2013.12.26: Kendoka

Kendoka
Darcy stumbles across Beckett once more. Opinions are left in question.
IC Date	December 28, 2013
IC Time	7:30 P.M.
Players	Darcy and Beckett
Location	Mixed Martial arts studio, Prospect, CA
Prp/Tp	n/a
Spheres	Mortal Mortal+

Darcy has worked to try and redirect the anger held the other day, but it's not exactly helped. She's only recently started in martial arts, and tonight, knowing that it's free time for those that might want a little extra help or time to work out and practice outside of scheduled classes, she's arrived, dressed in her gi. She's just outside the room, hands raised to pull up her hair into a pony tail out of her way.

Interestingly enough, the small mixed Martial Arts studio is near the college and a host to a variety of disciplines, even Yoga. There is always something going on, at all hours to cater to the varied schedules of the working class. Tonight there are a few classes happening, a women's self-defense class, and some low level Karate training. The actual owner isn't available. He's actually doing some training of his own. Kendo. A rarity to find a capable partner. The majority of people here tonight are watching the match rather than training.

Both the owner and his opponent wear modern kendo bogu, modeled after the foot soldier's armor of the Sengoku-jidai the Era of Warring States from later 1400s early 1500s Japan. The main components being the helmet, gauntlets, and body armor. The owner is easily recognizable since his bogu has his school logo emblazoned across the chest plate, and his Kendo Shinai is red white and blue.

His opponent is far more reserved. He wears a completely black and gray set of bogu, the bamboo Shinai he carries is Ghostly white. The two men face off, Kendo Shinai touching as the slowly circle each other - each man measuring the worth of the other.

Lost in thought, Darcy doesn't really notice the excitement, but is eventually drawn to it by the passing of a few teachers talking about it. And so, bare feet lead her towards the classroom to the back, and eventually, squeezes into a place on the sides near the wall to watch as well. Intrigued is she as she stands there then. While she might not understand the Kendo, she recognizes instead, the skill that is shown between both men. Listening to the other teachers and students talk around her, she picks up on a few things - such as the obvious skill of the man dressed in the black and grey bogu.

The visitor wields the white, bamboo Shinai with expertise that is expected of someone with a little age under his belt. Master Ron, the studio owner, rushes in, no longer waiting for his opponent to strike first. His patriotic Shinai slices in at the visitor, but he darts aside, his blade skittering across the white bamboo as it rises to parry. The visitor reaches in with his free hand and grips the shoulder seam of Ron's breastplate, kicking off the ground and vaulting clean over him. There are gasps of awe as he passes over him vertically, lashes his Shinai in smash against Ron's face-mask, but he blocks with sound experience and snarls as the other man lands behind him, still holding his armor.

Darcy finds herself watching far more intently at the sparring between the two, than she might any other time. It is different than those sessions you might see in the school at other times, bouts meant to practice this move or that move. This is far more... real.. in some ways. Like the others, she gasps when the man in black and grey goes sailing over Ron, a brow soon raised as she leans forwards, all the better to see what might come next.

"Sneaky!" Ron flips his blade around and stabs under his arm at the man in the dark bogu. He bends like a stalk of rice in the breeze, feeling the bamboo cross over him millimeters from making contact. A soft hiss and he lifts back upright, planting one foot on Ron's back. With a little effort he neatly back flips in place, kicking his foot out and tossing the studio owner several feet away. He lands with a oof!

Darcy leans towards another student, "Who exactly is the Master fighting? Do you know?" Now she's curious! Still, as the fight continues, and the unknown man continues to wow everyone with his abilities, both athletic and acrobatic, she grows more and more curious. That Ron takes it so well, makes her smile - she's heard of some who might take such tricks as humiliation, and the fight turn all the more dangerous.

"No idea, the student remarks to Darcy. "They were dressed out when I came in. Apparently he just came in off the street." He visitor cartwheels out of the flip and launches himself into a leap that follows Ron's trajectory. Ron landed square on his back, his breath fleeing his stunned lungs. As he tries to suck in a breath, he catches a shadow over him, barely rolling aside before the visitor lands, his lightly armored knee on the mat where Ron's chest had been seconds before. The white bamboo Shinai smacking the flooring with a *crack* so loud all training stops for a moment all across the studio. Behind his protective mask - Ron blinks his eyes. The visitor rises up slowly, the white Shinai held at the ready, and he backs off to give the other man room to collect himself. It is a very honorable thing to do, considering he could have simply /taken/ the match.

