[Day 4, Mid-Afternoon] Like Clockwork

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko continued to watch the two bushi spar with interest. If she was actually capable of using a polearm, she would have offered to join.

But she wasn't, so she didn't, so she contented to enjoy the show.

Watching one of the bushi a little more than the other...

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko smiled a bit, bringing up his bamboo pole...and then having it break as the Kakita's blow is the last of the battering it'll accept. He turns a bit at the last moment to take the blow on his shoulder instead of upon his head.

[Kakita Sugita]

Sugita stumbles backward, surprised by the break, and reflexively attempting to lighten the blow. "Whoa. Um... Sorry." The Crane's smile droops to a slight frown, and he drops one end of the bamboo pole to the ground. "Guess we're done. Unless you care to fight with a smaller pole."

For some strange reason, Kakita Sugita thinks of men in tights fighting on a bridge with staves.

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko shrugs. "Different kind of practice."

He grins and begins whirling the pieces of bamboo, one in each hand, darting out every so often to attempt a blow.

[Kakita Sugita]

"Oh-hoh!" He blocks one. Blocks two! Then gets slapped and takes in a sharp breath. "I'm not that fast! Haha."

[Usagi Zenko]

He shakes his head, "And I haven't done this before." He drops down attempting to use one part of the broken pole to tag the man's feet and the other to hold off the Kakita's possible attack.

[Kakita Sugita]

"Nor have I done this before." No retaliation comes. Sugita jumped backward two steps to avoid the swing and isn't in range.

[Moshi Kaimenko]

"..."

[Usagi Zenko]

He continues to press the attack, knowing the Kakita's longer reach now will make blocking or otherwise more difficult.

[Kakita Sugita]

It would, so he changes tactics. Now he thrusts out the polearm further and backpedals. When the Hare comes in closer, Sugita swings inward with small, quick strokes.

[Usagi Zenko]

Tip, tap, tip, tap. The Hare doesn't have time to smile, as the Crane keeps him too focused. Block, block, attack...the rhythm builds as Zenko is forced back into a defensive stance, the quick compensation for the change in style leaving Twitchy needing to concentrate on getting the bamboo pole to swing past himself, in order to sweep forward with the half a pole he has available to him.

[Kakita Sugita]

Trying to be flashy and surprising, Sugita turns quick to strike with the other end of the pole, but his awkward turn keeps him out of range and vulnerable.

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko finds out that there is a right way, and a wrong way for blocking a weapon swung with two hands, and whatever the right way is, the wrong way is certainly attempting to block it with one piece of wood without the proper leverage.

He backpeddles after the bruising hit, then bows, putting his hands up.

[Kakita Sugita]

Sugita recovers, then puts the end of the pole on the deck. "That it?" A glance to Moshi-gunso gives him an answer or two. "Yeah, I think that's it. We're probably off track a bit."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Despite herself, Seiko leaned forward.

Did... the Hare just yield?

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko smiles and then nods. "Hai. If nothing else, I think I've found I'm not suited for short staves in combat."

[Kakita Sugita]

"Haha. Yeah, you were better with the long one. Me, I'd rather a good spear. Like I had at the dojo."

[Usagi Zenko]

He nods at that. "Hai, you jabbed like you had some experience with a spear. Didn't make adjusting my defenses easy."

[Kakita Sugita]

"Learning experience, right Gunso?" He looks over grinning.