Let's try that again...

[evillurks]

Now that he's growing accustomed to having her as a true agent again, Myra's recovery in her own world puts The Shadow slightly short-handed. He finds his own wheezing a severe liability whenever stealth is needed, forcing him to rely on other agents for quiet investigations. The alternate solution, and one he struggles to uphold, is to be supremely diligent in taking care of himself except when he truly needs to take to the streets firsthand. The restriction grates on his nerves, and coordinating agents to do some of the footwork takes up more time.
He is careful, following the unexpected incident in ancient Japan, and he is also busy. The drug market has gone fairly quiet, but there is a definite gradual increase in violent crime. Arresting the individuals involved seems to have no impact on this slow crescendo. The network is spread wide and thin, scratching the ground for clues. After a matter of days, The Shadow has done all he can do about the matter. Once again he must wait, sift the city through his agents, and hope some vital puzzle piece comes to light. On this break from work he recalls a social obligation. A morning outing has him arriving at the Rettigue apartment with sake and scotch. The place has been abandoned the past few days, but that means there's no paperwork to tidy. The grand spaces and spartan furnishings should make it a comfortable place for a blind man to visit.

When the sake is warm and the cups set out, he sends off an invitation, and then laughs quietly at his own unfamiliar attempt at hospitality.

Comments

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

((They've just shown up as I was starting to type...))

The Shadow moves to stand beside him, facing the same direction and leaving space enough that they're not likely to hit each other by accident. He takes a wide stance as well, but does not quite mimic the bow-legged aspect of it. That might be a bit much on his knee at the moment. "It's mostly for show. Sometimes it's convenient to play the part of a feeble old man."

Watching closely, he tries to copy the motions, pulling the whole of the cane from his side as if it were a blade.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

((Well, let me know if you need to head out.))

"A lot of this can be done almost the same way if you're holding the blade the other way, instead of in reverse. For me, rotating the wrist makes it a faster motion." He 'sheaths' the cane and reaches out for The Shadow, setting a hand on his shoulder to locate him. He lifts his hand as he moves in front of The Shadow, standing still, with his ear towards him. Carefully, he reaches out with his cane and taps The Shadow's foot, and then adopts a more traditional stance, returning the cane to his side. "I'm not going to cut, but I'll draw. I want you to draw the way I showed you, using a forward motion of your body, instead of cutting, like a normal attack. Aim here." He motions to his gut.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

((No, it's quieted down now. I just hope it lasts. On the other hand I should try to sleep soon.))

The shoulder he finds is bony and quite high, but The Shadow stands patiently still while he reorients himself. He mirrors the pose and holds the cane at his side, attempting to mimic Ichi's moves. He's not moving particularly fast, focused on mastering accuracy first. The cane itself makes a harmless but sure slice for the blind man. The grip feels terribly backward, since he's not used to it yet.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

((I should probably call it a night myself. I hope things remain quiet for you.))

Ichi draws, and The Shadow will note, that the draw/cut comes in quite neatly beneath Ichi's traditional guard. Reaching out, Ichi checks the position of The Shadow's cane.

"See?" He backs off a step and repeats the reverse draw at the same speed as before, with a forward motion that almost looks like he's trying to ram his shoulder into his opponent. "It's a whole-body cut. If you have enough momentum, you can shove them away so that they won't fall on top of you as you move on to the next target. Iai, is about efficiency. The fastest way to defeat an enemy with the fewest movements."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

((Sleep well.))

"Hm. Height may be a disadvantage, again." The Shadow shifts his stance, crouching lower, and makes another attempt. He is rail-thin, but wiry, and his moves have force to them. The second attempt is no quicker, but more fluid and delivered from a better angle. "I've had that problem a few times..." There were guns involved, but having a pile of bodies block one's moves is never a good thing.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Banno-Sensei was not a short man." Ichi offers. If he was still alive, he'd consider recommending The Shadow adopt one of his disguises and try to spend a little time studying with a proper master. As it was though, such an option was not available. "He didn't use the reverse blade often, but he was very skilled with it." Ichi holds his hand out again, checking The Shadow's cane and then moves to the side, checking the position of his arm and hand. "Being as short as I am, it's not uncommon for the body to fall on top of me. If that happens, you don't need to get out from under it immediately. You can use it to mask your next move, and figure out where your greater threat is coming from."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

Taking up an entirely new disguise is not out of the question, but due to his work The Shadow lacks the proper time needed for devoting himself to a traditional teacher. Ichi is doing well, however, and the focus of the practice is driving the fuzziness of alcohol from The Shadow's mind. He allows his new instructor to adjust his grip and position as he sees fit. "Even in my own country I'm on the tall side, but there've been a few moments like that. Usually not just one body, though. The trick is to play dead or at least have a shield, while still not being hampered by it when the time comes to attack." With Ichi beside him, he repeats the move against an invisible opponent a few times to reinforce the feel of the proper motions.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

((Not sure how much hand-waving we want to do here. I only know so much about the artform itself, and what I can describe, well, we've both seen in the movies at this point.))

