Street Watching [Day 1, ME]

[Yoko]

Yoko leaned up against a sturdy support for an roof overhang of a building on the side of the road. Looking out into the foot traffic moving through Fire Shrimp Village. Here she stood with her kiseru in her mouth but no smoke moved from it. With her arms crossed over her chest the right arm leaned fully against the support with her shoulder and most of her positions lay just beneath her, between her foot and the pole. Here she watched as the people moved toward their homes as the end of the day came for each of them slowly but surely, one at a time. While many others were yet busy with their daily tasks of varying import.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi wandered through the streets his stature placing him above the peasants and even most of the other samurai. He was a big man, even by Crab standards. Between that, and his slightly unnerving mismatched eyes, most people gave him a wide berth with one or two of them even drawing wards in the air as they passed to protect them from the evil spirits that they believed might surround the warrior.

As he passed the woman leaning against the pole he noticed no smoke came from the kiseru hanging from her lips, he saw no mons but did see a daisho, likely a ronin. Not that Daichi judged, he didn't put much stock in the celestial order or status.

The large Crab looked down at her, his rich baritone voice cutting through whatever din might be being made by the people on the street "You know I've heard those work much better if you put something in them and ideally light it." his eyes sparkled with a good natured humor as he regarded the woman.

[Yoko]

Looking up to him she smirked with the kiseru yet dangling. Giving enough time to unfurl her left arm from the cross. Pulling the kiseru free she looked into it and let her eyes grow wider, "Oh shit! You're right!" she said with some volume, faking shock. Looking back up to him after that she caught herself laughing, "Yea, I know," she said, shaking her head with a half-restrained chuckle. "Just uh.. well, didn't feel right spending as much as they were asking last place I checked. Probably something about my face, or my clothes," she said, popping the kiseru back in it's place.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi shook his head smile wide on his lips "Ah yeah small town merchants can be like that, even in Crab lands where we claim to be a bit more practical than most. Damn shame if you ask me, treratin' someone different just because of the way they look or the fact they don't have a clan. Way I see it, if you haven't proven yourself an enemy means you're a potential ally. Hell come winter you could even become a Crab if the circumstances are right and a Twenty Goblin Winter is going on."

Daichi reached into his obi and pulled out a small pouch "Here, catch" he said tossing it to the ronin "Its not much but just a little something to make up for my people's foolishness. Its pretty good quality kizami though if I do say so myself." he said smiling to Yoko "So what are ya doing out here on the street just standing around?"

[Yoko]

With her hand more or less raised, she brought it up in a smooth flash of a motion and caught the pouch. Glancing to it she smiled as much as holding the kiseru there would allow, "Oh shit hey," she chuckled, her words a little muffled with the pipe held in her mouth, "uh, forget I said that. Anyway, thanks, Crab-sama. Here I was thinking I wasn't gonna get such a warm reception eh?" she smirked, biting down on a little to hold her kiseru in place, causing it to pull upward, as she shifted a bit and tucked the pouch in her obi.

"So," she freed her hand and then freed her mouth, pulling the pipe out between her first two fingers she dangled it in front of herself. "About me, eh? Right now I'm just spending a little time getting to know the area a bit. Figure I might start looking for some extra side-work good and proper tomorrow or something. Still, got myself a bed to sleep in with the Mantis so.. I'm in no rush," she laughed, shaking her head. "Friendly guy like you wouldn't have any good idea's on what's going on around that could use another pair of hands, would ya?" she asked, quirking her brow with the question.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi waved a hand dismissively swatting away the words "Please call me Daichi, no need for such formality i'm just a soldier and a troublemaker. Sadly I don't know much of what needs doing but I'll ask around for ya see if anything shakes loose. What kind of skills you got any way? It'll help me in my search to know what kind of work I should be keeping you in mind for."

[Daidoji Kio]

“Now listen up, most of you won’t survive the training to become a Night Soldier, in fact many of you will probably die. This is a sacrifice I am willing to make,” the young girl said to the gathered children. She wore a menacing mask and rested her wooden sword over her shoulder as she continued her pitch.

“But if you think you have what it takes then you can join the Night Samurai in bringing justice to the world. Plus we can probably get some candy too. But mainly justice.”

A little boy picking his nose said, “So uh… who is you?”

