fandomhigh | Fencing Club, 5pm Salle

"Good afternoon, everybody," Peter said with a grin as the group assembled. "Hopefully everyone's recovered from the colourless weekend and no one else has turned into a puppet man?" He may have looked far too amused at the last.

"Today I thought we could start having those of us who have studied for a while demonstrate their particular style of swordwork for everyone else. Then we all have a bit of familiarity with each other's forms and perhaps see how they'd mesh. Perhaps one demonstration a week for a while until we either run out of volunteers or there's something else that catches everyone's interest. For today, Sakuazaki," he bowed to her, "has agreed to demonstrate her bladework for us."

"After that, we can pair up and work out or spar as the mood takes us. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, let me or Hamlet know. If you'd like to volunteer to demonstrate your style, let me know as well."

[OOC: If your character would prefer to be asked to demonstrate, ping me in the OOC thread, and Peter will be happy to solicit their help. After the demonstration, pair off as you like and chatter or spar as you wish. ~~Wait for the~~ OCD, ~~please~~. is up!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ping in with questions for her after she comments with her demonstration.

Setsuna gave a small, but still formal bow to the group as she and Yuunagi, held sheathed but ready at her hip, began the demonstration.

"Thank you, Peter, for giving me this opprotunity. Before I begin, I would like to let you all know that what you are about to see is something very rare. I study a very specific style of Japanese kendo called the Shinmei Ryuu. Traditionally, we are very secretive, and our work is rarely displayed outside the walls of our dojo or in the middle of a battlefield. But I am honoured to share with it with you all now."

Her bow this time was much deeper.

"A few things before I start. You'll notice my sword is not the usual Japanese katana. It is longer, sleeker, and you'll see that the hilt has no guard; you might noticed that, sheathed, Yuunagi's hilt perfectly blends in the with sheath, to give it a deceptive look. She is nodachi, a special and rare Japanese longsword. The Shinmei Ryuu specialize in this weapon particularly."

"The demonstration will be seperated into two parts: first, I will show you the basic swordfighting style. Then, with the aid of Alphonse Elric here," she gave him a respectful nod, "I will show you what really makes the Shinmei Ryuu special. I just ask that, when we get to that part of the demonstrations, you please step back and watch your heads." She smiled, just faintly, then.

"All right then. Here we go."

Setsuna found her starting position, blade still at her hip, closed her eyes, and drew in her breath around her chi. Inhale, exhale, several times. And, with a short, brash shout, whipped the sword from it's sheath, and she began to move, fluidly, quickly, starting out small at first and then increasing in elaboration and speed. The swings were long and sweeping, of both sheath and blade, in near perfect harmony, her blocks short and strong, her footwork dancing and building up into expert turns and pivots, then almost disappearing as hops, jumps, and several well-placed turns and flips. She was nervous at first; but then she just kind of got to showing off. Especially to the appriciative eye, it was all quite aesthetic as well as functional, a deadly dance with her sword.

She finished with a definate slice through the air, crouched down with her arm extended to the side, blade seeming to stretch forever. She paused, catching her breath, before rising effortlessly back to her feet, and slipping Yuunagi back into her sheath.

"Alphonse, if you could please construct the wall now."

[[ please wait for Al to ping and the second half of the demonstration before Q & A ]]

Using his alchemy in an impressive display of his own, Alphonse took the stones that Setusna kept in the corner of the salle and constructed up a large, giant wall. Setsuna paused, facing it, as if regarding it, considering it, for a good long moment as she gathered her energy.

Finally, dramatically, she lunged forward, whipping Yuunagi out from her sheath in a strong, steady sweep, letting out a shout, "Hyakuretsu Okazani!"

A fierce wind ripped through the salle, ruffling hair, brushing past cheeks, seemingly from Setsuna's sword and into the wall. A small marking was made on the centre of it, like a cut.

For a second, that was it. Silence prevailed. And then, the slow cracking sound began.

Moments later, the wall burst with a small, cracking explosion, and it turned into a pile of rubble, millions of pieces even smaller than the ones that had made up the wall in the first place.

Setsuna smiled, sheathed her sword. "You see," she said, "the Shinmei Ryuu specializes in wind attacks. That was just a small sampling of how we can utilize the element."

She looked out among the others, smiling, a little pink in the cheeks. "Any questions?"

[[ okay, RL got in the way of ping, so go ahead with the Q and A. I have to unfortunately leave for work shortly, but SP through tomorrow is looooovvveeeee! ]]

Peter grinned at Sakurazaki and gave her a small salute. "Thank you very much."

Setsuna bowed her head regally in response. "You're very welcome."

"And as always, you're brilliant," he replied. "It's amazing watching your style."

Setsuna blushed a little. "You flatter me way too much, Peter."

Billy raised an eyebrow. That was impressive. He'd heard tales of what ninja masters could do, but this was the first time he'd seen anything of the like.

"You're an airbender," Zuko observed, tone slightly accusing. It really was about time that he'd stop thinking in terms concerning his own world.

Sakurazaki's head tilted at Zuko's statement. "Air bender? Well, no, it's not quite like that. It's more wind than air and we don't really so much bend it as we just contain and direct it..."

That really didn't make much sense to Zuko, so he eyes her hair. "You don't have arrow tattoos anywhere, do you?"

"Uhh..." With a slightly arched eyebrow, Setsuna shook her head slightly. "No."

Zuko looked her up and down for a moment before relaxing and nodding. Apparently he knew enough.

Fencing Club, 5pm Salle

Sakurazaki's Demonstration

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