Basic skill, advanced philosophy

Arawn had finished his lunch and was about to leave the cafeteria when he had an accident. Well to be honest, he was in an accident; he was the victim of circumstances. In this case another student was messing around and pushed his friend, curry in hand, into Arawn. The bowl of stew was deposited upon Arawn’s uniform, and he was forced to run back to the dorm and change. He just as he finished the chime for classes rang. He was late, and he knew that the instructor would not be pleased. When students showed up late they usually had to run laps or clean the dojo alone. Arawn dreaded his punishment, but ran with full speed to the dojo. The door was already closed; a sign that classes had started. He grabs the handle and slid the door open, leaps through the doorway, and he quickly drops to his knees “I’m sorry I’m late, sir!” There was only silence, Arawn gathered courage and lifted his head a little. The dojo wasn’t empty, but many unfamiliar faces stared back at him. Rather than his usual fifty odd students, there were twenty or more. There were female students mixed in the group as well. They all sat on the floor in front of two men wearing instructor uniforms. One of the men was white haired and rather old looking; the second was much younger with dark brown hair slicked back. “I’m sorry.” Arawn stuttered again, still kneeling, this time abit embarrassed. The younger looking instructor approached Arawn,
“Are you new to this class?” he asked, a softer tone than he expected. Arawn rose slowly and shook his head. The instructor was nearly his height if not taller.
“I’m in….” started to reply, but balked. He just realized that the Zanjutsu instructor had never properly introduced himself. Maybe he had and Arawn had missed it. They merely used ‘Sir’ or ‘Sensei’ when addressing him. “I’m in the beginner’s class.” He finished hoping that was enough. The instructor looked at him for a minute, and then looked upward in thought.
“Ah, you must mean Takahata sempai’s class.” He smiles slightly, Arawn notices the student murmuring, the instructor claps his hand loudly and they turn back around. “They left for the sparring grounds, they should still be there.” Again Arawn balks, he doesn’t know where that is. Perhaps he can get someone to guide him, but he would hate to further disrupt the class.
The instructor notices his hesitation, and reads his mind. “I can show you the way; it will only take a minute.” He smiles warmly, Arawn bows in gratitude and exits out the door he had entered.
“Wait!”
Arawn spins in place, but notices the voice wasn’t the young instructors. Behind him the instructor has turned around as well, his eyes fixed on the second instructor.
“Bring him here Kenichi.” It was clearly the older man that spoke. The students begin chattering again.

