The New Winds

Because the sake house had burned down, Kenji decided to go to the source and bought a few bottles of sake there. Wandering and drinking, he had already drunk half a bottle. He looked bad. His eyes were reddened, his gaze was empty and his back was bent. He didn't know exactly where he was in Tsuma, but he didn't care. None of it mattered to him. His existence was unimportant, his skills insufficient, his life worthless.

"Aallll thesse years, fooor nooothingg?" He said to no one in particular...

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OOC: Depending if Kenji dies in the Event Thread, this never happens.

In contrast, Aiichiro was pretty happy. He never expected to go far into the competition, and even won a battle against a Mirumoto — didn't those guys train their entire lives to match against the Kakita and sent their best!? And late in the afternoon, leaving the competition, he received even greater news. He walked the streets to goodbye them, standing tall and shoulders back.

Kenji continued to stumble aimlessly through the streets. He took a sip from the bottle every now and then and thought about everything that had gone wrong until he bumped into someone.

"Goo goomenaaasay" he stammered without looking at the person and tried to keep on stumbling,...

Distracted looking at the streets, he barely noticed the drunk man who just stumbled on him. His face in anger ready to give a sermon to keep watch around samurai, he is surprised when he turns to see it is Kenji.
"Gomenasai, Kenji-kun."

Kenji looked up when he heard a familiar voice. "Ish thaat you Aischiro?" he stammered.

"It is." He noticed quickly the miserable state of his friend. "Hold it for me." He took off his haori and handed it over to Kenji.

Confused Kenji took the haori and wobbled slightly back and forth

"Let me hold it for you, your hands are full." He explains as he takes the sake bottle.

"Bbuuutt,..." he tried to argue.
Aiichiro could grab the battle from Kenjis weak grip.
"...it,.. itt's aalll tha,. thaat's leffft,.... i'mma I'ma a failure, Aischiro-kuun"

"The cerimony is soon. Is this the face you want to give your sensei? No, it is not. So recompose yourself. In one hour you'll be an adult and can go to whatever geisha house you fancy. But not now."

Kenji hung his head. "Iit doosenn't ma,.. matter, Iii allreaady bllaamed myy ssenssei. Aaall myy llivve i wass traained tooo dueel and noooot, not even that i goot right"

"Come with me." He said, invading the nearest peasant house — which left three children left home alone by working parents started. Not that they could complain.

Kenji trotted after Aiichiro

He tried to find a futon there, holding Kenji together by his sleeve.

Kenji let things happen around him. He continued to let his head hang down, his gaze empty and without the smile or fire that used to live in it.

He found four futons and a makeshift one, made out of blankets and pillows. He stopped near the best-looking one.
"Lay there."

He followed the order, no point of resisting. He layed down, his head spinning a bit.

To the three kids looking at the scene quietly by the door, he looked at the one at seemed older. "Awaken him up before the samurai ceremony, which is in one hour. If he does not wake up, carry him there even unconscious."

"Whhy aam i, whyy amm i only gooodd att killiiing?" he asked Aiichiro. "I,.. I killled sooo manny beforre myy my Gempuuku, buuut faaaailed too show my, my skill, why?"

He had a lot of plans for this night. He could help the peasant to find their weapon, he could make a memento, he could be drinking or visiting a geisha house for the first time, he could be taking his intended last stroll. But now those were cancelled because he had to take care of a drunken Crane sobbing over a stupid reason.
Why did him ever care? If he was annoyed why couldn't him just leave Kenji there?
He sighed and knelt to his side. "You passed your gempukku."