The New Winds

Kenji was already early and was in the training rooms of the academy. Armed with a Bokken and dressed in Hakama and Gi he trained his Iaijutsu Kata again and again.

He had seen Kotomi's and Kazuko's performance and was sure that they were a little bit better than him. Since the championship would start tomorrow, he tried to make up for this small difference by training harder.

He wanted the title, not to satisfy his own pride,....... although that too....., but mainly to show his parents that he was better than his dead brother.

Sweat was dripping from his body as he repeated kata after kata over and over again.

"Straighten your back. You're hunching slightly which means your hand will be a few centimetres lower for the draw" came the comments from a girl he would know well.

"The readjustment would cost you the duel."

Kotomi had arrived as Kenji had started. The morning was always for practice, and she was surprised someone beat her to it, but as it was Kenji she was ok with it. Instead she took the role of a sensei, helping her friend.

It was not the first time that Kotomi helped Kenji. He followed the instructions and performed the kata again.

This time he held his back a little more straight and could feel the change in the kata. It was these small details in posture and execution that made the difference between him and her. She was not a prodigy for nothing.

After the kata he bowed to her shortly after "Good morning, Kotomi-chan, or should I better say Kotomi-sensei?" he grinned. He knew only too well that she was better than him, it would take a miracle for him to win the championship if he had to fight against her or Kazuko in a duel.

After the greeting he went back to the other kata. He wouldn't miss the chance to get honest criticism, especially if it came from someone better than him.

Hiroyuki made a point of arriving early to the academy. He was certainly not there to train; a swift wind had about the same odds of striking him down as a novice duelist. Yet in every game, a player must know the pieces on his board - especially the ones skilled in violence. So Hiroyuki set out to learn, and what better place than the Crane's own famed Kakita Academy?

Two of them were there before Hiroyuki. A man and a woman, engaged in what looked like a lesson. Unwilling to interrupt, he watched as they worked together, holding a quiet place on the edge of the room, arms folded within the sky-blue sleeves of his robe. The man swung, the woman instructed. The man's movements marked his skill, and the woman's precise instruction spoke for her own.

As he watched, Hiroyuki allowed himself a small smile. His first impression of the academy's students was the consoling reassurance that they were all on the side of the Crane, and the fleeting fear that they may ever be elsewhere.

"You can call me sensei if you want, it's fitting for someone of my skills" Kotomi said with a grin, going back to carefully watching the form. There was a nod of approval.

"Much better, see how much easier the draw is like that? It really is the difference between winning and losing. Your form has really improved Kenji-kun, I'm really glad to see that."

She noticed someone arriving, turning to look at the new Crane. This one she didn't know, and she bowed.

"Good morning Doji-san. Are you here to learn also?"

Kenji finished the kata before he took the bokken aside. "Thanks, Kotomi-chan, I will do my best to internalize it," Kenji said. He opened his Gi to enjoy some of the morning coolness before Amaterasu would start to relentlessly share her warmth with everyone.

He noticed the Doji in the corner and saw that Kotomi had already addressed him. Slowly he made his way to the newcomer and stretched his arms alongside, there was nothing worse than a sore muscle after training.

He bowed briefly before him and said: "Greetings, my name is Kakita Kenji, an honour to meet you. Whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

Hiroyuki bowed to the both of them, smiling warmly. He responded in a careful tone, just sharp enough to make a light jab, just light enough to refrain from any true offensive intent.

"I am afraid I am not here to practice, though if I did, I have no doubt I would learn much. Doji-sensei, was it?"

He flashed Kotomi a small grin, then turned to Kenji.

"The honor is mine. I was truly fortunate to catch a moment of your draw, Kakita-san."

Coughing into his sleeve quietly, he took a breath and continued.

"I am Doji Hiroyuki. I only recently arrived in Tsuma, and thought it fitting to see the Academy's brightest for myself. So far, I am quite impressed."

"Lovely to meet you Doji-san. I'm Doji Kotomi, star of the Kakita academy" Kotomi said, standing up a little taller and prouder "so you're seeing the brightest of the academy in person. How lucky for you. Kenji-san here is also very good" she smiled to her friend "I'm just giving him some advice as we're both going for the Topaz championship, and it's important that the clan does well after all."

While the students converse, another girl enters. She looks much like Kotomi, white hair with a large black braid in it. She is athletic in build and elegant in her movements. Seeing others already conversing, she does not interrupt but instead begins to practice her forms with a boken.

He politely ignored the cough of the fragile Doji, he reminded him a bit of Saburo, only that he definitely looked better after the training in Hirosaka.

He smiled for a moment when Kotomi praised him: "Kotomi-san is really very good, but you can say the same about Kazuko-san, we also have another Kakita here that...

Kenji turned around briefly when he noticed that someone new entered the room. "Ohayo, Riku-san!" he called out to her and bowed briefly. "We have a newcomer here, won't you introduce yourself?" Kenji asked.

She looks up at being called out and pauses her footwork for a moment.

“Good morning, Kenji-San. Shouldn’t we all be practicing instead of chatting m? The Championship is tomorrow after all”

"Some of us can take the time to be polite to our guest" Kotomi said with a small smirk, giving the other duelist a bow "courtesy I believe they call it. Hello Riku-san"

He didn't want to address Riku directly, but it seemed as if Kotomi had already let the cat out of the bag.

"We had been practicing kata until just now. Give me a short break and I'll practice with you" he offered her.

"And Courtesy will certainly be observed, but now in the hour meant to hone our skill is not the time for that, Kotomi-san."

She noded slightly to Kenji but said nothing, continuing her own footwork alone for now

"I suppose do you do need the extra practice" Kotomi commented, turning back to Kenji "both of you do if you're hoping to compete with me."

"I guess you're right," Kenji remarked and circled his arms and closed his Gi again.

He grabbed his bokken and joined Riku: "Ready when you are"

She nods to Kenji and begins