Well, after writing what is probably my darkest story yet, I think I now have a good idea what was causing my writer's block. One thing I noticed long ago, is that if I start to write in the same style for too long, things either go sideways or dry up altogether.
And to be honest, the part of Sensei I have been writing has actually been good and happy. And like happened sometimes with Country Boy, it was like I wanted to just bust it all up. So instead, I started writing Bohica. And then alternated back and forth when things were getting to sappy, or to dark.
This time, I ended up digging out yet another of my old stories. But this time, I took the base concept only (a "do over"), and pretty much throwing it all away except for the first half a page and writing a completely new story.
And a cautionary warning, "Another Life" is unquestionably one of my darkest tales yet. This one is not even moderately dark, it is downright horrible at the end.
But hopefully after knocking out three like this, I can return to give some sunshine into the life of Clint.