Kenichi turns and shrugs, he motions for Arawn to follow him. Arawn reenters the dojo and closes the door behind him. Kenichi slowly walks toward the elderly man, Arawn easily catching up to him. When they are side by side Kenichi whispers, “Be very polite, and watch what you say.” They reach the front of the group and the elderly gentleman that sits there. The students are watching them intently. The young instructor turns to address them. “Alright everyone, it’s practice time! Spread out and begin.” The students scatter some taking one last look at Arawn before they go. Kenichi then bows low and addresses the older man, Arawn quickly does the same. “Miyahara sensi, the young man is here.” Upon closer examination they man doesn’t look that old at all. The white hair does him give him that appearance. Otherwise he looks barely mid forties and slightly built. It was hard to tell how tall he was from his sitting position. Arawn hadn’t noticed from the distance but the man had what looked like a chessboard in front of him. But it was covered in smooth white and black stones. He slowly looked up from the board, but his hands hovered over the game pieces.
“Hohohoho.” He man chuckled eyeing Arawn “Indeed, welcome young man, please sit down.” He motions to a cushion on the floor similar to the one he sits on. It is probably the one that Kenichi was using. Arawn looks over to see Kenichi nod to him. Arawn seats himself on the cushion.
“Master we really get him to his class. Takahata will be quite angry.” The older man looks up at him, but waves his hand like swatting a fly.
“Takahata is always angry.” Was the reply, Arawn suppresses a giggle. The older man is smiling as well. “I will send him a note saying he took part in our class instead.”
Kenichi sighs, “I doubt a beginner could learn anything from an advanced class.”
“Hohoho.” Again a laugh “Your ugly side is showing again Ken-san.”
Kenichi sighs again and seats himself on the other side of Master Miyahara.
“I doubt he has the skill to wield a sword against anyone here,” He points over to where a female student is swinging as sword fluidly about her body. Not a wooden sword, but a silver naked blade. Arawn is captivated by the hypnotic display, the flashes of light as the blade spins, parries, and thrusts. As her body bends and snaps, she spins and leaps with each swing, making an elegant dance. “But there are still things that he can learn.” Kenichi scoffs.
“Even if we sent him Takahata would probably spar him personally. I doubt he would learn anything from that aside from fear.” The old man is looking down at his game once again. “But I suppose fear is a good thing to learn too.”
Arawn gulps the air; he could only imagine Takahata staring him down from behind a wooden sword. He visibly shudders.
“Yes, I say you stay and humor this old man abit.” He looks up and now points to another student, this time a male. He doesn’t move as much as the female student but his swings seem to cut the very air. Just as elegant, but radiating power. Arawn wonders how powerful this old man is to be the teacher of the two students.
“Tell me child, who would win if they were to fight?” Arawn looks at Miyahara; the man is still looking down at his game. Arawn tries to imagine the two performances overlapping. The dancing woman and the strong stone man battling it out to the death. Kenichi looks at Arawn from the other side of the old man. Arawn is too lost in thought to notice.
“I can’t say.” Arawn says after much thought. “I would say the woman could run circles around the man, but should the man hit her she would be done in quickly.” Arawn tried his best to sound fair, not favoring the man or woman. The old man rubbed his hand as he listened.
“That is a somewhat crude, but accurate analysis, very good.” The old man looks up once more, “And perhaps you know Trinity Fighting Principle.” Kenichi sighs; Miyahara turns to look at him. Kenichi had bought Arawn some time to think about the answer, but he was familiar with the term. Trinity meant three, so he took a shot in the dark.
“Strength, speed, and defense?” he tried to put some confidence in his voice, but Kenichi’s laughter stole that away.
The older man merely smiled. “No, that is incorrect.” He cleared the game board and picked up three white stones. “Power.” He placed one stone in the middle of board’s top side with a click “Speed.” He continues, and places the second stone at the right most corner of the grid. “And finally there is tactics.” The last stone is placed on the left most corner. Well he was close, he had only missed one. The older man pauses to consider Arawn’s face.
“These aren’t just attributes of a fighter but aspects.” He smiles again, “The three skills you named would contribute heavily to which aspect of fighting a person would take.”
The confusion is obvious on Arawn’s face.
Kenichi explains. “Someone would try to fight using a style that suits them. As you are you’re learning only the basics and fight similar to others in your class.”
“Correct.” Miyahura chimes in “Someone strong would try a style that fixates on strong attacks.” He points at the top most stone. “But also this reveals the relationship of combat styles as well. While someone using such powerful blows, they are less effective against someone who is fast and agile.”
“If you can’t hit, you don’t do damage” Kenichi clarifies.
“On the same token someone that is fast and agile, might fall pray to someone well versed in tactics.”
“Keep thinking three steps ahead of the opponent’s swift steps.”
Arawn think he understood the concept. “Then tactics are overwhelmed by power?”
Miyahura nods “Power enough to withstand even the best of traps and plans.”
Kenichi sighs, “It’s a very outdated principle. In all fairness a shinigami uses all three aspects to some degree. It makes fighting sound like jaken, when there are so many minute factors.”
Miyahara merely laughs. “Ken san, I learned the sword when it was at is simplest. And still this principle rests at the core of fighting. They say they sue all three, but they cannot betray their own nature. People will always fight to their strengths. A truly wise person will work to strengthen their weakness as well.”
“Someone with power should take up tactics should they meet someone with speed.” Kenichi explained, “Like I said, overly simplistic.”
Arawn couldn’t help but to feel that the idea did have merit.
“A master level of any of the three would be just as adept as his opposing aspect.”
“At higher skills they all level out, but secondary skills would decide the battle.” Kenichi translated. Just then the chime rang out. Time had passed so quickly “I’ll be sure to send Takahata that note. Do take care out there.”
Arawn stands and bows “Thank you very much, sir.” He walks quietly towards the exit, deep in thought.
“I don’t see why you taught him such an archaic principle.” Kenichi mutters once Arawn is gone.
“Just a lesson from an old man, you’d be wise to keep you to your lessons as well.” Miyahara begins returning the stones to their previous places on the board. “Perhaps he will take the time to find his nature, and then overcome his weaknesses.” Kenichi frowns, the old man did have a point from time to time, but he wasn’t about to admit it.


(OOC: Yes in one sitting, sheesh.Comments welcome, the Trinity thing came to me mid-story.I was going to go the whole "old man teaches him sword techniques route" It almost sounds like a real principle. Jaken = Paper, Rock, Scissors. Jaken sounds sooo much cooler)