You Need Two to Play [Kenji/ Open]

Following his newfound acquaintance, Kenji found that the two of them reached the gym in about ten minutes. He observed Matrix talking to the secretary, waiting patiently for the two of them to finish before they reunited. The basketball court was recommended as their stomping ground for the day. Not a bad pick, considering their openness. Returning Matrix's smile, he responded, "Sounds good to me. Let's hit the court."

Upon arriving at the vacant basketball court, Kenji too begins to stretch, quietly listening to Matrix. Apparently, the boy had forgotten about protective gear. This thought amused Kenji, because the last time he'd used any protective gear when wielding a blade, whether it was a shinai or his polished steel, he was just becoming a teenager. Still, if his sparring partner was uncomfortable fighting without protection, he would respect his wishes so long as this didn't turn into a real fight for any given reason.

"If that'd make you feel more comfortable, then I have no reason not to accomodate you," Kenji smiled, nodding before checking his own shinai again. This one appeared to be a recent buy, whereas Matrix's was weathered from usage. It was clear why the easterner was given this one; his host was more in tune with his current shinai and wasn't yet willing to switch swords. He chuckled at the thought, understanding such a mindset completely. "I'll avoid your head and watch my power. Of course, I tend to measure my force anyway, so that's not much different from normal."

Kenji was amused by Matrix's mumbling. He didn't disdain his acquaintance for still using protective gear; everybody had their right to take their time advancing to not using protection, although in proper kendo tournaments, it was practically a requirement. He simply continued stretching while listening.

When asked about how he learned the art, Kenji stopped to let his body relax, standing straight and tucking his shinai back into his belt loop. It truly looked as if he was packing a sheathed sword at his side, both by how he situated and how he stood, arms folded over his chest. The posture wasn't meant to be intimidating, though Matrix might or might not find it such; it was simply how he chose to stand. "Well, I was raised with it. I come from a semi-traditional clan directly descended from samurai; that is, we subscribe in equal parts to both the ways of the past and the present. I leaned more toward the present, except when it came to fighting." He paused, glancing up toward the ceiling in thought before continuing. "My father brought me up on kendo starting at age six; by his words, not mine, I excelled at it. From age seven onward, I also trained in my clan's inherited and signature art: Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū."

Another pause following his honest testimony. While from some mouths everything he was saying might come off as bragging, Kenji spoke in a decidedly unbiased, factual manner, even when referencing his father's praise. It was as if he lacked an ego with which he could brag. Kenji looked back down at Matrix, smiling as he concluded his explanation. "If it tells you anything, I'm currently eighteen years of age."

Kenji joined Matrix at the center of the arena, dropping his arms. He nodded with a smile as he drew the shinai at his hip, giving it a couple of fast swings as a final examination of its balance and weight. It was a satisfactory practice weapon, comparable to his old weathered shinai. "I'm ready if you are. Let's enjoy this." With that, he settled into a standard kendo stance, starting things off simply as he awaited Matrix's move.

Kenji turned his shinai down and deflected Matrix's thrust harmlessly away from him. When the boy attempted to move back into his initial position, Kenji advanced with him, swinging fast but not hard at his right wrist. If he met failure, he'd hold his position unless Matrix advanced, in which case he'd match his pace almost as if sticking to the boy's body; regardless of if he became stationary or followed his sparring partner, he'd pull his shinai close for defense, ready to react as need be.

Kenji continued to closely follow Matrix's movements, noting subconsciously that he seemed to be rotating their positions. Perhaps he was attempting to use the easterner's willingness to stick so close to his advantage? Next came a sudden step-up before the redhead seemed to be ready to swing at his wrist, but Kenji detected a possible feint, so he simply lowered his shinai a couple inches to give the impression of preparation. When Matrix attempted to move to his right side and jab, he reacted fluidly by swinging his shinai down into his adversary's again to deflect it, then followed by bouncing it from the wooden blade and up at the redhead's throat.

If Matrix was unable to avoid it or counter, he'd stop short with the tip at his throat and call out his striking point, "Tsuki. (Throat.)" If he was, however, then Kenji would step back and once more settle his shinai before his torso.

"No, you're not bad yourself," Kenji admitted with a smile, tapping Matrix's unoccupied shoulder with his own shinai gently. He took a few steps back and settled back into his stance, nodding to his sparring partner. "Let's continue."

----------- [One & 1/2 Hours Later] -----------

In the end, while Matrix picked up his fair share of strikes, the boy's stamina was lacking in comparison to his might and cunning, whereas Kenji's long-term experience with kendo and his energy reserves allowed him to maintain the lead. Kenji brushed a bead of sweat off of his eyebrow as the last match ended in his favor, and he laughed in satisfaction. He had yet until now to find a kendo practitioner - let alone a swordsman of any variety - to go a few friendly rounds yet, so this was a great day for him. "Ahaha~! This has been fun, genuinely, but I think we should call it here this time. It'll be getting late before long, and you were already in training once day; I don't want to send you back to your brother as a mess."