O' Captain My Captain [Day 7, ME]

[Yoko]

Far as she'd heard Shouji was like to be heading to a Crane event that was being hosted shortly, but she figured if she was lucky enough she might just catch him before he left the ship with enough time to get some words in. There was a lot to say. Walking up the plank she'd set herself on finding him quick as could be, with the aim of checking his quarters first.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Come in." Came the Captain's call as he heard a scratching at the door. He wasn't quite ready for the evening out, but it wasn't like he was naked either. Not that he really felt he had much to hide. A more paranoid man might check to see who it was, but it was unlikely his crew would let anyone on board the Captain didn't like.

[Yoko]

Yoko entered, "Hey," she said when crossing the threshold. Still, she approached a bit more to a proper conversational distance and gave a quick greeting.

"Was hoping you had the time to talk a little, before you set out tonight?" she asked, looking back to him with her telltale cocky smirk. But it faded, "Have-" she chuckles, awkwardly. "Guess I have a lot I was hoping to talk about, if you're.." she shrugged, put her thumb in her obi a moment, "well, keen."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"You know that cocky smirk of yours is something of a open challenge, Yoko-san." Shouji replied his tone amused.

"But yes, I have time." He gestured for the ronin to take a seat at the table, though he didn't move to join her. "What was it you wanted to speak to me about?"

[Yoko]

Quirking her brow, both raised she walked over toward where she was indicated to sit. "Wonder what kind of open challenge you take it as, Tsuruchi-sama?" she said, smirked and shook her head. Laughing as she waved her hand, "You don't actually have to answer that. Anyway- just, I wanted to talk about what happened today a bit, eh?"

"That and maybe another question.." she shook her head a little, "but, I've survived this far. So, I'll leave that for after, eh?"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"I'll leave it to a mystery then." Shouji replied as he moved to continue his preparations. Seemingly looking over various accessories to wear for the evening.

"Alright then." The Captain replied turning towards Yomo for a moment and offering a warm smile. "I should offer my congratulations to you. Holding the standard of the Empress is a high honor."

[Yoko]

Yoko broke into a bright smile at that, nodding, "Thank you, Tsuruchi-sama," she smirked and shook her head a little, "quite actually wouldn't have been here without you and your crew, eh?" she chuckled.

"Gonna be honest I was actually.. stunned?" she shook her head, laughed, "Was so nervous walking up there I was certain I was gonna make a fool of myself, honest," she laughed a bit.

"Not sure what comes next but- but I know it'll be something that'll make mom proud," she shrugged, "least I hope."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"I think you were pretty good at it myself. I mean you didn't drop it or anything." He replied his tone playfull. Not that he had expected her too. "Still, I'm happy that I got to play at least a small part in it, and that your actions will see your mothers aproval."

"Sometimes that's all we can really ask for, isn''t it?"

[Yoko]

"Look, had to give it my all. It's the only time I'm gonna be holding onto something that shape with that much care, eh?" she smirked, and then burst out into a bit of laughter.

Waving the laughter off and down she nodded, "At least, mom's. With how much she sacrificed for me I want her to see that it was all worth it, in the end. That when she gave up her life she put herself forward toward something worthwhile. If I can do that, prove that, for her.. I'll die happy someday."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Are you so certain of that, Yoko-san. Could be that's part of the role Oturi-denka has in mind for you." He replied with a chuckle.

"It seems to me you're on that path though." At least closer to it then she was. "Saving life, holding standards. Looks to me you're moving in the right direction."

[Yoko]

"Glad to hear, Tsuruchi-sama. Means a lot, eh? Figure I'll hope that she has other, better uses for me when the time comes, eh? For now though.. maybe we'll find a time that I actually might be able to return your favor in full, eh? Nice and proper?" she said with her smirk.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Maybe we will." He replied with an amused smile. "Have anything in particular in mind? Or just thinking in that direction since we are likely to be together a little longer then expected?"

She had said after all there were things she wished to talk with him about.

[Yoko]

"Just thinking in that direction-" she said, looking to him with a small smile. "Afraid anything I know to do would be.. well, rather uncomfortably reflexive to something, eh? So, I'm gonna keep hoping you'll figure out something someday and we won't have to rely on that," she chuckles a little, shaking her head.

"Oh- just thought about this though," she said, shifting a little in the way she faced him. "Yue, she's been working with us a bit now, eh? How've you found her to be?"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"I probably will." What it would be though, he didn't know There wasn't really a lot of tasks he could easily think of that needed to be done that his crew couldn't handle. "It just may take a bit of thinking about it. Honestly most of my time lately has been preoccupied so i've had little time to give it any thought."

"Yue?" He selected a bracelet from among his things and fastened it to his wrist. "Honestly I've only been able to talk with her a little. She seems pretty up front though. She could have a future ahead of her if she wanted to. Any reason?"

