Michael
Both of the Scorpion were able to defeat their Crane opponents, in some way dueling imitating history. 

Bayushi Kaori, thought to be a low contender with her injuries and off-hand grip, was able to make it to the final eight, and just finished defeating Kakita Suzuki, taking a bit of her ear with her. 

And then, Baushi Yuto bested Doji Daiki, without a blade being drawn. Before the two could clash, Doji Daiki submitted on the grounds of recognizing skill, and a sudden and urgent message to return to Kyuden Kakita, duty trumping any duel. 

Thus, Scorpion and Scorpion would duel each other. They were both allowed to rest, and were now announced to duel. 

__Phase One: Start__

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Joe
This tournament had been the first time Yuto used his Iaijutsu in a proper duel, while many had kept their composure as proper Samurai the scorpion had to admit, there was some intimidation and nervousness. Beside him sat a servant, Chinatsu, a woman who may or may not have been concealing his turtle to provide the man comfort during the matches. The little fellow was always excited seeing his master exercise or train, now he'd get to see the results of that work up close! Rubbing his head and shell, he'd soon depart as he leapt up. Placing his Katana into the Obi on his left waist, the Magistrate himself could feel the tension despite not standing before his opponent. Taking a deep breath, he stepped up. 

This likely was the hardest matchup he'd ever face, going against the one who taught him in the first place. Bayushi Kaori certainly wasn't to be underestimated, nor did he intend to do so. While he was proficient with swinging his sword, the man never had a taste for using such techniques. In such a short time could he rise to this occasion? They'd learn soon enough, every breath he took leaked anticipation. Now standing before who'd be his opponent, he'd place both hands together and bow. Despite his status it was a deep one, showing the woman respect as a fellow swordsman. 

"It is an Honor to have come this far, and an even greater honor to show you the results of my unseen preparation." 

Coming up from his bow, he turned to give one last look at Kame-sama before turning his complete attention back to Kaori. Any shivers of excitement or chilling pressure were now gone. 

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Ina
Black eyes glittered with anger at the announcer's choice of words, but the Scorpion's unmasked face remained serene. The small woman was dressed in her finest, her garments embroidered with hydrangea blossoms, the Scorpion Mon clearly visible on her back. Her hair was braided back in the Crab fashion. 

Kaori had advanced this far by sending her opponent a polite request to start with drawn swords. In the qualifying rounds her opponents had been willing, and she had bested them with the steel in her wrist and the speed of her footwork. But facing the daughter of Kakita had been a different challenge. She'd refused the offer, which was reasonable, but the contempt the messenger conveyed had irritated the little Scorpion. She'd anticipated the angle of cut and drawblocked before shooting past her opponent and marking her forever. No further words had been exchanged. The Kakita had been utterly inscrutable in her defeat. 

Now she was entering the ring against Yuto, and she was not requesting the drawn start. She had avoided his company as they drew closer in the brackets, watching him from afar. Yuto was a dangerous fighter, but Kaori was certain she had his measure. 

"Have you indeed been training with two masters?" She asked as she returned the bow, very nearly as respectfully. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Her right arm was bound to her chest beneath her kimono—a handicap when it came to a swift draw, since she could not grip the saya. As she circled, choosing her avenue of approach, she reached for her sheath with her left hand and pulled the katana from her obi. Moving with exaggerated care she lifted it to balance on her shoulder, then tilted her head to achieve a grip with her jaw against the smooth wood. The tassel swung back and forth, a distracting sight. Her black eyes were hooded, and her maimed cheek was turned towards the crowd where all could see the wicked smirk. 

Then her weight dropped as she chose her spot. ||
Joe
Stating the woman down, he was rather impressed at her display to come this far, and with a massive handicap no less. His eyes didn't shift for a moment from Kaoris, while many would belittle and shame the woman, in this moment she never stood taller. Yuto knew very well she'd require all of his effort. Having no interest in holding back, he'd capitalize off of his advantages. 

*'I've always been besotted by your presence, you taught me how I could draw my sword most efficiently, but not even you can imagine the thoughts that plague me. The ruminations that conquer my mind and make my heart ache, before this tournament I battled them all...'*

There was a moment where Yuto had shut his eyes, blackening the visuals and echos that replayed over and over. Reflecting back to when she first taught him her technique, without such a display he might not have been here. 

'I idolized your technique because it was different, because you were different. I used it, worshiped its practicality. That technique wasn't mine, and no matter how much I flock to it, the shadow you cast over me wasn't big enough to find refuge." 