Ichi bows his head with a smile at The Shadow's comment. It's hard to gauge just how much information he already has from his extensive experience that eclipses Ichi's own.

The Shadow is precise and accurate in his movements, the sound of the cane swinging through the air is encouraging.

"Shadow, I-" He scratches his head, uncertain. "Is there anything in particular you saw that might interest you? We could use it to work towards, otherwise, I'm just going to reiterate everything that Banno-san taught me."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

((Hm. Perhaps a bit of summary and a brief sparring session?))

"Part of it must be getting used to the grip. I've learned fencing and knife-fighting as well as the katana, but this feels backwards to everything I know." There is something in his tone that speaks of appreciation for that, and for the opportunity to learn something so new. "I didn't have much of a chance to watch you at work, I was busy myself. Why don't you go through a few moves, and I'll try to copy you?" They've moved away from the rug and onto hard wood floor by now. There's a fair amount of open space, and the furniture is sturdy enough to take a beating should Ichi hit anything by accident.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Even so, Ichi does a double check of his surroundings just to make certain that there isn't anything he might knock into, should he string a few moves together. Locating himself almost dead center in the open area, he sits down and holds his cane at his side. In his mind, he is replaying the events of the ambush, picking and choosing parts that he thinks may be most useful to The Shadow.

"Iaido is mostly intended for protection in an ambush during daily activities. Many of the katas start while sitting." He appears relaxed for a moment, and then with hardly any warning, he bursts into a flurry of movement, swinging his cane as he moves into a standing position and then stops, hunched over, and tip pointing to the ground. In that short series of motions, he demonstrated quite a few different cuts. Lowering his cane to the floor he smiles. "Many of the motions also apply when standing. I'll go through that set more slowly, but standing this time." He resumes the hunched position and shows the six different moves he makes, at a speed that allows The Shadow to easily note the fine intricacies of each movement.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

((The ghost plot seems to have started already, and just after I've taken a sleeping pill...))

The initial display causes both The Shadow's eyebrows to rise. He had an impression of Ichi's speed, but this is the first chance he's had to truly see it in action. With his shuffling gait, bowed head, and stocky figure, Ichi is not a man who gives the impression of being fast in anything.

The slowed demonstration is more useful, and he begins to try mimicking the motions, keeping just out of sword reach. "I'll practice it from a sitting position, too. That could come in handy."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

((You're probably asleep, but the ghost plot seems to be petering out, so I'll make a post before I call it a night. Hope you slept well.))

That speed, is only part of what makes him such a terrifying swordsman, but it is most of the reason. It's also the reason he plays up his appearance.

"When you do, you'll want something to cushion your knees until you get used to moving around on them. I still get sore if I kneel too fast." Ichi stands still, listening to the movements of The Shadow for a bit, and occasionally pausing him, and checking his positioning, to make sure the correct motions are practiced.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

Ichi's humble deception is one The Shadow can well understand. While it's sometimes aggravating to be misjudged due to his age, he's learned that playing the part of a feeble old man can have its advantages.

"Oh, certainly. I have knee pads..." Yoga and tai-chi can only do so much, and his knees are likely not quite as resilient as Ichi's. He does try on his knees a few times, however, just to get the feel of it for more extensive practice later. Ichi will find him a very quick study, although that's hardly a surprise. When he feels he has the movements down well enough to know how they should feel, he takes a moment to stand and rest. "Would you mind a brief practice at the proper speed? It might be nice to get a feel for it all with an opponent, and I'll pull my blows." His tone is light, careful to not pressure Ichi into a sparring session if he doesn't feel up to it, or doesn't quite trust The Shadow. On the other hand, Ichi has a sword in his cane, while The Shadow does not.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

This is a 'duel' that Ichi has no problem agreeing to.

"Sure!" He's enthusiastic. It's been so long since he had a chance to spar, instead of fighting for his life, he's more than happy to oblige. "I'll be the attacker." He waggles his cane in the air a bit as he smiles.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"Just try not to put me into the hospital." His tone is amused, but he shares Ichi's enthusiasm for a friendly fight. This is not an opportunity he has often, either.

