Post by Katsu on Sept 19, 2021 11:07:35 GMT -5
Meditation was the art of being able to empty one's mind and harmonise with the world itself, becoming both a part of it and distinctly separated from it. Having had many hours spent practicing in a trance, Katsu had a grasp on how to free her mind of emotion. She was knelt on a cushion off the side of a dusty road, completely oblivious to the traffic and events around her. She delved deep, into the locked box she only opened in battle, a rattling old thing that threatened to destroy its chains constantly. Encased was her heart, laid bare, pierced a thousand times.
It was winter. The Donne estate always had a particularly lonely feeling to it but especially during this season, where white caked all and you wouldn't even see woodland critters scurrying. Her father had just delivered a crushing pommel strike to the child's gut, winding the heir to the Itto-Ryu. They were sparring, hoping to recreate one of the secret techniques in an actual bout. Two quick slashes sliced into Katsu and she sucked in a breath to stifle a groan of pain. Sitting on one of the wooden steps sat another girl, also in a kimono with a sword at her hip. Her eyes were analytical, but the grimace on her face was one of concern. This was Manjuu, entranced by the bladework put on display by her friend's father yet repulsed by how wantonly he wielded the power to wound his own kin. Each misstep, each mistake, she noted and stored so she could alter her own movements later. That was just the type of martial artist she was. More than anything, she loved flaws. She could see the flaws in all and openly embraced them.
More rapid cuts ate into Katsu's flesh followed by a stern boot to the gut, her father's face a stone mask of disappointment. The black-haired Earthling righted her posture and struck back, only for him to easily guard it. They struggled briefly but considering the fact he was a fully grown adult male, he easily overpowered her, knocking the blade from her hands. The tip of his blade pointed skyward as he raised it over his head, ready to cleave his daughter in twain.
"You lose. Again. What a pathetic excuse for a son you are, Katsu." The elderly male shook his head and turned, refusing to regard any reply or action she took after his piece was said. He strode towards a building and disappeared inside, leaving his successor and her friend in the courtyard in bitter silence.
Katsu bit her lower lip. Was she getting worse? Her skills were deteriorating, her muscles were atrophying, her body withering. She cringed, her entire body racked with convulsion as her delusions took over. She trembled, staring at her dainty hands. Girly. Inferior. Not good enough.
Before she could take up her blade and cut out her eyes so she would never have to look at her terrible form, her horrid posture and her weak body again... Manjuu came into view.
"You got better. Your footwork was a lot better this time, I think you're going to nail it next time. He never showed an opening for the technique, you shouldn't aim for some super powerful move if there's no opportunity. Remember your fundamentals and only go for the techniques when you feel it in your bones, okay?"
She flashed a carefree smile, the noise and swirling dread receding from Katsu's brain as the advice registered. If it was the peach-haired girl saying there was no opening, it truly meant it. Nobody analysed a fight better than Manjuu, so the weight in her gut lifted. Katsu returned the smile and sheathed her sword. They'd go get her wounds patched up by Mother and then they'd do their own training.
~
Another day, another life-threatening battle with her own flesh and blood. He threw a slash and it barely grazed the young disciple's cheek, it was a miss. All pressure put forward, she came down with a retaliation, aiming to bite right into his shoulder. This was checkmate.
From the sidelines, Manjuu noted the almost perfect spacing of the slash. Katsu had done an incredibly job avoiding it and now came the counter. She saw it before anyone else, though. Mister Donne's blade was upturned. He... had missed on purpose so Katsu would step into his range. And now he was going to bring the slash up to catch her as she went for a slower counter. Tsubame-gaeshi. The Swallow Reversal. A legendary technique in its own right... was he really going to use something like that against his own daughter?! Manjuu was ready to burst from the substitute stand and knock the blow off balance. Until she noticed something else, an imperceptible change. A smirk played at Katsu's lips. She only did that when victory was truly assured, was she that overzealous today?
No.
She brought her sword down with full force, but not into her father. Into the sheathe. She forced Ki into her legs and leaped back as far as she could, her opponent's attempt at Tsubame-gaeshi not even begun yet. Before he could even register the surprise, ice coalesced at her feet. Her blade leapt free of the sheathe, slicing into her father before expertly dancing back in.
Moving wintertime.
"MI!"
Then it shot out again, carving him in the opposite direction.
A single, seething blade rusts.
"DARE!"
Finally, it pierced right through him.