[Yoko]

"Maybe it's not my place to speak on her behalf like I am about to," she said with a smirk, picking up her knee where she sat and leaning onto it. "Honest though- part of the training I had with mom was with the bow. Not much, but a bit. Enough to know that Yue made some rather incredible shots today," she shrugged, "far as I'm concerned."

"You and yours," she waves her hand a little, "not the crew, the ship, but the Tsuruchi. Your family has a fondness of those who are skilled with the bow," she glances, shrugs, "figure it might be something you'd like to see. Not sure what it'd matter but, something to appreciate at least, eh?"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"I don't think you'd stretch the truth with me, Yoko-san." Shouji replied a light chcukle rolling from his lips. "Not after the last few days. So I'd be willing to watch a demonstration at least, if Yue-san wanted to give one."

He pursed his lips. "Honestly when I heard that she was an archer I started encouraging her to visit the lands of the Tsuruchi though. Maybe even with a letter of introduction depending on hos things here went. At the very least I imagine she could find work there, and who knows what elsse might be in her future."

[Yoko]

"If it's what she wants," she gave a little nod, a little shrug. "I should admit I didn't talk it over with her at all. Just.. thought it would be good to mention, eh? Figure if it ends up being something she wants, as you said before I knew you'd trust my judgement," she added with a smile that curved into her cocky smirk.

"But- we've got tomorrow, the wedding, and the day after to prep the boat, eh? Plenty of time to think of big things like.. where to go from here for everyone. Even if some of us have already decided," she adds with another smirk.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Well, we're leaving the morning following the wedding. So could be we have a bit less time then some of the others." Shouji admitted with a half smile. "But yes we still have some time."

"I'll be sure to take some of mine to have another chat with Yue-san." It was something he had thought about anyways. "I'd like to see her shoot too. I may not be as skilled as my cousins, but I still respect a good display of kyujutsu."

[Yoko]

"Hope you do," she gave a little smile at that. Glancing away for a moment as she thought. "You know- I didn't see this coming together the way it did, eh? Like.." she gave a wave of her hand, indicating the space around. "All of it, but also just this," she said, pointing at him and herself. "I know I thanked you for everything you've done and helped me with plenty times already but.. just- taking the moment to really appreciate how life don't hand you the expected outcome, eh?" she smirked on that thought.

"Not what I thought would happen when I signed up for a voyage south to a place I'd never seen before," she chuckled. "Weird question-" she paused, looked to him with a smile. "Do you consider us friends, Tsuruchi-sama? I mean- I do but," she shrugged, laughing. "Guess it's not something I'm used to confirming, eh? Thought came up when I was talking to.. a Crane, I think," she waved her hand off at that thought, it didn't matter who.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"It really doesn't, does it?" Shouji replied with a warm smile. "Honestly I was just looking to have a bit of fun here and nothing more." Nothing like all the stuff that had happened. "Instead there was all of this."

"As to your question, I feel Crane can complicate things sometimes." More then they should maybe. "But yes, friends we are Yoko-san. Or at least that's my thoughts on the matter."

[Yoko]

"Now that-" she laughed, shaking her head a little. "That is something I can agree with totally," she chuckled a little more and waved it off a bit. With a firm nod she smiled, "Though I'm glad then, Tsuruchi-sama. Told the Crane I thought of you as much, and well- guess I can confirm it for you now, eh? Hardly need to after, well," she gave a wave of her hand, everything.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Well, im happy you told them as much. Though I am curious about people asking about our relationship." He continued amusement in his tone.

"I think some of the ones here have something of a grudge against me after yesterday." He smirked. "Not that I'm overly worried about it."

[Yoko]

"Shouldn't be, by my measure, eh?" she said with a smirk. Waving her hand a little, "For what it's worth? One I was talking to was one of them.. one's from the courtyard, eh? Just- he suggested we were friends, and I suggested that you were my employer, though I'd consider you a friend. Figure that put an end to anything.. what's the word" -she snaps her fingers a couple times- "untoward? Untoward," she said with a little self-indulgent smile.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Yes, on that we agree. It's not the kind of question you ask if you don't have anything untoward in mind." He sighed and shook his head. "This kind of talk makes me want a bit of sake, especially since I'll be attending that Crane party so people don't make a fuss."

"If it's the one I'm thinking of, I'd not exactly trust his words anyways. Came in here with a story for me a few days ago and when I checked in with his superior; as I had my doubts. It seemed it wasn't so. Not that I really want to go down that rabbit hole, especially since I don't know your opinion on him. Or if I'm right."

[Yoko]

"Won't toss you down the rabbit hole, eh? But for what it's worth.." she shrugged, and then laughed. "I'm not gonna defend him of anything anytime soon. Not the kind of company I like to keep and for good reason," she shook her head a little. "Honest, I'm pretty sure that if it wasn't cause he was interested in the way a ronin views the world I'd have gotten a reception alike the one you witnessed with the bride, eh?"

"But now- that other suggestion, I'm happy to break open a bottle with you anytime Tsuruchi-sama," she chuckled, nodded, "and you can count on that."