Kio responded, “I am the Night Samurai, terror to all those who seek injustice!”

“What’s a inu-justik?” another said.

“No stupid she said, injunist, duh,” another girl responded.

“Injustice, it’s like being bad and then we fix it,” Kio responded. She then wrote the character in the dirt for the kids who then gathered around. Sadly most of the peasant kids couldn’t read so it was lost on them.

[Yoko]

Yoko looked at Daichi a bit, leaning a little to get a better view of his mon. Took her a moment but with a little nod she seemed fairly confident when she said, "Look, Hida-sama, I really do appreciate the gesture of trying to lower yourself so you're a little more.. reachable, yea? Just.." she shook her head and looked out toward the street again.

Finding a group of kids playing around, smiling at the notice of it she watched them while she continued, "Just, if I start calling you by your chosen name like that they see a random Ronin being far too familiar above her station, yea? Doesn't make my life any easier. Quite the opposite, really. So, I'll just say, hey, I appreciate it, and I'll appreciate it more if you find some work I can do with a blade, eh?" she glanced up to him again laying her hand down and tapping her sword as it lay against her hip.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi shrugged "hey you do you im not your lord, just letting you know you don't have to be so formal if you don't want to but I understand what you're saying."

"Bit of a travelling warrior eh? Thats a tough life but at least you can defend yourself while doing it!" His stomach let out a growl of protest to remind him why he came to these streets in the first place "oh man forgot how hungry I was, you wanna join me for a bit of dinner Ronin-san?"

[Yoko]

"I would love to, but," she tapped a different spot, along her obi, "see, I got the Mantis ship offering me food. Wouldn't quite make sense to spend any on getting extra when I've got something serviceable enough waiting for me back on the boat, yea? If you want a conversation partner though.." she leaned off the bar, stretched her arms out a little. "Well, I'm game for a little more chatting, eh?"

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi snorted a bit "No worries Ronin-san its on me as a welcome to this village and a thank you for coming to my brother's wedding. Festivities have me in a giving mood!" He said with a laugh and hand gesture that requested she follow him.

"The inn has alright food but there are a couple of peasants that make a great tempura, shrimp is good but all the seafood is. Benefit of living next to the ocean." He paused for a moment "Though I think they have some chicken and vegetables if you're tired of seafood travelling with the Mantis."

[Yoko]

Yoko watched the kids a bit longer, glancing to him as he started to walk. Realizing what he said she quickly spun about the support she'd been leaning against and caught up with him. Stepping up, matching his pace, she synced up.

"Whoa, hey, hold up did you just say your brother? Your mother's the-" she shook her head, clearing the dumbfounded look from her expression. "No, yea, that makes sense on all the way's you've been phrasing the hospitality I guess just.." she looked up to him, "does make it a bit more surprising, you know, all this. Don't folk like you have like.. meetings and such you have to go to? Important people you have to see?" she quirked a brow.

[Hida Daichi]

Daich bellowed out a laugh "Indeed I am Hida Fuboshi-dono's youngest son, my mother likely has many important meetings she goes to and my sister as lord of the castle has much to keep her busy but my brother and are simple warriors." he looks down to her with a wide bright smile "I am no one important Ronin-san, just a loose cannon Hida out to try and fill his belly tonight." he followed her eyes and smiled at the antics of the children before continuing to walk.

[Yoko]

"You're not, but you can act like one if you want," she said with a laugh. Hooking a thumb into her obi as they continued to walk, the bottles clattering against one another. "I'm certainly not gonna force you to act different than you like," she shrugged. "Nice thing about hangin' out with a ronin, eh?" raised her brow, smirking.

"So.. brothers gettin' married and you're out here heading off to get some grub with a ronin. Wonder, have any ideas that this was the way your day was gonna end up?"

[Hida Daichi]

"If you say so Ronin-san, I might know people in high places but its never afforded me anything special that I've noticed." Though it could be noted that he was still here and not imprisoned or forced to seppuku after many blatant breaches of law and etiquette.

At her question Daichi bellowed a laugh "Ronin-san this day has been nothing but one big surprise after another, I stopped trying to think about what might happen next."

