HC: What Kennyo Would Think Of The Warlords If He Were Allied With  Them – Pt. II: Takeda-Uesugi Alliance

HC: What Kennyo would think of the Warlords if he were allied with  them – Pt. II: Takeda-Uesugi Alliance

Had fate played out differently and Kennyo allied with the Oda Forces, or joined the Takeda-Uesugi alliance without his brothers killed and Hongan-Ji razed first, or was simply a neutral party hanging out in either Azuchi or Kasaguyama Castle, this might be what he thinks of everyone (I guess it’s Kennyo’s “Another Ikemen Sengoku,” haha~):

[Pt. I: The Oda Forces]

The Takeda-Uesugi Alliance:

Kennyo weeps with joy, relief and gratitude when he finds out Shingen is still alive. He hurries to Echigo, hardly stopping for rest; upon arriving, Shingen tells him he looks terrible. Kennyo holds it together long enough to shoot back that Shingen looks remarkably well for a wandering ghost (“I shouldn’t be surprised that your preening to impress women carried on to the afterlife–”), but when Shingen grins and opens his arms, Kennyo can’t help but give him the biggest bro hug.

They’ve mostly resumed where they left off, spending evenings drinking and contemplating the world when things are peaceful enough (though, as usual, there’s a mismatch in their preferred subjects of contemplation and they rib each other for it). Beneath their long, meandering talks, Shingen worries about Kennyo’s increasing distress as he desperately tries to keep Hongan-Ji safe, and Kennyo worries about the cold bitterness growing in Shingen’s heart that demands vengeance for his home and clan. Of course, both of them insist that they are fine.

Kennyo is also grateful for Yukimura’s diligent care of his good friend. Though he lightly admonishes Yuki now and again for his lack of forethought in speaking to others, Kennyo sees him as a valiant, upstanding young man and a fine leader. Of course, that doesn’t stop him from having a chuckle at Yukimura’s expense when he bickers with Sasuke, Shingen, and Kenshin, but he makes up for it by having Yuki’s back against Shingen’s “get me candy or I’ll die” nonsense, and by giving Shingen significant [read: smug] “you should listen to the boy” looks when Yuki tells him to stop being weird towards women. Sometimes, when Yukimura is feeling especially worried about Shingen, he’ll talk to Kennyo as a confidante and adviser.

Like everyone else, Kennyo finds Sasuke odd, but strangely charismatic, as Sasuke is mature, respectful, well-spoken, thoughtful, insightful, and obviously capable as a ninja. They are very formal and courteous with one another, and Kennyo is always willing to answer Sasuke’s many questions, though he finds the other man a bit elusive and puzzling. Kennyo is used to being able to read people and to people opening up to him, but that’s not the case with Sasuke–the ninja has a remarkably stoic demeanor and seems to hover just out of reach. Kennyo wonders about the well-being of a man with so many secrets (and one sworn to Kenshin, at that), but is content to let him be, knowing that Sasuke will open up on his own time if help is needed.

Kenshin and Kennyo have a…strained relationship. Kennyo intensely disapproves of Kenshin’s warmongering and his penchant for attempting to kill his own vassals (noticeably, Sasuke). He’s had to fend off some of the warlord’s spontaneous “tests” himself, and his snarling reprimands when he pushes back don’t seem to phase Kenshin. Ultimately, Kennyo just ends up disgruntled at his own failure to remain temperate. As much as Kenshin’s lust for violence rankles him, Kennyo senses the warlord’s fractured sense of self, and worries deeply for him. Now and again he tries to engage Kenshin in conversation, but Kenshin’s refusal to talk about anything that doesn’t revolve around fighting, sake, or pickled plums bludgeons his patience until he has to leave, unless Kenshin gets bored and leaves (or attacks him) first.