http://sake-shinigami.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] sake-shinigami.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2011-03-08 08:38 am
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The Art of Pacifism; Tuesday, Fifth Period [ 03/08 ].

As the students headed to class, they would find a note on the door, clearly from their teacher by the liberal use of hearts scattered across the pink flowery paper:

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Please meet me in the gymnasium, little ducklings!
I hope you're feeling limber!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥




Once there in the gym, they would find their teacher, robed and hatted as always, waiting for them. The floor was scattered with mats and Shunsui had removed his geta so he stood barefoot and ready. "Form a line, ducklings ♥!" he said happily and, once they'd arranged themselves, he gave them a formal sort of bow. "Welcome to the gymnasium ♥! We've talked a lot about pacifism as nonviolence, but we have not spent as much time covering a more defensive aspect of it ♥. That is why, today, I would like to teach you about Aikido, a Japanese style of martial arts which combines defense with spiritual and religious beliefs ♥.

"Loosely translated, Aikido can mean 'the Way of unifying with life energy' or 'the Way of harmonious spirit' ♥. The whole concept behind Aikido is that a person may defend themselves against an attacker without actually harming the attacker in the process. One takes the motion of the attacker and redirects the force of it, rather than meeting it head-on; this does not even require much physical strength, because you are using the attacker's own strength and energy against him, with entering and turning movements. Not dirty ♥! Various joint locks and throws will complete the process ♥."

Shusnui smiled a bit there, tilting his head as he looked over the class. "Allow me to demonstrate ♥. Blackagar-san, you look a good match. If you don't mind being an example? Now watch closely, ducklings ♥! Blackagar-san, come at me, with your best attack, and don't be shy ♥! I assure you, I can take it ♥."

Though Blackagar looked modded doubtful, he shrugged and attacked, and, smooth a silk, Shunsui executed a few moves until Blackagar was back to the mat, and Shunsui didn't even lose his hat. He offered his hand out to help the fellow back to his feet.

"Very good ♥! Now, breaking it down...." He said and, using Blackagar as an example again, walked the students through the implemantations of Aikido. "And now, Blackagar-san, we'll have you give it a try ♥."

Shunsui then rushed at Blackagar with a great deal of energy; Blackagar went to the task of executing the moments himself, and now it was Shunsui who had his back to the mat....

Though he still kept his hat.

He chuckled, pushing himself back up to his feet. "Now, there are some criticisms for Aikido, as there are with many things. Some say the attacks done in practise or training are not entirely realistic. But it is also a spiritual thing, and some feel not enough emphasis is place on that spiritual aspect, that it becomes too much about competition and defense. Some also wonder if something that involving throwing can really be considered nonviolent, but Aikido follows a philosophy of pacifism that does not look at pacifism as passive-ism, as the opposite of violence. Pacifism in this philosophy is the opposite of belligerence ♥. It is a philosophy that acknowledges that, yes, there are bad people in the world,"--was that a faint grin in the direction of Squall?--"and to ignore that is dangerous. There are more shades to the spectrum than to just destroy something and just lying back and letting it destroy you. Aikido recognizes these other options and embrace them ♥.

"If hawks have always had that same nature, why should you pretend that mankind change theirs?'

"'Your duty is not to see that you get killed, but to take care that you don't.
'"



Shunsui smiled again, bobbing his head in a nod. "So let us think about these things as I'll teach you a few more Aikido moves, and then I would like you to pair up and practise with each other. Remember, we are just diverting energy and the point is to avoiding harming the other person, even if they may intend to harm you ♥. Please ask any questions you may have, and allow me to demonstrate more should you feel you need a bit more guidance on the moves ♥."

[[ ocd is on the way uuuuuuup! ]]
trigons_child: (Comic Scan: Evil Frisbee!)

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] trigons_child 2011-03-08 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Raven
endsthegame: (is shocked)

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] endsthegame 2011-03-08 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Andrew Wiggin
stars_and_money: (Hey that hurts!)

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] stars_and_money 2011-03-08 03:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Jeremy Darling
life_inshadow: ([neg] oh noes!)

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] life_inshadow 2011-03-08 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Tara Maclay

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[identity profile] whateverknight.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Squall Leonhart

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[identity profile] littlelionlad.livejournal.com 2011-03-09 12:35 am (UTC)(link)
Anduin Wrynn

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[identity profile] willbethenight.livejournal.com 2011-03-09 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
Bruce Wayne
ashockingbitch: (electrified hair)

Re: Sign In - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] ashockingbitch 2011-03-09 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
Jenny Sparks
endsthegame: (doesn't trust this)

Re: Listen to the Lecture - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] endsthegame 2011-03-08 03:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, this would fall about in the line of what Ender had asked Ben to teach him. He looked on thoughtfully, and contemplated the option of taking a class on this as well as whatever the Jedi could teach him.

He didn't want to hurt anyone, but keeping his less-peaceful reflexes under control required a lot of different tactics.
trigons_child: (Interested)

Re: Listen to the Lecture - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] trigons_child 2011-03-08 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Raven listened eagerly. She did want to know how to defend herself without causing harm to another, so she was paying close attention.
stars_and_money: (Seriously?)

Re: Listen to the Lecture - AoP, 03/08.

[personal profile] stars_and_money 2011-03-08 03:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Jeremy was mostly doing that last thing.

Seriously, how did Shunsui do it?

Re: Listen to the Lecture - AoP, 03/08.

[identity profile] whateverknight.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Squall watched and listened intently. This was the sort of thing he'd been hoping for when he signed up for the class.

Re: Practise Aikido - AoP, 03/08.

[identity profile] whateverknight.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 06:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Squall looked around for a partner. Some of the moves were similar to his basic hand-to-hand training, but the application was completely different. For the first time in a long time he found himself actually wishing Zell were around.