Originally Posted by
grampagen
2 weeks later
____
The Capsule transport cut through the sky at a swift clip, its yellow paint-job made it stick out among the cloudless blue. It took some doing, but after that expedition to the North Continent with Erosa, Zaofan had bee swift to use one Jinzi's loaners from way back; and while this was hardly a food run where time surely was of the essence, he had become painfully aware of a couple things during that little adventure.
In the back of an oddly empty cargo hold, Black katchin whirled swiftly in was a pattern that served him well time and again. Palm up, first position, shift right, second position, parry. Just shy of two metres, with swift swings the Martial Chef would kept many foes at a distance, but the fancy fluorish of a rehearsed routine sometimes led to bad habits.
He withdrew the staff, and sent it downwards. Ochazuke, a plain wooden dowel in his hands, guard against the opening strike, and with a pulse of Kiai compensated for the difference in material. A series of swift blows followed in sequence. 1-2. Zaofan's hands readily picked up speed as he pressed his advantages in reach to keep his martial brother at bay. 1-2-3-4. Leading from a distal point, the Turtle-Style staff was his shell, a simultaneous offense and defense.
"What's the matter? To reach me you must move to me," the martial chef grinned. Ochazuke said nothing, eyes stilled, possessed as he held his grip low. Set upon a four-foot shaft, he had his work cut out for him. Fleet of foot and longer-ranged, Zaofan had all the advantages, especially in this wide-open corridor. Guarding against his strikes was no small task. Lift from the centre, guide the force. A series of rapid-fire blows at a distance, Ochazuke nonetheless pressed forward, and everything he blocked one of the blows, with a twist, a round motion, he would pull the weapon off-line. If you're playing defense, then I'll simply have to make your efforts more difficult.
Sensing he would have to pick up the pace, Zaofan drew a deep inhale and threw a series of straight strikes, turning the single distal end of his weapon into a phalanx with Rakan Geki.
In response, Ochazuke's defense became more compact, tracing the seemingly random thrusts, and dared step forward. As he did. the formation of Zaofan's veritable legion gradually loosened. Sharp as his blows were, each blow that shot forward swung between fully-committed back to a return position, and with each successive parry, Ochazuke slowly widened the gaps between one strike to the next, until he closed the distance, shift his grip, and bound Zaofan's wrist by pressing on the round bone end and sinking downward.
"AGH! I give in!" he stammered, waving his hand around as Ochazuke broke the hold. "That Crane Kobudo system is no joke!"
The Autopilot announced its descent, and as the craft lurched, Zaofan braced himself on Bojack, while Ochazuke threw the splintered dowel into a pile of others. "Cheh."
The two of them returned to their seats at the head of the craft as the island loomed before them.
"...come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you use cold weapons before," Zaofan mused, "certainly put me on notice today."
Ochazuke quietly folded his arms over his chest, slowing his breathing from the expenditure. "These catalogued skills rise necessarily from the circumstances around them," he said, "the Turtle Monks ferried water across their backs in pairs of pails."
"And the Cranes?"
"Farmers made into a militia, crossing swords with trowels and fence-posts," Ochazuke replied. "Given enough resolve, practically anything you get your hands on can become a weapon."
With a grunt, he knead his knuckles beneath his wrapped hands. "But I prefer not to be caught off-guard."
In a moment the Capsule Craft landed and came to a stop. Zaofan led the way, up the wild, beaten road to a familiar house over the horizon, and Ochazuke followed.
Juggling two capsules in one hand, he rapped gently on the front door.
"Master Balon! Sorry we're late!"