The Shadow slides into a defensive stance, cane at his side, trying to consciously listen to Ichi's movements as much as watching them.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Just don't give me a reason to." He retorts back with a genial laugh. He's still smiling as he assumes his regular stance, cane at his side. "I'll attack the way I usually am." He pulls out the cane, holding it like a regular sword and rotating his body slightly, so he's in a more standard stance. As he points himself at The Shadow, the smile disappears from his face as he concentrates.

The wait feels like hours as he keeps himself perfectly still for a minute, before he takes a calculated lunge at The Shadow, cane raising over his head and coming back down for a swing.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

It is The Shadow's habit to stand very still, controlling his breathing to be quiet, when he lurks in the dark. That may partly account for the length of time ichi prepares himself to attack. When he does, The Shadow whirls out of the way, drawing the cane as he goes, so that the edge of it brushes Ichi's side in passing. Even were it a blade, that would not be much of an injury. He is still learning. The whirl comes to a stop behind the blind swordsman, and The Shadow's breathing is still very quiet. He holds stock still, waiting warily.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi pauses, turning slowly in place as he remains on guard. The Shadow's breathing is nearly impossible to track. Even so, he tilts his head, trying to track the illusive man. He shifts his feet carefully, sliding into a different stance. He has patience, and gives a gentle sniff of the air. There's another burst of energy, the cane swiping at the air in front of The Shadow, but it's still in the right direction, and advancing towards him as Ichi prepares another strike.

He's a painfully difficult enemy to track. In the back of his mind, Ichi is glad it's only a sparring situation.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

Now that the wheezing has been nearly banished by medicines and rest, scent may be the best clue Ichi has to go on. The Shadow makes a mental note of the sniff, reminding himself once again to look into some way to neutralize that. The attack comes more swiftly on the heels of that than he expected, but Ichi's near miss buys him time. Again he whirls to one side, but not as far. This time he strikes out with his own cane as he turns, catching Ichi's briefly and attempting to send him into a spin and away by their locked 'blades'. He knows the move, if successful will leave anyone briefly disoriented and facing the wrong way. Belatedly he wonders if real katana blades would stand up to being used for leverage in such a manner.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

The move catches Ichi by surprise, and it sends him spinning, and he only stops himself from falling to the floor by using the momentum to continue the spin so he returns to face The Shadow. To say that he is impressed is an understatement, as he turns his cane parallel to the floor, and adopts the reverse hold on it, keeping it stationary in space.

"Heh, got me good there, Shadow-san." The tone of his voice is telling in that he doesn't expect an answer, which would give away the man's location. Carefully, he inches his back foot forward, and then slides the other along the floor. He's on the hunt again.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The Shadow allows himself a smile, but he says nothing, still on the defensive. His own feet move, very quietly, as he shifts his stance into something more ready for movement. He's as silent as he can be with that move, but Ichi's hearing just may be too extraordinary.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

The shifting of feet earns an alert pause by Ichi, who does not betray that he has pinpointed their direction until his spins on his feet and takes a wordless lunge at The Shadow, eyes wide-open and pupils rolled high in his head, revealing only the ghostly whites of his eyes as he bears down on The Shadow with his cane. If it weren't for the sheathed sword and true intent of the exercise, the attack might almost be considered savage with the way Ichi has launched himself at The Shadow.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The pause itself hints that he's been found, and The Shadow is doubly on the alert by the time Ichi attacks. His savage expression and opened eyes make little impact on a man used to fighting all nature of strange people, but the sight is mentally filed away to be mused over later.

This time there is no whirling away, and the vicious attack is met with an equally forceful defense. He raises the polished cane and hooks Ichi's away, sliding down the length of it towards the blind man. If he can hold their locked canes above his shoulder and head long enough, he whisks a quick, light punch to the swordsman's chest, then pushes himself away in a spin to get out of reach once more. If he had a second weapon in that hand, such as a knife, the blow would count.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi halts in place as he feels The Shadow's fist make contact. He feels his shoulders tighten and he sinks into a lower stance, gripping his cane with both hands. It's difficult for him to concede to the fair touch, it's bruised his ego to have been outmaneuvered by the man, and so he keeps his tense position, fighting the temptation to strike out.

His temper cools after a few spare moments, and he gives a wry smile. He remains ready, though.

"You have the first hit." There's a hint of betraying reluctance in his voice at the acknowledgment. "Want to continue?" He'll take silence as consent.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

If he had retaliated immediately, The Shadow was prepared for it, and he's mildly surprised not to have to defend himself right away. He hesitates to answer, catching his breath as quietly as he knows how. Adrenaline has risen to shake off the effects of the scotch, and he's not quite ready to let go of the practice. The cane remains angled across his body in the back-handed grip, ready to ward off a quick blow.