[Moon 8: Early Evening - Aftdeck - OPEN] Gazing.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hee, one of my sisters is a courtier, but then again, she had little choice." he mused, watching out to the sea with her.

"We all have our place in the world." the man chuckled, smiling. "It's just not always easy to accept the fact."

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Well, it seems like I've found my place." She says with a shrug. "What was it that Shinsei used to say? Fortune favors the mortal man? Yeah, I think that was it. Smart guy, him."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Yes, that's what he said." the man nodded. "He said many wise things..."

As his thoughts raced, in his mind his eyes scanned the paged of the Tao, recalling line after line. In the real word... he dazed off, looking at the sea, lost in contemplaton.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Yep." She muttered. Seeing him dazing off, she looked out to see again, smoking her pipe lazily as she comtemplated life and bushido and the tao... or boats. One of those things is likely true.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

The man kept standing on the spot, swaying with the boat, staring to the distance.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"So what do ya think you'll be doin' on the ship," she finally asked him, looking back in his direction after blowing another puff of smoke. If nothing else, she seemed respectful enough to not blow it in his face.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Finally snapping out of his reverie, the man turned to the woman, with somewhat embarrassed smile on his face.

"I can patch wounds, and call the kami to aid the crew, and the ship." Iuchi explained. "I have also quite keen gaze, so I guess that I'll be spending a quite few time up there." He pointed at the top of the mainmast.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Ah, so yer a shugenja. What do you plan to do to keep your scrolls protected? It'd be inconvenient for you to lose 'em to the sea." Her gaze returned to the sea, her face becoming more stoic and business-like.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"I made some spares, I keep them tucked away in my travelling chest." he explained. "I'll need to ask O-Washi about what he does to his scrolls. Something to coat the cloth of my satchel..."

[Yasuki Himiko]

"'s a good plan." She stretches briefly, then holds her kiseru to the outside of the boat and knocks the ashes into the water. She then put it in her mouth, letting it rest between her teeth.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"So, Yasuki-san has been sailing for a quite a while then? May I ask what you expect yourself doing on this voyage?"

He asked her, smiling carefully.

[Yasuki Himiko]

She laughs a bit. "Actually I've never sailed in my life. I just did a lot of study on the subject." At the second question, she shrugged. "More than likely, I'll probably end up on the riggings."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Never been on a ship before?"

The man looked a little bit surprised.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Whim and duty are two different things, Iuchi-san. Spent my time in the last conflict for my namesake, then was placed on the wall before I was placed here. Still, got the chance to study up on sailing an' sh*t during my free time, so I at the very least understand the basics. Hopefully before this is over I can have a better understanding."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hee, " he nodded. "I am sure this'll prove to be an.. enlightening experience then. The crew seems to be seasoned, so you should be all right."

"My duties have kept me off the mainland, and thus away from the recent... turmoil." the man continued, leaning his back to the railing.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Count yerself lucky for it. 's pointless, ya know. Fighting other samurai over all this crap. This is a far better life, right here. No politics on the open sea."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Well, whether it is pointless or not, is not always for me to decide." the man explained, smiling still. "But, I do count myself fortunate, for getting to serve my Clan the way I do. As I said, the world has a place for all of us."

Folding his hands on his chest, he continued.
"No politics, hmm? I wouldn't be so sure about it."

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Look, if there're politics goin' on on the boat, I don't wanna know about 'em. I've had enough of dealing with that sh*t." She folds her arms as well, but her attention is still firmly on the ocean.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"If you do not deal with politics, the politics might deal with you." he laughed gently. "Nothing is as simple as it seems to be."

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Should be. If people spent less time squabblin' and more time worrying about the threats of the shadowlands and the north, we'd be much better off. At least in my opinion." She shrugged a bit. "Still, not much I can do about it. I managed to remember a little bit of what they taught me in the Yasuki school, so I'll do what I can."