Aftertime for Correspondence

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"It is no good to excuse your flaws by blaming the problems they cause on your lessers." He says with some earnesty.

[Kakita Kenji]

"It was meant as a joke, but, well maybe it wasn't,........" Kenji got a bit silent
"We crane tend to be like that, alot of things challenge the way i grow up here"

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"That depressingly lines up with what they say of Cranes at the wall. And it goes on the unkind line. Although the Hida like the Daidoji if I recall it right."

[Kakita Kenji]

"Are we not all the product of our environment? And if that is true, is this dojo a gain or a loss for the clans? All my life I have been taught that the samurai of the Crab Clan are brutal thugs, but neither you, nor Ginkarasu-san, nor Yotsuo-san have confirmed this prejudice. Many things I take for granted or normal are challenged here.I would rather have you and Ginkarasu-san in my dojo than the plotting Kohai who are in my previous dojo"

Kenji became a little sad "Is it wrong to think that we can all be friends here? That we can be the foundation of a more peaceful, better empire?"

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Although I do not understand the first question, I believe this dojo to be a gain so far. I used to learn tactical prowess, but here it is presented with another point of view, and I used to drill, but here the physical exercises are, too, different, and it is of Kaiu philosophy that great discoveries are found in far places, and also many things I took as a truth were challenged."
He checked if everything was on place and nothing was perturbed as far he remembered, then looked to Kenji. "Is the Empire on war? Against something else, I mean."

[Kakita Kenji]

"Against anyone other than the fiends of the South? I don't think so, or rather, I don't know anything about it. But the clans live in constant competition with each other, each wants, by all means, to gain an advantage over the other. I wouldn't really call that peace, wouldn't you say?"

Kenji lowered his head.

"Even against the fiends in the south, we do not march together"

He clenched his fists. It was frustrating. How could his ancestors have lived with that truth? How did they cope?

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He got quite surprised, looking at Kenji. For everything he was taught about other clans he knew to be kind of swayed. But that summed up on how Kenji reacted whenever he brought the Shadowlands into the subject, he would never expect... that.
"Ginkarasu-san told me that people from the remaining of the Empire fear the names because they think that they could bring the things. So, unless you are a Nezumi, in which case I don't know, this is false. Avoiding a name increases the relutance to deal with the thing itself. The Dark One is an exception because he is literally divinity. So never shy away from discussing the Shadowlands or the Oni."
He started to rub his fingers.
"A lot of Crab do find the way how other clans deal with the Shadowlands to be pretty stupid. Like, it does not make any sense for the Crane to have that much land when the Wall eats rice. But the last time everyone took this discussion seriously we had a war. And I'm starting to believe that putting the Crab in a position we always need for resources is something the other Clans do on purpose."
He finally stretched the letter over the table, looking at Kenji.
"The first lesson I received as a future warmaster is that permanent peace is impossible. Because it sure would be nice if everyone stopped fighting and just agreed to your point of view, wouldn't it?"

[Kakita Kenji]

"I am able to discuss this topic here with you because you are my friend, because I trust you, but before others? The expectations that are placed on us are high and I can understand why it is not necessarily a tea discussion topic. Stories of the wall are not told to children for nothing to make them obey. And I can understand why the rest of the empire prefers not to talk or think about it, everyone knows that the Ninth Kami rages in the south, but I can sleep much better if I don't have to think about it every day.

Kenji shook his head. A feeling of powerlessness overcame him.

"Yes, it sure would be nice if everyone stopped fighting and just agreed to one point of view, wouldn't it?"

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"The process is different. You know how Leadership reinforces multiple times that you should always have death on your mind? It is the same thing with the Shadowlands. It's the first instruction we received. Just like thinking on death, it causes you too sometimes get worried over it when you are young, but you get used to it overtime. Being exhausted after training also helps. But, yes, it sure should help sleeping." He says in an exhausted breath. "It's no one else's duty after all."
He looks to the table, remembers what he was here for and start closing the letter in a simple pattern.

[Kakita Kenji]

"It is the duty of the crab to hold the wall, is it not?"

Silence. Kenji waited until Aiichiro was done finishing his letter to his father. It gave him some time to clear his head.

"I'm sorry for raising the subject but sometimes, sometimes when I think about it, a lot of things feel pretty hopeless. The endless war, the everlasting competition, sometimes it gnaws at me," Kenji said with watery eyes.

"But thanks for listening Aiichiro-kun, thanks for that" Kenji bowed low to Aiichiro.

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Why are you even apologizing yourself-" He looked at Kenji, the letter-closing origami finished. Aiichiro noticed how his eyes were when he raised from the bow. "I do not think there is competition or war in Yomi, although we could ask Kuni-san to be sure. I like to think of the turmoil as a test, and the souls that keeping passing it will ascend. Isn't it how the kharmic wheel works?"

[Kakita Kenji]

"I hope it does, it gives life a purpose, a goal," said Kenji, with a slightly shaky voice

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"I will tell a servant to bring us tea." He says and slides the shoji, leaving the room.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji waited, trying to center his mind and cool his emotions down.
It, wasn't really effective.
But he could at least come down a little.

---
D4 Horse Meditation/Void: 2d10o10k1 8

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He returns and sees Kenji meditating, waiting for him to finish what he was doing.
Not that Aiichirō was good at being quiet, though. Too heavy steps.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji opend his eyes.

"You're a good Friend, Aiichiro-san"

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"I didn't do anything, but I'm happy to see that you hold me in high esteem."

[Kakita Kenji]

"You've listend, without interrupting me, that's more than is required if you ask the crane"

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Are you still well? Didn't want to make you cry. Anyway, I also ordered them to bring lunch here."

[Kakita Kenji]

"I'm fine, give it some time and i will collect myself again. That's good, i could use something to eat. I hope no one read your letter" Kenji said