----- Betrayed by the love.
"YUKI!"
Itto-Ryu School. Zeroth Technique. Disorderly Snow. A truly unblockable technique. The only way to defeat it is to know it's coming and attack first or if you attack later, it must be strong enough to overpower this sealed art.
All the slashes suddenly played out for everyone, though the damage had long been done. Though he was sliced to ribbons, his daughter had chose to avoid all of his vitals with each deep cut. Being a master swordsman himself, he didn't falter even after all 3 blows registered and all the pain occurred at once. He transitioned his Tsubame-gaeshi into a thrust for her throat to show her to never let her guard down. Yet her sword returned to its sheathe after each movement, like a pen dancing across a page before briefly being pulled off for the next stroke. So as his blade came for her, she deflected it. He collapsed.
~
The final male of the Itto-Ryu clan had survived and his wounds had been tended to immediately, finally imparting much praise to Katsu. But as soon as she knew he was okay and her parents finished talking, her and Manjuu went for a walk together. They held hands and looked up at the sky as snow fell. Katsu didn't have anything to say and Manjuu had much. But neither moved to break the silence despite the understanding between them. Perhaps because of the understanding. They just knew that words needed to be exchanged. There was a reassuring squeeze from the light-haired girl to the dark-haired one.
Good job. I'm proud of you.
That gesture spoke louder than any actual words her father could utter.
~
Katsu's eyes opened. She wore a silly grin, not one of malice or deceit but a true one. Her face beamed, not that she could see it. She got up, pushing the memory deep. The joy she felt was due to her usage of such an advanced technique she couldn't replicate all these years later, right? Yeah. That was it. Time to get back to training. She had to add a more powerful technique to her arsenal. She knew she could, she just... hadn't. As if all the ultimate techniques she once used with ease had locked themselves away from her.
Because you're a murderer. Because you killed Manjuu. You don't deserve us. You can't wield these righteous tools. Demon. Monster. Perhaps a hero will master us and cut you down, the only end befitting you.
A residual effect of delving so deep into the memory, akin to image training, the psychosis dribbled along with the feelings. She would shut it up with rigorous training and the complete and utter death of her mind through the mechanical repetition of the same movements. That's how she lived every day. How she detested that half-assed martial artist who never appreciated what she had. She was stronger now. Yeah, stronger. That's all that mattered. That's all that will ever matter.
She was biting her lower lip so hard, it drew blood.
It was winter. The Donne estate always had a particularly lonely feeling to it but especially during this season, where white caked all and you wouldn't even see woodland critters scurrying. Her father had just delivered a crushing pommel strike to the child's gut, winding the heir to the Itto-Ryu. They were sparring, hoping to recreate one of the secret techniques in an actual bout. Two quick slashes sliced into Katsu and she sucked in a breath to stifle a groan of pain. Sitting on one of the wooden steps sat another girl, also in a kimono with a sword at her hip. Her eyes were analytical, but the grimace on her face was one of concern. This was Manjuu, entranced by the bladework put on display by her friend's father yet repulsed by how wantonly he wielded the power to wound his own kin. Each misstep, each mistake, she noted and stored so she could alter her own movements later. That was just the type of martial artist she was. More than anything, she loved flaws. She could see the flaws in all and openly embraced them.
More rapid cuts ate into Katsu's flesh followed by a stern boot to the gut, her father's face a stone mask of disappointment. The black-haired Earthling righted her posture and struck back, only for him to easily guard it. They struggled briefly but considering the fact he was a fully grown adult male, he easily overpowered her, knocking the blade from her hands. The tip of his blade pointed skyward as he raised it over his head, ready to cleave his daughter in twain.
"You lose. Again. What a pathetic excuse for a son you are, Katsu." The elderly male shook his head and turned, refusing to regard any reply or action she took after his piece was said. He strode towards a building and disappeared inside, leaving his successor and her friend in the courtyard in bitter silence.
Katsu bit her lower lip. Was she getting worse? Her skills were deteriorating, her muscles were atrophying, her body withering. She cringed, her entire body racked with convulsion as her delusions took over. She trembled, staring at her dainty hands. Girly. Inferior. Not good enough.
Before she could take up her blade and cut out her eyes so she would never have to look at her terrible form, her horrid posture and her weak body again... Manjuu came into view.
