm. As if moving to a unheard song, the boy's steps begin to move at a similar erratic pace, increasing but then slowing down.
Rather than striking directly, Naoya suddenly lunges past the girl, fainting a strike at her side in passing, only to to faint another blow with another burst of speed. The only true strike was after he was close to in front of Yuriko, striking once again but this time aiming at her blade rather than her flesh, trying to cause her to fault or stumble backwards.
When he moves, she moves. Keeping pace with Naoya even as he speeds up and slows down at odd intervals. The young girl is on her guard as he faints to one side, then another, and quick to defend against the last but true strike. It's deflected and Yuriko smirks, moving just a bit faster as it's countered. The tip of her wooden glade glancing off his side. "Two bentos."
"Hey now.. Since when is it a bento to hit me and just a dumpling for the other way around?!" Naoya almost growls as once again the smaller girl managed you out step him but also do so with quite a bit of ease. Without hesitating, the boy charges straight for Yuriko, rather than a faint, he shifts the blade low, pressing through with an upward slash before curving at the end of the strike with a directly downwards chop at the girl's shoulder.
The smirk teases at the corner of her mouth. "Alright, alright. Bento and dumplings." Yuriko agrees, the her nose wrinkling cutely at him as she grins. However, Naoya manages to get the upper hand, his speed picking up to overpower the girl. The chop at her shoulder hits true, making the girl flinching and stumble back out of reflex, and as a result she stumbles and falls back on her backside.
Staying firm in his stance, but only once he saw Yuriko staying still on the ground, "Two for two then?" A grin begins to widen on his lips but then he moves his right hand from the blade and extends it out to Yuriko, his fingers curling and uncurling lightly as he waits. "Take my hand. I think I'm starting to understand what you mean, though my footwork still needs a bit more. I'll try to work on a few things to be more proper to face against you."
Yuriko makes a face to herself as she rubs at her tail, feeling the sting. Bright eyes flicking up at Naoya, she eyes the boy as he more or less calls a truce. "Two for two. I guess we'll just have to have two picnics or something. Before it gets cold." Reaching out, her small hand takes his and Yuriko hoists herself to his feet. "Let me know what specifically you want to work on and I'll try to help"
Even after Yuriko stands up, he doesn't release her hand but then nods lightly. "Even if it gets cold we can be in my burrow or maybe go out to the cabin and start a fire?" Closing his eyes, he tilts his head to the right and then the left, he nods his head lightly a few times. "Likely my foot work, though I'm going to need to work on that myself. It still feels like you seem me standing still at times."
A small, pleased and absent smile touches at her soft lips for a moment before Yuriko glances away, refusing to show just how much she would like either of those options. Maybe even drink some hot chocolate… As her thoughts drift, she notices and quickly shakes her snowy head to herself. "Eventually you'll get the hang of it. Watching and accessing, responding to your advantage. And soon enough you'll get used to it and it'll become instinct."
Tilting his head off to one side when Yuriko begins to look away from him but then shrugs lightly. Using his other hand, Naoya uses the wooden sword to lightly bop at the girl's head lightly before letting it come back to rest onto his shoulder. "It sounds like you worried about things getting messed up with me planning how to keep warm. I'll be using something else than casual foot steps. I think I might be able to out step you if I can make the steps more subtle." Turning away from the girl, he nods towards the stream before saying, "We should be going, it'll be getting dim before long."
Yuriko makes a face when he bops the top of her head with the hilt of his sword, making the girl wrinkle her nose at him with some distaste. She lifts a hand to rub at the top of her snowy head, grumbling. "Worried? Why would I be worried? Your little hole in the ground should be warm enough." she murmurs flatly, with an equally flat glance. "Just work on your speed. We can regularly race if need be. Your 'footwork' will come with it eventually." Yuriko glances past him, at the stream he nods towards. With a sigh, she lifts a hand and rubs at the back of her snowy head. "Yeah yeah. I'll get home before you worry or whatever."
