Not Sleepy Yet [Day 2, EN]

[Yoko]

Yoko leaned down by the open flame of a lantern, lighting the packed kiseru carefully. Pulling it up she puffed on it, got it started in the dark, the light of the kiseru highlighting her presence. Satisfied it was started she continues along down the part of the dock she was on until she came all the way toward the furthest end. Sitting down on the edge she swung her legs over the side and relaxed her shoulder up against one of the docks posts. Looking out into the darkened ocean, the beauty of the view.

With the pipe at her lips for a moment she watched the waves roll, the stars in the distance. With the sound of one of those waves coming in she let the smoke flow out between her lips into the open air.

[Ichiro Taiki]

Taiki had been only slightly surprised about being woken up for testing this morning. Having been in Crab lands quite long... it wasn't that uncommon of an occurrence.

But he sure was glad he had taken the extra time to rest before the party the day before. Now today, considering the quiet day and what he ended up doing while presenting his and the Minor Clan's gift to his cousins... he had made it a point to take some time off and sleep again.

The problem being... he couldn't get back to sleep now. He kept coming back to those nightmares, and that happening right when he was talking about resilience... it felt wrong.

He felt he needed to get up and walk. Maybe the wind on his face would help him crash down for the night.

He made his way to the docks absent-mindedly. The fresh sea breeze and the sound of the waves always had a way of calming him down. He still remembered the first time he heard them. It was funny to think many, maybe most Badger never even got to see the sea...

He was still lost in his musings as he saw a flickering light close to the seafront. Apparently someone else needed some time to think.

He slowly made his way towards the light. He wouldn't want to disturb whoever it was... but it wouldn't hurt to see who it was. Maybe they could think together.

[Yoko]

Yoko kept her eyes out on the waters as she sat, enjoying the moment and playing with the occasional thought. She didn't have a mind to turn from this focus for a few footsteps, figuring there would be plenty of those coming around the docks. Still there was plenty room beside her should someone have the mind to. For now she just put the pipe to her lips again and slowly tended the flame with small inhales.

With each bit closer Taiki would get, perhaps more and more things became clear. There was no apparent mon upon her clothing, yet she wore the daisho of a samurai. Out this late and far from the inn, she likely wasn't one who slept there.

[Ichiro Taiki]

So... No mon, but a daisho. A Ronin.

Taiki smiled slightly, remembering his conversation with the Ikeda the day before. He had worked with Ronin quite a few times in his first years outside Badger lands. Been mistaken for one a few times too - even though his size made people take him for a Hida a number of times instead.

He walked a bit closer still, close enough to see some of the face behind the pipe in the dim light. A girl.

He wondered if it could be the Ronin the Ikeda had met.

Now only a few meters from her, he bowed slightly. "Samurai-san. 's quite a braw night fer broodin' an' feelin' th' breeze, eh?"

He turns towards the sea, looking at the horizon.

"Woods A disturb if A sit doon tae bruid beside ye?"

[Yoko]

Yoko paused a moment, pulled the pipe free again and looked up. Letting the smoke flow out of her mouth as she seemed to think a moment. Putting on a smile she indicated the space beside her with the pipe, "Feel free, Samurai-sama. I'll take willing company where and when I can get it, eh? Nice night to watch the waves, early enough too that the water looks beautiful in this light. But- brooding, what brings a big man like you out away from the warmth of a bed or -" she laughed, "well, guess if you were looking for a good place to drink they closed the best place in town, far as I hear. I'll try my best to make up for the loss of quality though, eh?"

[Ichiro Taiki]

The large man gives her a small, but honest smile, and sat beside her - not too close enough to not make things uncomfortable.

"Thanks Samurai-san", he says with a nod, bowing a bit while sitting down.

He heard her question quietly... but as she mentions the 'place to drink' closed, he turns his head slightly towards her, his brows raised.

"Eh? Ye mean... Th' 'ole 's been shut doon? A didnae ken tha'. Dye ken wha' fer?"

He then nods again, his face returning to a tired smile.

"Eh, A mean, A'm sorry, eh?" He bows his head slightly again. "This un's Ichiro Taiki. Plait tae meit ye. And... Nightmares. 's wha' keeps me frae bed. Go' used tae 'em by now, bu' 's still a bo'er a' times. Wha' 'bout ye? Ye dun' 'ave tae sleip heer, do ye?"

[Yoko]

"Yoko," she returns, placing her hand on her chest in the introduction. Bowing a bit, seated as it was. Shaking her head as she rose, "Nah, went and took a look a bit ago but well, didn't expect I'd get any good answers so I didn't try to ask, eh? Changes the nights plans is all- got myself a bed ready on the Sea Fox over.." she threw her thumb over her shoulder, "somewhere back there," she laughed, shaking her head.