[Yoko]

"Well, any you want to share? I'm all ears, eh?" she suggested as she looked to him while they walked.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi interlocked his fingers behind hos head and rested said head in his hands as he walked "Well let's see so far today i met a delightful little Moshi in the baths this morning and had a rather thorough chat, I saw a Crane dancer on the castle training ground, pretty cute but not really what one expects when they go to practice kata." He paused working his mouth like he was chewing on his thoughts "oh yeah! I also just found out that I'm to marry into the Mantis family sometime very soon.

He looked down at Yoko smiling "so yeah just kind of one surprise after another so far today."

[Yoko]

"Huh," she laughed, "neat. You must have met Moshi Meiko-sama then, eh?" she said with a little smirk. Before she let that sit too long, "Who're you marrying over with the Mantis? I came in with the-" she twisted her lip, shook her head. "Well, most of 'em, eh? Came in on the Sea Fox and that's how I know Moshi Meiko, and Moshi Minari, but if it's either of those two you're definitely talking about Moshi Meiko-sama. I know that other ship came in too but then- nah, it was probably from that ship, eh?"

[Hida Daichi]

"Yes that sounds about right! Lovely little thing she was, perhaps a touch more proper than im used to dealing with but a good sort it seemed!" He said smiling brightly.

"As for my intended her name is Yoritomo Xung-Ji, the captain of the other ship that Arrived for the wedding. Dont know much about her other than that, honestly can't even recall the name of her ship really."

[Yoko]

"Huh- guess even the life of a good and proper samurai can get a little.. wave-like, eh?" she chuckled, shaking her head. "Any thoughts on it all? Happy to be- engaged?"

[Hida Daichi]

"Eh a bit difference being we go where we are told and not where we like." He said with a smile "A bit of a double edged sword either way, freedom at the cost of security or having everything you need given to you at the cost of having any will to decide what to do with it. A strange existence we all lead." He said slightly thoughtfully.

He shook his head full bright smile returning "As for my impending marriage? I dont know what to think yet, Yoritomo-sama seems decent enough and she's gorgeous but its still a shock to go to a meeting with mother and walk out with an intended I hadn't even known existed the day before."

[Yoko]

"Trust me on at least the one part, Hida-sama. Unless the freedom is very important to you, your life's better, eh?" she said, smirked. Shaking her head. Glancing around the streets a bit, "Anyway, so we celebrating with this meal then? Might not know much but beautiful is a good start, eh? Can't have too unfortunate of plans for you if you're a governors son so, sure it'll be a good-" she stopped, looked to the side and stuck her tongue out as if to get something off it. Who've I become talking like that. Yoko laughed for seemingly no reason.

"So- partying. Your brother's wedding is soon, you're set to be married, we adding drinks onto all this?" she looked back, raised a brow with a cocky grin.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi gave her a look, tilting his head to the side in question "everything alright there Ronin-san?" He asked after her laugh but shook it away when she seemed fine "I suppose if you need a reason to drink this is as good as any other!" He said chuckling

"Whats your name by the way? If im going to share a meal with a good looking woman id like to at least call her something other than Ronin-san." He said smirking down to her as they walked through the streets.

[Yoko]

"Ah damn," she chuckled, shaking her head. "Yoko," she said, bringing her hand up to her chest. "You gave your name to me, gave me something to smoke, and here I am disappointing mom by not even returning my own name. Even out here offering to give me some food, I'm-" she shook her head "- what an embarrassment," she said, but the smirk conveyed she wasn't taking any of what she was saying to heart, playing it up in humor.

[Hida Daichi]

"Hey join the club! I've been disappointing my mom for years!" he said with a laugh, it would seem Yoko had found good company for self deprecating humor tonight "Come! lets find a place that will give us enough food to feel full and enough drink to make us forget about disappointments!" he said with a wide grin as they moved down the street heading toward a medium sized building with a sign that read "The Crispy Crab."

Daichi hiked a thumb toward the building "A little hidden gem in the village, not the fanciest place around but the peasants here make some food with a proper amount of Crab spice!" he waved to follow as he headed in.

Inside was dimly lit just enough to not make seeing difficult, walls made of rice paper and cheap wood were dotted with candles and lanterns scattered about and there were only a handful of tables in the small space for dining. An older peasant man with a bit of a gut and thinning hair but happy smile lines around his kind eyes greeted them when they walked in Daichi waving back sat down at the nearest open spot.