(D3, MA) Slice like the Scorpion (Open)

[Bayushi Mitsu]

Luckily, the reach- and haft- of the naginata made fending off a single swordsman relatively simple, as Raizo fell back into the relatively conservative stance a soldier would use in formation.

No heroics, just use your superior reach to keep him over there...

Bayushi made an appreciative noise and pulled back, wary. He made a serious of feints, testing the limits of Shiba's defenses and the reach of the naginata.

"So is it just the dojo that has lifted your humor since breakfast the other day, my friend?" Bayushi wondered between advances. "Or has the miai been going better than expected, perhaps? I have an intuition for these things, you know."

[Agenda push! 2 opportunities used to show off with Void, 1 opportunity used to cancel strife]
(D3, MA) Discussing how the miai has been going - agenda push! - Sentiment (Void) | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 1

[Shiba Raizo]

Bayushi made an appreciative noise and pulled back, wary. He made a serious of feints, testing the limits of Shiba's defenses and the reach of the naginata.

"So is it just the dojo that has lifted your humor since breakfast the other day, my friend?" Bayushi wondered between advances. "Or has the miai been going better than expected, perhaps? I have an intuition for these things, you know."

"Well, things have certainly gone better than I expected... at least on a personal level. For all I know, the matchmakers are planning to pair me with one of the fish from the ornamental ponds, but I've been meeting people I like..."

He made a feint of his own- a really lousy one- but recovered with a fluid series of attacks.

[Bayushi Mitsu]

"Well, things have certainly gone better than I expected... at least on a personal level. For all I know, the matchmakers are planning to pair me with one of the fish from the ornamental ponds, but I've been meeting people I like..."

He made a feint of his own- a really lousy one- but recovered with a fluid series of attacks.

The dojo rang with staccato cracks as Bayushi was driven back, defending for all he was worth and finally spinning with a leap away to gain some distance. "And you are as formidable as I expected!" he panted.

"Is one of these people the one which is dominating your attentions?" the Scorpion inferred as he took a defensive stance, centering himself again.

[Shiba Raizo]

The dojo rang with staccato cracks as Bayushi was driven back, defending for all he was worth and finally spinning with a leap away to gain some distance. "And you are as formidable as I expected!" he panted.

"Is one of these people the one which is dominating your attentions?" the Scorpion inferred as he took a defensive stance, centering himself again.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't volunteer such information, especially not to a Scorpion- no offense- but it's pretty blindingly obvious, so why deny it?"

He advanced, using the greater reach of the polearm to make angled strikes toward the Bayushi, trying to hem him into a corner.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

Hikimasu watched and listened.

[Bayushi Mitsu]

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't volunteer such information, especially not to a Scorpion- no offense- but it's pretty blindingly obvious, so why deny it?"

He advanced, using the greater reach of the polearm to make angled strikes toward the Bayushi, trying to hem him into a corner.

"You just have to choose your Scorpions carefully, Shiba-san - it could be anything behind the mask, and just because we sting ... doesn't mean we'll sting you!"

Harried, Bayushi continued to back away until he couldn't go much further, then threw a desperate parry against the naginata and tried to slide up along the weapon to drop the distance. He heaved upwards through the block to try to unbalance the Phoenix at the same time.

[edit: small typo]

[Shiba Raizo]

"You just have to choose your Scorpions carefully, Shiba-san - it could be anything behind the mask, and just because we sting ... doesn't mean we'll sting you!"

Harried, Bayushi continued to back away until he couldn't go much further, then threw a desperate parry against the naginata and tried to slide up along the weapon to drop the distance. He heaved upwards through the block to try to unbalance the Phoenix at the same time.

[edit: small typo]

The problem with trying to overpower Raizo was that his Earth stance was very sound, and Bishamon had his back- so while the Scorpion closed the distance handily enough, the Phoenix kept his stance.

"Oh, I've found the few Scorpion I've met to be perfectly pleasant..." He shoved back. "And besides, I keep so few secrets..."

Hm, he's close enough that a quick draw with a knife could leave my intestines on the floor. Neat trick, let's see if he thinks of it...

[Bayushi Mitsu]

The problem with trying to overpower Raizo was that his Earth stance was very sound, and Bishamon had his back- so while the Scorpion closed the distance handily enough, the Phoenix kept his stance.

"Oh, I've found the few Scorpion I've met to be perfectly pleasant..." He shoved back. "And besides, I keep so few secrets..."

Hm, he's close enough that a quick draw with a knife could leave my intestines on the floor. Neat trick, let's see if he thinks of it...

It was Raizo's intuition that was correct in this instance, but instead of a knife he found the blade-like edge of a foot driven precisely into his midsection. The attack came seemingly out of nowhere, with Bayushi sacrificing his entire defense for it - the haft of Shiba's polearm collapsed Bayushi's sword arm, and the Scorpion was thrown sideways with a thump onto the floor. He rolled up to a crouch, taking one hand off the bokken to steady himself against the wall.

[Shiba Raizo]

It was Raizo's intuition that was correct in this instance, but instead of a knife he found the blade-like edge of a foot driven precisely into his midsection. The attack came seemingly out of nowhere, with Bayushi sacrificing his entire defense for it - the haft of Shiba's polearm collapsed Bayushi's sword arm, and the Scorpion was thrown sideways with a thump onto the floor. He rolled up to a crouch, taking one hand off the bokken to steady himself against the wall.

The kick did manage to stagger him back a step or two, and he he kept the end of the practice naginata up to fend off any move to capitalize.\

And grinned.

"VERY good. Not sure I'd resort to a move that would re-open the distance in a real fight, but I appreciate your not going for something... nastier."

[Bayushi Mitsu]

"VERY good. Not sure I'd resort to a move that would re-open the distance in a real fight, but I appreciate your not going for something... nastier."

Rising, Bayushi lowered his bokken and bowed respectfully. "Well, I like you Shiba-san - I would not want any nastiness to befall you. Besides, I was about to be crushed. You certainly haven't been idle while the commanders were out chatting with each other, eh?"