"You got better. Your footwork was a lot better this time, I think you're going to nail it next time. He never showed an opening for the technique, you shouldn't aim for some super powerful move if there's no opportunity. Remember your fundamentals and only go for the techniques when you feel it in your bones, okay?"
She flashed a carefree smile, the noise and swirling dread receding from Katsu's brain as the advice registered. If it was the peach-haired girl saying there was no opening, it truly meant it. Nobody analysed a fight better than Manjuu, so the weight in her gut lifted. Katsu returned the smile and sheathed her sword. They'd go get her wounds patched up by Mother and then they'd do their own training.
~
Another day, another life-threatening battle with her own flesh and blood. He threw a slash and it barely grazed the young disciple's cheek, it was a miss. All pressure put forward, she came down with a retaliation, aiming to bite right into his shoulder. This was checkmate.
From the sidelines, Manjuu noted the almost perfect spacing of the slash. Katsu had done an incredibly job avoiding it and now came the counter. She saw it before anyone else, though. Mister Donne's blade was upturned. He... had missed on purpose so Katsu would step into his range. And now he was going to bring the slash up to catch her as she went for a slower counter. Tsubame-gaeshi. The Swallow Reversal. A legendary technique in its own right... was he really going to use something like that against his own daughter?! Manjuu was ready to burst from the substitute stand and knock the blow off balance. Until she noticed something else, an imperceptible change. A smirk played at Katsu's lips. She only did that when victory was truly assured, was she that overzealous today?
No.
She brought her sword down with full force, but not into her father. Into the sheathe. She forced Ki into her legs and leaped back as far as she could, her opponent's attempt at Tsubame-gaeshi not even begun yet. Before he could even register the surprise, ice coalesced at her feet. Her blade leapt free of the sheathe, slicing into her father before expertly dancing back in.
Moving wintertime.
"MI!"
Then it shot out again, carving him in the opposite direction.
A single, seething blade rusts.
"DARE!"
Finally, it pierced right through him.
----- Betrayed by the love.
"YUKI!"
Itto-Ryu School. Zeroth Technique. Disorderly Snow. A truly unblockable technique. The only way to defeat it is to know it's coming and attack first or if you attack later, it must be strong enough to overpower this sealed art.
All the slashes suddenly played out for everyone, though the damage had long been done. Though he was sliced to ribbons, his daughter had chose to avoid all of his vitals with each deep cut. Being a master swordsman himself, he didn't falter even after all 3 blows registered and all the pain occurred at once. He transitioned his Tsubame-gaeshi into a thrust for her throat to show her to never let her guard down. Yet her sword returned to its sheathe after each movement, like a pen dancing across a page before briefly being pulled off for the next stroke. So as his blade came for her, she deflected it. He collapsed.
~
The final male of the Itto-Ryu clan had survived and his wounds had been tended to immediately, finally imparting much praise to Katsu. But as soon as she knew he was okay and her parents finished talking, her and Manjuu went for a walk together. They held hands and looked up at the sky as snow fell. Katsu didn't have anything to say and Manjuu had much. But neither moved to break the silence despite the understanding between them. Perhaps because of the understanding. They just knew that words needed to be exchanged. There was a reassuring squeeze from the light-haired girl to the dark-haired one.
Good job. I'm proud of you.
That gesture spoke louder than any actual words her father could utter.
~
Katsu's eyes opened. She wore a silly grin, not one of malice or deceit but a true one. Her face beamed, not that she could see it. She got up, pushing the memory deep. The joy she felt was due to her usage of such an advanced technique she couldn't replicate all these years later, right? Yeah. That was it. Time to get back to training. She had to add a more powerful technique to her arsenal. She knew she could, she just... hadn't. As if all the ultimate techniques she once used with ease had locked themselves away from her.
Because you're a murderer. Because you killed Manjuu. You don't deserve us. You can't wield these righteous tools. Demon. Monster. Perhaps a hero will master us and cut you down, the only end befitting you.
A residual effect of delving so deep into the memory, akin to image training, the psychosis dribbled along with the feelings. She would shut it up with rigorous training and the complete and utter death of her mind through the mechanical repetition of the same movements. That's how she lived every day. How she detested that half-assed martial artist who never appreciated what she had. She was stronger now. Yeah, stronger. That's all that mattered. That's all that will ever matter.
She was biting her lower lip so hard, it drew blood.
WC: 1425
Recalling ultimate techniques in the hopes of setting up lore for future techs and the ultimate realisation of her currently unused Sparking slot