Spring 12, 511 AV Blythe was standing barefoot on the bamboo reed matts of the lowest level of the Suvai Pavilion. She was standing alone, to the far right hand corner of the room, away from the door that led inside. She stood in front of a training dummy. The dummy was a simple, white-cloth bound sack of feathers, which had been bound to a long wooden pole by a series of tightly coiled, tan rope. Attached to the bottom of the pole was a circular platform which held the entire contraption in one place. Blythe stood in front of the dummy with her right foot about a foot in front of the left. It was pointed directly at the dummy, whereas the left was turned to the side. To the left, so that together her feet made a ninety degree angle. Her knees were bent, and she appeared to be leaning into the right one a little more than the left, as though she were using it to support her weight. This doesn't feel right, perhaps the left leg she be a little straighter, Blythe thought, as she adjusted her posture. Her back was straight, although it was leaning forward slightly, following the length of her left leg in an upwards diagonal line. Although, if one were to look, this fact was nearly unnoticeable. Blythe was holding a wooden practice katana in her hands. Her right hand was resting two inches above the left, her fingers curled into the wooden hilt. The blade was hovering about ten inches over her right knee, and Blythe was staring directly at the wooden practice dummy. The blade seemed to slice her body in half, to cast a long gray crescent against the matts, which were glowing a pale yellow from the sunlight that trickled into the pavilion. Blythe stood silently. Breathing in through the nose, and then slowly out through the mouth with a low sigh. Her heart was beating steadily in her chest as she took a step forward, raising her sword as she went. Slowly, she brought the sword down on top of the practice dummy. The sword landed in the center of the fabric with a muffled thud. As soon as she had hit it, Blythe took a step back and returned to her starting position. Then she stepped forward, a little faster this time. She raised her sword so that it was hovering just above her head, and then she rapidly brought it back down on the dummy. There was another muffled thud as the practice sword made contact with the dummy. Blythe side-stepped to the right, around the left side of the dummy. As she did so, the blade twisted so that it faced her body. Blythe took a step back, so that the blade fell off the white fabric. When the blade was hers once more, she stepped around the dummy, and then swung her arm outwards, so that the wooden blade would cut across the dummy's side. Ooomf. Blythe pulled the blade back towards her and then shot her hand out again towards the dummy. The blade sliced across its center. Ooomf. Blythe took another step around the dummy, and soon found herself back in the place where she had began. "This really is far easier when you have someone to practice with," Blythe whispered. "Perhaps a meditation is in order, and after that, I can go home; wait for the next class." The Konti hesitated for a moment. She had only just begun to practice, but she certainly wasn't enjoying it. It was simply not quite the same when no one else was around. Blythe sighed, as she set the practice blade down with all of the others. Clink. She walked towards the center of the empty matt, and sat down. She assumed the lotus position a moment later. Her palms were resting on her knees, face up towards the ceiling. Her eyes were closed. As soon as you are done with this, you may go home. Kariha always said that this was the most important. OOCThe stance is Tenchi no Kamae. |