Purpose [Day 6, Late Afternoon]

[Yoko]

Renewed, Yoko returned to the ship with her hand resting on her blade as she walked up the plank. Giving nods toward the members of the crew she might have passed, the bottles hanging from her hip as they always did and smacking against one another occasionally to signal her approach. Searching about the ship for either of the two Ikeda, both, it didn't much matter to her with what she had in mind.

[Dapper Dog]

Ikeda Hiro was practicing his stance, he was obviously a skilled swordsman. Ishi was following his lead.

[Yoko]

Quirking her brow when she found them she walked over, nearby, and found a place to lean up against whatever she could as was her self-determined right. Noticeable from where they were on the deck of the ship. Sat up, leaned up, against a box or something that contained any number of random items but knowing this ship it was probably booze.

Waiting for a moment, when she had their chance, she whistled, "That's some pretty nice sword work there. Not that I'm all that surprised, Ikeda and all, eh?" she said with a little smirk.

[Dapper Dog]

"You are kind to say so, we are but students in the path of the sword," he said calmly.

"I assume your education was far more practical?"

[Yoko]

"Not quite sure what you mean to suggest? 'Less you mean I just picked up a sword some day, started swinging," she shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. With a little added shrug, "Mom- the woman who raised me, wouldn't have me learn any other way than what was strictly proper, eh? Sometimes our old lives linger a bit, I figure. Least that's what I always saw in her."

"Wanna see for yourself?" she said, nudging her blade with the side of her hand, smirking cockily.

[Dapper Dog]

"I mean no disrespect to your honored mother, but I would be honored to see your training," he responded.

[Yoko]

"Mom," she instinctively seemed to correct, but before she lingered on it she stepped forward with a short chuckle. Leaning her hand onto the handle of her blade a moment. With her other hand she brushed her own chin, "You clean up well, by the way," she smirked again, but then found herself some space. Waving off the thought, "No sense in waiting for too long, eh?"

Giving him a nod she'd take her stance. Leaving a moment before she began to place her hand on her blade, closing her eyes. Staying with her blade in the moment she stood still and found some level of calm dignity that was perhaps unlike the woman. As she stood her lips moved, subtly, as she offered unvoiced words. Opening her eyes she exhaled slowly, focusing once more on her stance. One that, should either be familiar enough, was marked with the style of the Kakita. Standing reserved, elegant in it's way, she pulled her blade clean from it's saya. Moving from that moment into the completion of the practice kata she'd been working on diligently before the world got way weirder, way faster than she was prepared for.

Each and every moment was one Yoko focused on, kept herself centered and focused on each next strike. While she was certainly well taught, she was no novice but she'd already achieved some basic mastery over the blade. However, there was certainly much more she could learn. When she finished she left her blade unsheathed, whispered for a woman far from where she was now, "Next time I'll do better," and returned her sword to it's saya. Closing her eyes again, inhaling and exhaling slowly as she broke into a smile.

Looking over to Hiro she wore the smile as it shifted into a smirk, "This.. brings up why I wanted to find you," she admitted, but waved her hand. "But first, thoughts? I'd like to hear them if you'd be kind enough, Ikeda-sama."

[Dapper Dog]

"I sense the style of Kakita in your movements, was this from your 'Mom'?" he asked.

[Yoko]

"It was- honest, this and some other skills I hold are because of her upbringing. One's you probably wouldn't expect from someone like me, eh? Well.. at least, who she was before she met me," she said, smiled and shrugged. Yoko at least seemed chipper enough when the proper title for the woman was used, even if it wasn't near proper at all.

[Dapper Dog]

"To be honest I have had very little contact with ronin samurai until recently. If there is one thing I have learned is that a samurai can become lordless for any numbers of reasons and that variety should never be discounted. There is a certain ingenuity that many a ronin has to rely on that more proper samurai will never consider or develop," he responded honestly.

[Yoko]

"Mom would like you," she said, with her telltale smirk. Resting her same-side hand on her blade instead of her hip. Quirking her brow as she paused the moment, tackled with the thought. "Well.. here's to hoping it was good enough, eh? Even if you don't remember most of our meetings. Might be a small shame that my memory of sitting in a room, getting a chance to drink with the woman who's to be Empress and, well," she glanced between the two, "two.. actually fine samurai, won't be remembered by most who shared the room," she waved her hand a little, that wasn't actually what she wanted to say.

"What I mean is- I'm.. with everything that's happened. I'm not sure I'm all that needed anymore, if I ever was, eh?" she smirked, but it was different. Shifting her hand onto her blade more heavily blade so it dipped down a bit. "Just-" she shook her head, smirked her telltale again. "You ever find yourselves in need of a ronin, remember me, eh?"

[Dapper Dog]

"You will not be forgotten, Yoko," he said chuckling.

[Ikeda Ishi]

Ishi added, "I do not see how we could forget one who has done so much for Oturi-dono."

[Yoko]

With both of them, Yoko smiled brightly, "I'm only ever running in toward the right thing. I was happy to do it, it's all it ever was," she said, her voice taking on a little melancholy with the words. Exhaling a little she let the thought flow on, slow and steady. "I- I don't want to end up overstaying my welcome. So, I should probably go, eh? Leave you both to your duties, your training, preparing for the days ahead. Don't need me hanging around just to be a distraction, eh?" Yoko said, steeling herself a little.

Playing with the frayed edge of her sword, thumbing at it as she tackled with a thought, "Seems like my part in the tale that will one day be Ikeda Ishi is over, eh?" she said, smirking as she focused on the woman a bit. Much as saying it brought on a familiar lump in the pit of her stomach.

[Ikeda Ishi]

"You are welcome to train with us, friend," she said kindly.

"Assuming Ikeda-sensei does not mind."

[Dapper Dog]

"None here, Ishi-san, she has my respect, for a ronin," he responded with a teasing laugh.

[Yoko]

Yoko looked to Ishi, bright eyed and with a big grin, but when Hiro added in she couldn't help but laugh. Bringing her hands together behind her had and rested against them, "Careful now, you can't take those words back anymore, Ikeda-sama. I'm holding onto them forever," she teased back, a little, smirked and shook her head. "That goes for you too, eh?" she glanced to Ishi, chuckling a little.

"But I- yes, please," she said, nodding by the end. Hooking her hand onto her hip a bit, standing confidently. Another chuckle as she settles into this perhaps slightly unexpected reality. "Training with you both sounds.. I would love to."

"Think that makes the honor mine, eh?" she smirked.