Opening both eyes once more, his left hand placed onto the sheath, having the blade side face upward as he pulled the katana from his Obi. Just like Kaori he got into position, readying his draw. Now having the handle out in front of him instead of beside the waist, the draw would have cut out much movement and wouldn't rely on reaching across to grab it. The key to these draws wasn't speed, but cutting out unnecessary steps and adding finesse. 

'I thought long and hard, more than I should have to put this Technique together. My heart pounded, conflicted on whether or not this would work, but now not even the Kami can deter my faith." 

The distance between them was rather odd, further than usual as the Bayushi sought to use his wingspan as an asset. With the extension of their Katanas the advantage fell to him, but that wasn't an assurance to victory. One knew that very well. 

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Ina
She knew how Yuto felt. She wasn't blind. She might prance through life with the arrogance of a house cat but she could see as far as the next samurai. Her eyes narrowed and her weight shifted still more. He was going to fight to win. That was good. 

She was quite proud of him. Part of her had feared his feelings would cause him to hold back. But his stance now, the implications of secret training... *I just might make a Scorpion of you yet, Yuto-kun.* Her lips peeled back in a wicked smile. 

People were watching. Their conversation could be heard by the first few ranks, and rumors would spread. If she wanted to win this in a way that seemed honorable she had to seem justifiably angered now. So she rolled her fingers and adjusted her weight, her left elbow pushing her wakizashi loose. By contrast the katana was still fully seated. "It is a dangerous game to challenge your teacher, Rokugo-san," She said aloud. "And to boast of secret techniques no less! Well, if you really think you have learned *All* My secrets then I shall hold nothing back!"

With that she fell into the focus, and the rest of the world sloughed away. 

*The snow was pure and sweet, the cold a biting caress against her bare skin. She stood alone, the world far below, her enemy all but forgotten. The clean air filled her lungs with each breath, purging her body of evil humors. She was as fresh as a new-born child, as keen as winter's bite, as pure and singular as an icicle, sweeping to a deadly point.*

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Joe
With her stance and position of the sword on her shoulder, there were few ways she could draw. While it was true she was forced to draw with an offhand she'd be disadvantaged, but how was she going to make the most of it? Yuto was going for a vertical cleave, judging by her stance she'd have been pursuing the opposite. Though that wasn't enough to rule out the other options, the Scorpion wasn't going to run himself paranoid, but he had to decide whether or not his deciphering was true or false. In the end it didn't matter what the Magistrate supposed, no matter what he'd execute his technique to perfection, ignoring all wavers of doubt or mountains of pain. 

The world went blank, as only an empty void echoed a sound. A prolonged lub, followed by a sharper and higher pitched dup, this was the sound of his heartbeat! He entered into a deep inhale, gathering all the breath he could muster. Blocking out all sound the only thing he could hear was the pounding of his heart, being different from most Samurai he channeled his anger and used it to exert more strength. Unable to deny his nature, a flaw became an amazing power at his whim. 

In this moment Bayushi Kaori wasn't his friend, nor his teacher, those feelings had been transformed into something else entirely. His eyes never averted one's gaze, yet they gleamed not at their comrade, but at their enemy. Soon not a smile nor an expression filled with emotion sat upon the mama face, all of it was poured into his draw. And in this moment? He was ready. 

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Ina
How would this play out? Had he been watching her last match? She couldn't remember his face in the crowd. Did he think she would not repeat the same trick twice? 

Or was he ignoring her strategy in favor of the perfect cut, Kakita style? 

She knew he was an explosive fighter. And with her handicap he was far faster. His blow would come with all his force and weight behind it. A man who would beat another man to death with his bare hands was not the sort to finesse a draw. Yuto would play to his strengths, she decided. But what angle would his blow come from? That would determine her own counter... 

He'd chosen range, which would give her a fraction of a second longer to guess his angle of attack. Her hand slid up higher, away from the wakizashi. He hadn't fallen for the feint, she would need the distance... 

The same trick as last fight would serve her best, save her other draws for the finals. He was doing a good job of presenting a neutral stance, her only edge came from knowledge and experience. 

*Grab the saya, roof parry, keep your fingers clear... Then close and hit him as hard as you can with the saya. Let the crowd see the sword as a bokken, the classic Master handicap smacking down the student.*

She was confident she could survive his first cut and close. But could she get a clean strike with the saya weighing her down?

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Joe
His finger had subtly popped the guard out of the saya, which would allow a clean draw when it was time. Which was now, upon the beat of his heart he exhaled, his hand upon the tsuka. All of his fingers excluding the index wrapped around the blade, as he kept the index off the handle. In this motion his hand holding the sheath pulled back, rather than drawing the sword Yuto had removed the sheath. In this motion, the man had stepped in taking advantage of the angle her body was. If she were forced to draw with the offhand with the saya between her shoulder and cheek, he'd invade her space. 

