Tsukahara Bokuden vs. Ono Shigeyuki

Sporting Event / Competition

As the match between Tsukahara Bokuden and Ono Shigeyuki was slated to begin, a curious series of events conspired to intervene. First, while calling out the names of the competitors, Mōri Motonari found only Bokuden's title on the parchment. Shigeyuki's name had been scribbled out. Fortunately, her compatriot in the stands, Yufu Korenobu knew who was up next. While Bokuden herself had taken to the arena, however, there was no sign of her proposed opponent.

Korenobu began to raise a fuss, claiming that Shigeyuki had been with her in the stands until just presently. As confusion began to rise, Motonari clarified that if the Tachibana champion did not show up soon, the match would go to her opponent by default. This seemed to be exactly as Bokuden wanted it.   Aotsuki Tsukamoto, meanwhile, was puzzled by his sheele, Kagami, and her sudden proclamation that the smell of miso was in the air. Curious that the two things may not be entirely unrelated, he followed his tiny advisor downstairs and into the arena's entrance chamber. She smelled fish now, and led him to a small closet out of the way of the main corridor. Not forgetting his manners, Aotsuki knocked.   It was only a few moments later that Ono Shigeyuki herself opened the door. She had been enjoying a Japanese breakfast given to her by some girl to "get her strength up" before her match. However, with the pipes inside this remote closet, she hadn't heard the announcement that she was up next. Thanking Aotsuki, she returned to the arena in a hurry. As she left, the White Frog took a moment to look inside. He found, indeed, that a full Japanese breakfast with grilled fish, miso soup, and rice had been laid out on a small table. Above it, a series of pipes fed water somewhere, and the noise they produced was formidable. Certainly curious. With that in mind, he returned to his spot in the Hashinara box.   A lesser woman might have been out of breath, but Shigeyuki was just angry as she took to the battleground. She immediately recognized Tsukahara Bokuden as the girl who had attempted to distract her with breakfast and demanded to know what her intentions had been. Bokuden, as placid as always, simply spread her hands and claimed it to have been part of her "No Sword Style."   With that confusion cleared up, the match was free to start. With Shigeyuki's heavy armor and mighty spear, Bokuden was of course the faster of the two. Taking a shoddy katana out of its sheathe, she made for one of the stone pillars on the northern side of the arena and loitered in its shadow. Her opponent, meanwhile, was wary of any more tricks this bizarre Kensei might have up her sleeve. Shigeyuki approached slowly, crossing the bridge and nearing the pillar, but did not quite engage.   As Bokuden watched this, she smacked the stone pillar with the hilt of her sword and knocked free a handful of sharp stone shards. These she kicked with force, sending a spray of shrapnel at the nearby samurai. The measely projectiles bounced harmlessly from her armor, but Shigeyuki saw this for what it was: a taunt. She approached with guard raised and entered into melee range. The first thrust of her spear was aimed not at Bokuden herself, but the pillar behind her. Otegine burst through the stone like it was ice, shattering the stone effigy into so many lumpy shards.   This had been part of Bokuden's plan, but the next was not. She frowned as Shigeyuki followed up the strike with a heavy kick that sent the shards spread out around the corner of the arena, out of Bokuden's reach.   The smaller kensei was about to answer with her own attack, but Shigeyuki surprised her with a sudden burst of speed. Otegine thrust at Bokuden, and she managed to deflect it only by throwing up a spray of sand with her foot. Taking advantage of the ensuing blindness, she deflected the spear just enough with her own weapon to avoid a mortal blow. The second attack came just as quickly, and Bokuden was pressed to come up with something as she reached into her garments and pulled forth a small clay tea vessel. This poor shield shattered on impact with the spear, of course, but again it was enough of a distraction for Bokuden to avoid being struck.   Smiling now, the Kashima swordswoman awaited Shigeyuki's next and final attack confidently. When it came, Otegine shooting forth like an arrow, she drew upon her ki and called upon the wind itself to send the strike astray. Something went wrong, however. Bokuden might still have been saved, but Knight Commander Maxim had thoughtfully sent Kashirin to another part of the stands so that her presence would no longer interfere with the matches. As it was, there was nothing to counteract Bokuden's bad luck. Otegine cut through the winds without slowing and thrust into Tsukahara Bokuden's head. Violently, the spear burst forth from the other side and Bokuden fell to the ground, virtually decapitated by the brutal blow.   Even Shigeyuki seemed a bit shocked at what had happened there. Still, with the promise of all combatants being revived, she couldn't bring herself to feel too much regret over what had happened to the girl who had so tricked her. A series of gasps rippled through the crowd over the bloody spectactle, but Shigeyuki just wiped the blood from Otegine's head and left the arena, clearly the victor.