"Well... dangit.." That comes when the man flips and jumps, nearly taking out their Master. Darcy flinches just a little at the loud *crack* that rings out across the room when the white bamboo Shinai hits the mat moments after Ron rolls out of the way. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she watches as the man lets their Master collect himself, the honor of the gesture not lost upon her at all. Sportsmanship, one could say.

Ron slowly rises up, thankful for the face the visitor just allowed him to save. He dip his helmeted head once to the visitor, before moving back into the melee they've wrought. The gesture is reciprocated, but the white Shinai doesn't falter in the least. If anything, one can see the visitor's gauntlets flex as his grip tightens. "You weren't lying were you?" Ron asks the other combatant as the two circle each other again. "I don't lie," the visitor responds, his voice maybe vaguely familiar to Darcy. Maybe. Ron moves in quick, lifting his Shinai up high then slicing directly downward. The visitor brings his sword up, and the bamboo cracks where the two blades scrape along one another.

Darcy straightens as Ron does, soon to face his partner across the mat. The reply given to him does make her frown a little, brows to furrow. Something about it teases the memory, but muffled slightly behind the mask, leaves it not quite clear enough to pick up who it is completely. It'll come to her. Eventually. But as htey once more begin to circle, blades raised, and soon engaged, she forgets that niggling little thought ni her head, again captivated by the sparring match between these two well skilled men.

The Shinai meet several times, the crowd of students literally able to feel the force of the impacts. No doubt both men do down their arms, and across their shoulders and backs. Kendo - real Kendo, like the show being provided, is a violent as it is mesmerizing. They disengage and Ron asks, "Where was it you said you studied?" "The Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, in Kyoto," the visitor responds, panting a little. Further masking his voice.

There are soft gasps from some who watch this match between the men, including Darcy, as she stands against the wall, quite wide eyed. Who couldn't be awed by this display of skill that they both show? Arms move then to cross her chest, the man's response to leave her tilting her head, as if to get a better sense of his voice, masked as it is. "Did he say Kyoto?" She does ask of the one next to her who nods, "Yeah. An old, rather well known, school.. if you will." Yes, there's awe and respect to be heard now in that teacher's voice.

No the visitor moves in, the battle fully engaged. He leaps up, dropping his Shinai blow with his body weight across the other man's Shinai. The smack and force of the blow drives him back. His feet actually sliding. But that isn't the end. The visitor lands in a crouch and spins his ghost white weapon in an arc. Ron's reaction time, dulled the shock of the last blow, is slow. The visitor's bamboo Shinai catches him in the gut, doubling him over in the single strike. The fight is over. In Kendo, if you take a torso strike - you die. The visitor backs off, and waits until Ron's caught his breath, the he offers the man a formal bow, "Well fought." Ron agrees, mimicking the gesture. There is much applause to be heard from the crowd, and both men turn to face the students, their helmets removed at last.

Darcy watches, and likely is quiet captivated by it all. If she was seated, she'd be on the edge! IT all comes down to the last leap, the flip and the strike that lands upon the Master's gut that calls the end of the match. Only then does she let go the breath that she'd been holding unconsciously, no doubt not the only when. Hands then come up to offer her own applause, though it fades off once the helmet is pulled off, and she's there, standing, almost face to face with the guy that pissed her off so much a day or so ago. "Well, crap." No doubt, her comment is overheard at least by those near her, who turn and give her rather confused looks.

Beckett isn't at an angle that allows his to notice the blonde, and Haragei doesn't quite work that way. So for a moment, Darcy isn't seen. He shakes hands with Ron, and the two men walk off the mats discussing Kendo technique. The young man closest to Darcy lifts a brow at her, having over heard the comment. "What is it Darcy?" She knows him from one of her classes, he's a guy named Paul.

Darcy just shakes her head, then turns as Paul questions her, "Remember I told you about the idiot who was behind me getting that ticket the other day? That's /him/.." She gestures then to the man in black and grey that had fought so honorably and with such skill. This just doesn't make sense, at least not to her. She pushes against the wall, moving to walk out, though such steps will likely take her into his sight.

It indeed does. Beck is smiling talking to Ron when she passes by, that sour expression masking her otherwise attractive features. Paul is headed her way too, wanting to further question her about the unknown man and the incident. "Apologies, Ron. I'll be right back," Beckett says cutting the other man off before he can get to Darcy. He gives her shoulder a touch, likely she suspects it's Paul however.

