[ooc: This topic occurs after [this] thread, and almost directly after [this] post. This takes place pre-setting change.]
Kazu clenched his jaw as he strained against the soreness in his arms. The pair of crutches he was using to get around were tricky to get used to, and not at all easy to use, but the young boy knew it was important to keep at it. 'Getting outside will help me recover,' thought Kazu, remembering the doctors' words. While it was true that the doctor probably hadn't meant for him to go this far outside of the hospital, Kazu was never one to sit around and wait. It had been almost two weeks since he'd woken up from his extended rest period — the boy needed a change of scenery for the sake of his sanity.
Dressed in a black workout shirt, loose fitting light gray sweatpants that were tied off halfway down his calf, and outfitted with a number of bandage wrappings around his still-healing feet, ankles, shoulders, upper arms, neck, and ribs, Kazu was clearly pushing his recovery privileges. It would have been wise for him to not be so brazen, but one glance at the boy's fiery red eyes told anyone who might think to stop him that it would not be a good idea. The scowl of exertion, and frustration, on the boy's brow did nothing to help with that visage. 'Besides,' he told himself, 'this is nothing. Not compared to what they had to go through.' His mood seemed to darken as he hobbled on down the sunlit path. 'I can handle this.'
As the various thoughts bounced around his skull, Kazu strolled aimlessly. He didn't know if he'd meant to come this way or not, but pretty soon the boy found himself walking down the streets of the Residential DIstrict. He wasn't sure why he'd chosen this area of the village, specifically, to visit, but he did have to admit that gazing at all the different homes, gardens, and landscape work seemed to distract him somewhat. It was calming. Pleasant, even. The sounds of children running and laughing was enough to wash away any ill thoughts or troubled minds — even Kazu found himself chuckling to himself as he passed by rag-tag sandbox games. It was very therapeutic, in a way.
As he paused on a street corner, catching his breath and letting his arms rest before crossing onto the next block, Kazu gazed around at the various estates and homes around him. He seemed to have stumbled upon an area of relative wealth, as the establishments along this street seemed especially well off. Crests and clan symbols he did not recognize flew proudly, announcing to all that so-and-so lived here. None of that caught his attention, however.
There, across from the young boy, he saw the marking of the Takahashi Clan estate. Everyone in the village knew that symbol. 'Is that where the former Steward lives?' Kazu frowned, becoming lost in thought once more. 'Takahashi Sousuke. Perhaps...'
Before he knew what he was doing, Kazu was hobbling towards the Takahashi Estate front door. He had not made an appointment to visit, nor had he informed the former Steward that he would be coming, nor was he even sure that the man was there right now! The two hardly knew each other; in total, the two had spoken on maybe half a dozen separate occasions, and of those perhaps only half for longer than a few moments here and there. There wasn't exactly a great rapport between the two to warrant Kazu's bold actions, yet when had that ever stopped the boy before? Something inside of him knew that this was the man he needed to speak to right now.
Reaching the front door, Kazu rested his armpits on the cushions of his crutches as he reached up with one hand to swing the sturdy metal doorknocker three times. He almost winced as the deep booming sound of solid metal on thick wood reverberated throughout the estate.
"Hello? My apologies about the unplanned visit, but I was hoping I could speak with Takahashi Sousuke, if he's available? I'm Ryuzaki Kazukura... we've met before!"
Kazu clenched his jaw as he strained against the soreness in his arms. The pair of crutches he was using to get around were tricky to get used to, and not at all easy to use, but the young boy knew it was important to keep at it. 'Getting outside will help me recover,' thought Kazu, remembering the doctors' words. While it was true that the doctor probably hadn't meant for him to go this far outside of the hospital, Kazu was never one to sit around and wait. It had been almost two weeks since he'd woken up from his extended rest period — the boy needed a change of scenery for the sake of his sanity.
Dressed in a black workout shirt, loose fitting light gray sweatpants that were tied off halfway down his calf, and outfitted with a number of bandage wrappings around his still-healing feet, ankles, shoulders, upper arms, neck, and ribs, Kazu was clearly pushing his recovery privileges. It would have been wise for him to not be so brazen, but one glance at the boy's fiery red eyes told anyone who might think to stop him that it would not be a good idea. The scowl of exertion, and frustration, on the boy's brow did nothing to help with that visage. 'Besides,' he told himself, 'this is nothing. Not compared to what they had to go through.' His mood seemed to darken as he hobbled on down the sunlit path. 'I can handle this.'
As the various thoughts bounced around his skull, Kazu strolled aimlessly. He didn't know if he'd meant to come this way or not, but pretty soon the boy found himself walking down the streets of the Residential DIstrict. He wasn't sure why he'd chosen this area of the village, specifically, to visit, but he did have to admit that gazing at all the different homes, gardens, and landscape work seemed to distract him somewhat. It was calming. Pleasant, even. The sounds of children running and laughing was enough to wash away any ill thoughts or troubled minds — even Kazu found himself chuckling to himself as he passed by rag-tag sandbox games. It was very therapeutic, in a way.
As he paused on a street corner, catching his breath and letting his arms rest before crossing onto the next block, Kazu gazed around at the various estates and homes around him. He seemed to have stumbled upon an area of relative wealth, as the establishments along this street seemed especially well off. Crests and clan symbols he did not recognize flew proudly, announcing to all that so-and-so lived here. None of that caught his attention, however.
There, across from the young boy, he saw the marking of the Takahashi Clan estate. Everyone in the village knew that symbol. 'Is that where the former Steward lives?' Kazu frowned, becoming lost in thought once more. 'Takahashi Sousuke. Perhaps...'
Before he knew what he was doing, Kazu was hobbling towards the Takahashi Estate front door. He had not made an appointment to visit, nor had he informed the former Steward that he would be coming, nor was he even sure that the man was there right now! The two hardly knew each other; in total, the two had spoken on maybe half a dozen separate occasions, and of those perhaps only half for longer than a few moments here and there. There wasn't exactly a great rapport between the two to warrant Kazu's bold actions, yet when had that ever stopped the boy before? Something inside of him knew that this was the man he needed to speak to right now.
Reaching the front door, Kazu rested his armpits on the cushions of his crutches as he reached up with one hand to swing the sturdy metal doorknocker three times. He almost winced as the deep booming sound of solid metal on thick wood reverberated throughout the estate.
"Hello? My apologies about the unplanned visit, but I was hoping I could speak with Takahashi Sousuke, if he's available? I'm Ryuzaki Kazukura... we've met before!"