His sword faced upward, a reverse blade draw, thus he was perfectly capable of going straight into a downward cleave with the maneuver of his wrist. He aimed for her shoulder, hoping his sword would infiltrate the space between them before hers could. The simple tactic of getting past your opponents guard, while the cut itself was simple Yuto had made preparations. Knowing very well this wasn't predictable, he put every ounce of strength into that right arm's downward strike. Continuing to exhale as if he were reaching failure in his body. 

His movements were explosive as he cut out all unnecessary movement in this draw. Focusing more on practicality combined with raw power and speed than anything else. In a way, he treated this not as a duel, but a real fight where life and death could be decided with the swing of a sword. Though in this instance there was only Victory or Defeat... 

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Ina
*Ancestors, he's really not holding back.* 

Kaori had plenty of time to shoot her hand past the guard of her sword and seize the saya, lifting it up as she ducked her head and lunged to the side with her left leg. But the blow smashed the saya back down against her neck and shoulder, wood chips flying as Yuto's scarred sword bit deep. She was staggered, despite the strength of her stance, but she was inside his guard now and her next move could decide all. 

It was a strange position — she hadn't expected him to close so fast, she'd been forced to lunge sideways instead of in—but this could work to her advantage... Depending entirely on whether he bore in for a body check, or lifted his sword for another blow. Either way she was already spinning, trying to protect her wounded arm, bringing the hilt of her sword over her head so she could whip the sword out from behind her neck and attack from the flank. 

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Joe
A smile creeped onto the man's lips as he executed his blow, expecting the smaller figure to not contest his strength head on. In her condition it'd be foolish, though what came next was a surprise. His blow connected, but not to the intended target, as she stepped out of the way. He dug into her saya as she made advances to get around his guard, opening her exposed shoulder. Could this have been it? The opening the Samurai sought? Instinctively he reacted, hoping to catch her in the restroke of his sword. 

But there was a moment, a half second that brought hesitation. While she was wide open for an easy opportunity to strike, the man withheld. Yuto demanded victory playing to his strengths and overwhelming the opponent in uncontested skill, would exploiting her handicap be a satisfying victory? No, he'd keep to his roots and obtain victory that way. Though upon the realization of their positioning and timing, he'd try to step back. 

The effort was futile as the Magistrate faltered in an indecisive moment. Being walloped at the side of the head by her Saya falling victim to Kaoris blow. Gritting his teeth as the smack made him flinch, he almost lost balance taking a few steps back. "Shit!" He responded as the strike surprised him. 

And just like that it was over, Yuto had been defeated by the woman who first taught him Iaijutsu, despite his weeks of preparation he still came nowhere near to crossing the gap of skill. Even though she was injured and using her offhand it ended in a quick swoop. Taking a breath he sheathed his katana, gripping the saya harder than usual. Keeping composure in a moment like this was hard, but he remained calm and gave a respectful bow. Though one could see the large man was visibly aching from inner turmoil. 

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Ina
Her arm was exposed. If Yuto had chosen, he could have won right then and there. A flying knee or even a good punch would have dropped her screaming to the ground. But the ruthless aggression of his initial attack faltered. He was not a savage the way she was. 

Has he planned to attack the arm and lost his nerve? Had his desperate need for victory battled his natural restraint? Either way, she did not hesitate. Her grip was imbalanced, but she used her neck for leverage and whipped the sheathed sword around with all her might. The dull *Thonk* Of wood on skull echoed around the ring, a sound familiar to anyone whose sensei had been free with their bokken. Kaori's grip shifted as he staggered back, seizing the hilt now, her loosened saya sliding down the blade. But it was unnecessary. 

She caught the saya on her foot and lifted it back up so she could sheathe the blade, then returned it to her obi before she returned the bow. "Well done, Rokugo-san," She said softly, and then a little louder, "But it seems I have more to teach you."

A courtier would recognize the attempt to help Yuto save face. After all, despite handicaps, no one ever expected to overcome their teacher. 

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Michael
And just as quick as it began, it was over. 

Two Scorpions initiated in a duel, and while many figured the crippled woman would not be successful, the ferocity she showed throughout the tournament reappeared. 

"The victor is Bayushi Kaori of the Scorpion Clan!" 

Many people were either amazed or making murmurs, wondering if this was some ploy. The tactics were above board, even if blood was not spilled in the traditional fashion, the strike was true, and would have been serious if blade broke skin. 

Thus, Bayushi Kaori would move on to the finals. 

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