[D10, EM: Special Class] Juijutsu is about Observation (Open)

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

Hikimasu was prepared for the day, at a certain point he'd given this some clear thought and decided he'd do a class where he could see if any of the children were like him, and could use their ability to know their fellows to their advantage. It might be a useful thing for Zang, he thought. Taking a student who knows the others better and using them to help train everyone.

Regardless, they were about to get a crash course in Scorpion hand to hand techniques, which was the fun part for everyone...he supposed.

Standing before the class, he waited for Zang to introduce him.

[Shika Zang]

Zang grinned at the assembled class.

"Everyone say good morning to yours special guest sensei, Shosuro Hikimasu!" he instructed.

The class bowed to the Scorpion.

"Good morning, Shosuro-sensei!" they said with the energy that small children in training had.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

He bowed to Zang as he stepped up, then a slight bow of greeting to the children.

"Good morning, I come from a dojo where skill is important much like yours, and training your body to be strong is highly valued, just like here as well", he said and looked around the class for a moment.

"Yet there's something everyone can learn that can make them stronger that isn't a martial skill, or a physical talent."

He seemed to have found what he was looking for.

"Class, I have not asked Shika-sensei about any of you, I only asked him to bring students who were ready to learn hand to hand or already had experience. So help me a moment, if there was a vote, who would be named the strongest student here?"

He was relatively certain he already knew who he thought should win, but from their posture and look, he guessed the girl all but hiding in the middle wasn't popular enough to be recognized, it was likely the tall boy in the front or the particularly sour, almost dangerous looking lad in the back.

[Saibankan]

He bowed to Zang as he stepped up, then a slight bow of greeting to the children.

"Good morning, I come from a dojo where skill is important much like yours, and training your body to be strong is highly valued, just like here as well", he said and looked around the class for a moment.

"Yet there's something everyone can learn that can make them stronger that isn't a martial skill, or a physical talent."

He seemed to have found what he was looking for.

"Class, I have not asked Shika-sensei about any of you, I only asked him to bring students who were ready to learn hand to hand or already had experience. So help me a moment, if there was a vote, who would be named the strongest student here?"

He was relatively certain he already knew who he thought should win, but from their posture and look, he guessed the girl all but hiding in the middle wasn't popular enough to be recognized, it was likely the tall boy in the front or the particularly sour, almost dangerous looking lad in the back.

The class as one gestures towards the sour kid in the back who did not looked pleased to be singled out.

"Oh for fawn's sake. Fine, I guess that's me, Shosuro-sensei" the lad said standing up.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

He welcomed him up. "We need one more, who wants to be part of this exercise?"

[Saibankan]

Unsuprisingly, the tall boy stood up at the Scorpion's invitation.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

Not disappointed, he invited him up as well.

"This is how such matters are handled in the Scorpion dojo. You might think we plot and plan even there, and perhaps you're right as there is always a plan", he said. "Let that sink in a moment, however. That isn't particular to the Scorpion. A samurai must have a plan, for every moment of their life. Every duty you perform should be part of an outline of your day and beyond. And the best way to handle problems with that plan, is to understand who you are dealing with, so you can respond appropriately."

He looked at the two lads.

"I asked Shika-sensei to pick everyone for this class, so I'm unfamiliar with your relationships. Do you two practice together normally?"

[Saibankan]

"Fairly frequently for the one on one practices, Shosuro-sensei," replied tall lad. "But for the many versus one wwe don't, and we're often on opposite sides for team challenges."

Sour lad said nothing.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Oh, so you think you know him quite well, I see", he said. "That's good. Now, show me 2 of three falls for victory. However the lesson here is to see who knows their opponent better. Think about each other's habits", he went on, then spoke to the class. "All of you, consider, what makes my classmate fight their best, their worst? Are they arguing with their parents and distracted, did they miss breakfast and seem sluggish, did they get hurt yesterday and will favor one side or another? All of these things are factors in assessing an opponent, not simply their strength or speed."

And so he looked at the two boys.

"Both of you, will do these best of three falls against everyone here."

Then to the others.

"We'll go in order, from front to back. Watch them, see how they tire, take advantage of it. And you two", he said to the lads. "Conserve your strength, but do not go easy, they expect your best."

He made space and waited. He would call matches early to save time if he could fairly decalre a winner.

[Saibankan]

It was definitely a lot of combat that the Scoprion had ordered. The tall lad got the best out of three falls against the sour lad, and faired well in the beginning. However, the sour lad was a lot better at conserving his energy and striking at his foes weak points.