"Anyway, we're here now hmm? Feel like sharing about those nightmares you've been having? I'm all ears, if you want," she said, punctuating it by putting the pipe back to her lips, looking to him.

[Ichiro Taiki]

"'s ma pleasure, Yoko-san", he says bowing a bit himself. "Huh. 's odd tha' they'd keep th' 'ole closed. A wonder if..."

He breaks mid-sentence, then his expression gets a bit lighter.

"Ah... doesnae matter, eh? Sae... ye've been workin' fer the Mantis crew, then? Well... 's a guid way tae 've a place tae crash doon i, eh?"

He doesn't seem bothered about working for others at all, or at least he doesn't seem to be.

Still sitting, looking at her for a moment, then back to the horizon, he continues.

"Sae... nightmares. Ye see... theer waur.... attacks. Way back 'en. 'En some others an aw... bu' 's mostly this 'un, yeah"

He stops talking before he says more about the attacks .... maybe he's thinking about them. Maybe trying not to think about them. With his eyes to the horizon, it's hard to know.

[Yoko]

Holding the smoke for a moment she watched the big lug as he looked out over the water. Looking up a bit she let the smoke flow out between her lips and watched it travel up toward the sky. Up toward all the pretty lights that became just a bit more apparent each passing moment and the sky grew darker and darker, unnoticeable as it often was. "I get nightmares too sometimes. Usually brings me back to when I was a kid though, nothing.. well, nothing recent," she commented, a sense of calm to her voice as she looked up like the smoke trail was still there.

"You wanna talk about 'em, or leave 'em be? Not my place to decide but.." she smirked and shook her head a little. "You know, all ears," she poked her ear lobe and chuckled.

[Ichiro Taiki]

The big man kept his eyes on the water as she spoke, then turned his back to look at her over his shoulders for a moment and nod before looking towards the horizon again.

Instead of directly answer her question, he just says this.

"Mine... usually brin' me back to my childhuid too. Me ol' friends, me bro' and me sis'. En'... those thin's. Them wretched thin's tha' took 'em."

He lowers his head a bit, shakes his head for a moment.

"Sae... Yoko-san. Yer ain bad dreams. Did somethin' 'appen to? If ye don' mind me askin', o' course."

[Yoko]

"Doesn't something always happen?" she laughed with a sardonic lilt. With one hand she put the pipe in her mouth, held it for a moment and then pulled it free. Brushing her cheek, the scar, as she let the smoke trail up above.

"So- we sharin' scars now?" she asked, chuckled with a bit more earnest mirth. "You show me yours, I'll show you mind, eh?"

[Ichiro Taiki]

"Doesn't something always happen?" she laughed with a sardonic lilt. With one hand she put the pipe in her mouth, held it for a moment and then pulled it free. Brushing her cheek, the scar, as she let the smoke trail up above.

"So- we sharin' scars now?" she asked, chuckled with a bit more earnest mirth. "You show me yours, I'll show you mind, eh?"

The Badger turns his head to the woman again, and keeps silent for some seconds. When he breaks the silence, it's with a laugh - not too loud, but clear.

"Tha's fair. Sae... Mine first then eh?"

He looks at the darkness of the sea for some time again.

"Sae. The Badger, we've seen ur share o' attacks frae creatures ay th' mirk in th' lest decades. Ye may've heard. Un o' those. As A was a young lad, 'fore me gempukku. Lost me closest fowk. Most ay mah friends. En' A... Couldnae save 'em. A been doing ma best, yeah? Bu'... haunts me e'er since. The soonds, the screams. The clashing blades. I aw comes back."

He keeps quiet for almost half a minute then turns his head back to her... But with a smile.

"Sae. Yoko-san. Yer turn now, eh?"

[Yoko]

While she listens she takes another drag. Letting the smoke pour out for a second, "Guess so," she tapped the pipe a couple times in thought.

"Think the worst part about mine is that I know what burning skin feels like," she pulls up the arm she has wrapped and flexes the hand a little. "You know how sometimes, when were young, we're supposed to be loved and protected by those closest to us? Well- my childhood didn't have much of that, eh? Well.. not at first." Yoko takes another drag, lets the smoke flow out between her lips as she sat with the thought a bit longer.

[Ichiro Taiki]

He keeps his head turned, eyes on hers now while she speaks. He cringes a bit as she mentions burnt skin, and his eyes fill with compassion, but he lets her continue without speaking.

When she's done, he nods, compassion still on his eyes, but he says little.

"A see."

After some more time, he adds: "Yoko-san's very strong. Sae... it's... changed, then? Somehow? After that?"

