Training and application of the mind(Natsume thread)

[Anastasia]

* Shai`Hulud --> "Mugetsu rolls 2d6+2 and gets 12."

* Shai`Hulud --> "Anastasia rolls 2d6+2 and gets 6."

* Shai`Hulud --> "Mugetsu rolls 2d6 and gets 10."

You think, for a moment, you see light around him...his entire body, not just his sword....it's....

Yet any time to actually register and ponder it is lost, as the flat of his ki blade smacks your hand! Yelping, you feel your blade fall and fade into motes of ki, broken. (9 damage)

Stopping and shaking his head, "Natsume..." he sighs. "You can't be that passive. I learned many things in the middle of combat, but you have to press on all the while or the only ones who will benefit from your learning shall be your anscestors." Dismissing his sword, "Come. We'll bandage your legs and practice this afternoon after you ponder on your mistakes here."

To that, he begins to walk, then, "And for your hesitation, I hope you at least saw or learned something. I hadn't even gotten to the 1000 Horde Slash yet."

[Midnight Sun]

Natsume rubs the sore side of her head, having been thoroughly humbled.

"I apologize for my absent-mindedness sensei," she says as she follows her master out.

[Anastasia]

He nods, ignoring the blood droplets that stain the floor as you hobble out. Once you make into the house, he has you sit while he gets cloth, bandage, ointment and towels. However, instead of simply calling Kurumi, he bends down and starts to work on it himself.

Silent at first, he soon breaks that, however. "So...did you learn anything," he asks outright. "I would hope such an extravigent pause would lead to something fruitful."

[Midnight Sun]

"The reason I paused..." she starts. "I was trying to get some sense of your aura...to see how it is that can move so swiftly. I managed to see the light of your ki surrounding your body but..."

[Anastasia]

He nods once, not warning you as he applies a stinging ointment to your cuts. "Everything about the human body relates to your ki in one manner or another. When you truly master it..." Getting a bandage and starting to wrap your wound, he pauses momentariily.

"When you truly master your ki, your body becomes the ghostly force that means little, not your ki. Indeed...a well tuned body is merely a temple for your ki energy."

[Midnight Sun]

"Your body becomes a temple that means little..." Natsume repeats. "So far, I've only used my ki to make constructs...extensions of my ki...but what if I used for a purpose inherent to myself..."

[Anastasia]

"I don't know if your friend does it the same way," he comments, as he focuses on getting your binding good and tight across his delivered cut. "But...it is the modus how we break what most consider the bounds of human possibility.  

How we strike thousands of times in an instant, or how we parry aside blows that could cleave mountains? The body without trained ki is capable of little. It warps with age, becoming ruins. With it...one can maintain the other, but not the other way around."

[Midnight Sun]

"The body creates the ki...I never thought of it like...," Natsume pauses midsentence as something snaps to her attention. "You said, the way my 'friend' does it. What friend are you talking about?"

[Anastasia]

"Ah...."

It's rare for your Grandfather's voice to hesitate, let alone sound off put or embarrassed, but this seems to have done the trick nicely.  "You had a friend over a day or two ago," he points out. "While in the kitchen, I overheard parts of your discussion."

Finishing his work on your ankles, he rises to sit on a nearby cushion. "From what I heard...she is also talented?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Ah...I see," Natsume responds. She had no idea he had been listening in. Why hadn't he introduced himself to Usagi if he was there the whole time? "Yes, she has talent. Though her skills lie on a decidedly different path from my own."

So much for keeping Usagi and her powers a secret......

[Anastasia]

He simply nods to that, rising right up after a moment of thought. "Will you be ready for the afternoon training session," he asks, "If so, I would like to try this again."

[Midnight Sun]

"Yes, I will be, my wounds are not that severe," she answers. "Grandfather...what exactly did you hear my friend and I talking about?"

[Anastasia]

He hesitates again, pausing once he reaches standing fully. "Ah...I heard...enough.

For that, I apologize, Natsume." Giving you a small bow, he goes on. "Be that as it may...perhaps we can have her over again and discuss matters. She appears to understand these mattersw e are dealing in well."

[Midnight Sun]

"I see," she says, not completely satisfied with his answer, but there was not much she could do about that. "Yes, having her over would be nice. I can formally introduce her to you and Kurumi."

'How long was he listening in on our conversation?' she thinks. 'That certainly isn't like grandfather...why would he do something like that?'

[Anastasia]

He nods once, with approval. "I would much like to see the effects she has wrought on your training, Natsume.

Has she not?"