Just make it to the door, and then she can get her things, and leave the dojo for the evening. What had started off to be a matter of calming and collecting herself, has only added levels of returning anger, and just a little confusion on her part. Damn the man! For.. something! Hearing Paul call her name lightly, she ignores the man, though as he touches her shoulder, she turns about, "Look, Paul.. I don't wa..." And then the words fade off as she realizes it's not Paul, but the man himself. "Oh. You. Small world, hmm?"

"Very small," Beckett agrees. He smiles pleasantly, despite her reception to him. "Look, I couldn't let the opportunity to apologize to you slip by. So forgive me coming to you like," he indicates the kendo bogu he's wearing, "This." He also has that sweaty man smell about him. "That whole incident left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't mean for anything bad to happen, but it did. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to pay for your ticket if I can." Wait? Pay didn't Hannah run his motorcycle over?

Before Darcy might try and get away, he's gone and talked. A lot. For a moment, she's quiet, only to turn surprised with the offer, "I.. " A sigh finally escapes her for all the anger and such shown before, she is truly not that quick to anger again. "Look, I'm sorry as well. For..." Well, her friend did run over his bike. Or at least, knock it over. Something. "I would not turn down the offer, if you would at least let me buy you coffee in exchange?" If they are going to run into each other here, might as well be on pleasant terms, right? He could kick he ass otherwise! Ahem.

Beckett lifts a gauntlet, ready to wave off the offer, but Japanese sensibilities prohibit it. To say no would be rude, and therefore dishonor them both. His hand closes into a fist, which drops to his side. "That would be very nice of you Ms..." It occurs to his then he doesn't even know her name. "I'm Bastian Beckett by the way."

Perhaps she thought he might decline the offer, though when he accepts, there actually comes a blush to her cheeks. "Dorcha Lennon." When she speak her own name, there comes a hint of a Gaelic accent to it, as if she might well know the language as well. "Well met, Bastian Beckett. At least this time around, hmm?" She finally holds out a hand in his direction, "Truce? I do not like to hold grudges or anger. One can say my anger comes from me father's side, and the roots back in Ireland. I might not be red or dark Irish, but the fire is still there beneath the surface when riled."

"Dorcha," Beck says enunciating the name to get it right. "That explains Darcy." He smiles, clasping the woman's smaller hand casually, his grip loose. "A pleasure to actually meet you Ms. Lennon. Just call me Beck." He backs a few steps, thumbing towards the locker rooms. "If you'll give me a few minutes to shower and change out, we can grab that coffee?"

"My friends call me that, yes." And right now, she's not quite considering him a friend. "Beck.." A strange nickname, that's for certain. But as he gestures, asking for a few minutes, she nods, then turns to head off to the women's so she might change back into her street clothes out of the gi worn by she. She doesn't take so long, and is waiting up front, wearing a tunic and long skirt, her hair brushed out and left somewhat wavy. A small pack is hung over her shoulder, likely with her gi and all in it, along with her wallet. She's conversing with a few people, listening more than actually talking as they discuss the sparring match witnessed between Ron and the other man.

Fifteen minutes and Beckett reappears, cleaned up and without his Kendo gear. Ron was nice enough to let him store it in the studio. He moves over to Darcy, politely waiting as she's in the middle of a conversation. A couple people smile his way and introductions are made. A few questions asked. Mostly about Kendo, where he learned, how long he'd been doing it. He answers very politely. In fact, he's a very reserved man by all accounts witnessed - other than the match.

Darcy turns upon hearing his voice in answer to a question put forth towards him, and when they both seem to find an end to conversation, she finally speaks up to him, "There's a nice cafe around the corner, though if you prefer tea over coffee, I know a nice tea house as well?" She will let him make the choice, either works well for her. Of course, those students listening, including Paul, make show a little surprise that she's offering such to him.

Beck turns, offering Darcy a pleased smile. “Coffee is fine.” That was the original offer. If she truly wanted tea, she’d have said tea. He doesn’t change it now – that wouldn’t polite, and if nothing else he’s a very polite man. He bids several of the students a farewell, then turns gesturing that Darcy lead the way. “The cafe sounds fine Ms. Lennon.” He’s seen her drive. Better keep it in walking distance.