[Yoko]

"My childhood didn't have much at the start but- yea," she nodded, shaking her head as she smirked. Shifting a little so that she could get more comfortable. "I came into it, found myself with someone who cared more than they had any right to. All because of the woman I owe everything I am to. Without her I'd be someone else entirely," she shrugged, putting the pipe to her lip again.

[Ichiro Taiki]

He nodded again, his face serious, but kind. He takes some time to speak again, and has a slight smile on his face when he does.

"Glad ye foond someain loch 'at. 'S good tae hae... something tae swatch back to."

He looks ahead at the horizon again. "'En something tae swatch forward to, eh? S'pose Yoko-san has 'at noo too, yeah?"

[Yoko]

Blowing out the smoke again she watched it venture upward into the sky, "More that she found me, eh? Still- yea. Always got mom looking out for me, always got mom to run back to. Not that I try to be so ungrateful to run back to her, eh?" she said with a smirk. "Life's what you make of it, or some shit like that," she said, paused. Realized what she said, "Sorry."

[Ichiro Taiki]

Blowing out the smoke again she watched it venture upward into the sky, "More that she found me, eh? Still- yea. Always got mom looking out for me, always got mom to run back to. Not that I try to be so ungrateful to run back to her, eh?" she said with a smirk. "Life's what you make of it, or some shit like that," she said, paused. Realized what she said, "Sorry."

He laughed, a deep, but not overly loud laugh. "'S naethin' tae be sorry abit, Yoko-san."

Recomposing himself, he keeps quiet and thoughtful for some time, then turns his eyes back to her

"But 'en... is thaur somethin' specific ye want tae make ay it, 'en?"

His face seems curious, or maybe slightly confused as he continues. It's almost as if he was reflecting on some things for the first time.

"A guess A've ne'er pure thooght ay things loch 'at. E'en in a toogh spot as we Badger are noo... A guess mony a' us aways 'hink first an' foremost ay uir duties, ur uir kin"

He laughs silently for a moment. "Ur... at leest sae fowk usually say, eh?"

[Yoko]

Listening along Yoko's brow furrowed a little in thought, piecing together everything best she could as she did. Tapping out her pipe against the edge of the dock as she looked out over the waters. "Not sure, just.. one day at a time. Keep living. Figure I'll find my way into places where I can help people, eh? Always someone who needs help somewhere, just takes a little looking. Leave the world better than you left it," she waved her hand a little, dismissing the thought a bit.

[Ichiro Taiki]

He turns his head back to her again, gentle smile contrasting with his burly body.

"Ye're an awffa braw 'en, Yoko-san. 'S braw 'en raur tae meit someone loch 'at"

He slowly stands up and stretches, still smiling. "Sae... 've ye been heer i Crab lands long? Foond someain in need ay help haur i the ville sae far?"

[Yoko]

Yoko sat for a bit, was silent. Bursting out into a short bit of laughter, "No, haven't been here long and haven't found anyone in need of help just yet but- I'm gonna have to be honest, Ichiro-san, I don't quite know what you said first there," she shook her head a little, looked to him and dipped her head, "sorry."

[Ichiro Taiki]

This time he really burst into laughter.

"Och! A'm sorry, Yoko-san. 's ye've been followin' wi' nae problems sae far A've completely forgotten tae mind me tawkin'."

He smiles at her.

"A've just said ye're awfully nice, 's aw. 'S nae often A've talked tae 'un sae mindful a' helpin' others, yeah?"

[Yoko]

Laughter was infectious, and Yoko was all too willing to join in. Waving her hand a bit, "No need to worry, Ichiro-san. Just didn't want to ignore it, eh? And, well, thanks-" she smiled, nodded again, "really."

"Gotta do it for coin more often than not but- good folk still need help, eh? I just need to eat too," she said, shrugged.

[Ichiro Taiki]

He shrugged as well, smile still on his lips.

"Ye ken, 's nothin' dishonourable i needin' th' coin fer tae keep un's belly frae goin' empty, yeah? 'S jus'... many fowk don' ken wha' it's leik tae worry 'bout tha', A guess"

"Bu'... if ye don' min' this 'un askin', Yoko-san. Sae... ye've been ridin' th' waves aways, then? Since... yer ma foond ye, tha' is? Or e'en afair 'at?"

[Yoko]

"Mom found me when I was little," she gave a nod, fiddling with her pipe a little she tapped it off again to clear it out. Slipping it away into her obi. "So, yea- ever since then I've been ronin. Learned to live life from her guidance and while traveling. Guess that too teaches you a little different than most, eh?" she said, smirked, and then shook her head as she chuckled.