Hash Out [Day 5, MA, Sea Fox]

[Yoko]

It'd been on her mind since the day prior. With the bottles held in one hand, also gripping a small basket of something else she picked up, and in the other a book of some kind she'd gotten a referred to by the shops owned. Yoko made her way back to the boat with singular focus. Searching for Ishi, wherever she might be.

[Ikeda Ishi]

She was in the hold below deck trying to settle her stomach. She had come first thing in the morning having woken up back in the castle once more. Now just a refugee in an impossible situation.

[Yoko]

"Still having that problem, eh?" she said from the bottom of the stairs, regarding her a moment. With a casual gait, walking into the hold she tossed a few of the things down on one of the nearby cots.

"Not that any of that would help," she tossed the book down beside them, turning around to face Ishi, "maybe not that either. Still," she settled her back against one of the boats supports. "we need to talk, or- I want to talk."

[Ikeda Ishi]

She nodded and said dryly, "It seems I am fairly popular today."

[Yoko]

"Tsuruchi-sama, I'm guessing?" she quirked a brow but waved it off with her hand. "Not really much of a surprise, or it shouldn't be, with everything that's been going on, eh?" she shrugged.

"You've been- This is all-" she paused. "I wanna make sure you're okay, eh?"

[Ikeda Ishi]

"I am as well as anyone could be expected to be in such a situation. My only concern is for the well being of the Empire," she said in reply.

[Yoko]

"Which leaves nobody present to care about you, far as I've seen. If your only concern is the Empire. Crew maybe, me," she gestured toward the things she brought. "Yours while you're hiding here, plenty of drink.. too much drink, honestly, but I wasn't sure your preference."

Yoko walked back over toward the things, pulling up the book, "Book was something I got help on, I don't usually have much time to read but the shopkeep said this was something you might like, and the basket.. well, something nice to snack on if your stomach can handle it, eh?" she set the book back down where it was, turned back to Ishi.

"That's the start."

[Ikeda Ishi]

"I do not understand, the intent?" she said honestly. "Perhaps this is a ronin thing? Why would I be concerned with myself, my life belongs to my lord and to the Empire. All other concerns are secondary."

[Yoko]

"It's not a ronin thing," she smirked, shaking her head at the thought. "But- like you said the other day, maybe it's easier for me cause I'm a ronin, and yea, I get that. I think there's plenty of reason you should care about yourself. Who else can you rely on when things stop making sense?" she waved the thought off a little.

"I've- look, there's-" she paused, struggled with the words a little. It's not just cause I'm a ronin, but I've seen what happens when samurai forget to watch themselves and give themselves up fully to their lord before. It doesn't always end well, and it definitely doesn't make the Empire a better place," she let that hold for a moment, but then added.

"Your life has meaning, I know it does."

[Ikeda Ishi]

"Of course it does, to best serve the Imperial family through these troubles times," she said.

[Yoko]

With a sigh she crossed her arms, leaning back against the support and letting herself slide to the ground. "More than that," she looked across, not directly at Ishi but she was in the peripheral.

"People are just people," she said, her voice softer than normal. "Oturi Yuahime is a good woman, a good samurai, and.. if it came to it she'd be a good leader too," she shook her head, "when we spoke at the festival she damn near well had me reconsidering every decision I made about not going down toward the wall, you know? From talking to her she doesn't want anything to do with the throne. Wants to do the right thing and serve the Empire, help at the south. So, easy," she chuckled humorlessly, "considering it's her brother in line, eh? Shouldn't be any problem in getting what she wants, what she hopes for," she says, exhaling and taking the moment. "Yet here we are. Every account points toward her brother still wanting her dead because he's not comfortable with the idea of something else happening."

"So, that brings me back to you, Ikeda-sama," she says, looking to and focusing on the woman. "When the world doesn't make sense, when the Imperial family wants to tear itself apart for no good reason, who can you even look to if not yourself? What you know and feel to be right in here," she said, bringing a hand up to her chest tapping it twice.

[Ikeda Ishi]

She frowned, "I do... not know. The guidance of the Divine Throne has ever been my beacon."

[Yoko]

"Mom, the woman who trained me and taught me how to be a samurai gave me an answer once that I hold true even now, eh?" she brought her knees up and crossed her arms atop them. "To be a samurai is to serve, to serve something greater than ourselves. You were taught, told, that the only answer was your betters, I'm guessing, but even more than that we're supposed to serve the Empire," she said, giving a little shrug.

"Maybe it's what she told me to make my life as a ronin now easier. But every time it's come up against being tested it proves out. When I look to the Empire I don't see someone who sits on a throne but the whole thing, eh?" she brings her hand up, spinning it around as if to make a globe shape.

"So, yea, as a ronin I don't have a lord to tell me what my purpose is, but I find it for myself everywhere I go. Always my purpose is to help those I can, those in need, the Empire as a whole but the little parts of it that people tend to forget. In some place it's solving a pest problem, in others it's sharing a drink with someone in need, and here.. here maybe it's giving everything I can to help Sutorenja-san."

"Maybe it's to be here for you? Show you.. something, help you see the world a little differently than you have so you can act on what you need to. Find your own purpose so you don't sit here struggling with what you're supposed to be or do, but so you can act in a way that maybe helps save the Empire, makes things better. For more than just a few but the greater whole of us all, eh?"

"Maybe it's time for you to start thinking about what you want your greater purpose to be."

[Ikeda Ishi]

She listened carefully and then collected her thoughts. She said, "I think I see what you are trying to say, but such a way of being... of living, that is completely different from anything I have ever known."

[Yoko]

Yoko smiles, a touch of relief that she held in check, "I understand. From every time I've seen you.. I see someone who wants to do it right, to be a good samurai, eh? I don't think that's the path others have set out for you this far," she shook her head, she didn't want to dwell on it.

"If you want to take the step to try I'm here for you, eh? Every step of the way. I really hope you want to. Just.. it's feels risky at first but once you figure it out, it's good."

[Ikeda Ishi]

"I will feel my best when Sutorenja is safe," she said honestly.

[Yoko]

"Okay," she laughs a little, relieved as she was. Sitting up more against the support of the boat she looks up to Ishi with a warm smile. "So we have our direction, eh? Protecting her seems about as good a purpose as anyone could ask for," she confirms with a smirk and a nod.

"I spoke with her this morning.. risked what I could to tell her what she needed to know again. Which means our next step is probably finding that ronin, Ikeda Hiro. Although.. if the first night shows anything he might remember.. or he might not," she shook her head. "Well.. lets hope he remembers and is nearby, eh?"

[Ikeda Ishi]

"I am sure I can find him," she said.

[Yoko]

"Okay, so, don't want you going alone but we go together, eh?" she smiles a little, gives a nod. Pushing herself up onto her feet, holding against the support with one of her hands and leaning in with her shoulder a little as she rose, "I'm gonna go find the Captain, chat with him quick. Meanwhile, you get ready and then we go together," she said, getting to a full stand and turning to face her.

"Alright?" she looked to her, not ready to accept anything other than assent.

[Ikeda Ishi]

"Yes, that is acceptable," she responded.

[Yoko]

"Good," she smiled, turned about and in the motion wrapping her hand around the ships support to swing herself around and quickly head up the stairs.