Day , Early Morning - Last day blues (open)

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

It is gorgeous weather today. Truly wonderful. The waters twinkle with the growing light of the sun and the docks don't look so bad. Not even the squalid temporary houses that are visible or the increase number of depressed looking peoples - it all seems a bit brighter thanks to the lovely day. At least Tomoe thinks so. It probably helps that she is on board the Half Moon for a change, rather than at the Embassy. After the dreadful night before she had decided to sleep on board her new ship assignment for the first time. She'd fallen asleep quickly and by morning felt much better because of it. Now she lingered around the aftdeck, inspecting the ship, looking at the view and seemingly lost in thought. She occasionally looked towards the shore and where the Embassy could be found as if she was debating returning there.

Her left hand, resting constantly on her katana handle as if it comforted here, tapped the weapon every now and then. She stretched and closed her right hand a few times. She felt stiff. The city actually looked welcoming today but she had had too may bad experiences. The unnatural berserk weather caused by some crazy shugenja. She had heard he had possibly been responsible for dooming the kami involved with that stunt. It had winded her up in one of the local holding rooms for questioning. That had been bothersome... then the investigation of the murders the next day. She quickly pushed the scene of the inside of the temple from her mind. It was too graphic. The report to the captain had also been uncomfortable. Then the assault on the enemy ship and the horrors it held for them. No, this whole place was heathen and horrible. She would be glad to sail away from it, possibly with it aflame. Let the gaijin kill each other, the uncivilised fools. She sighed loudly before turning her attention to the dock walls. They would be leaving them soon... she could feel the anticipation within her growing.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Another less than happy figure, leaned to the railing close by, sighing. Despite not having been part of the attack group, dark circles surrounded his eyes, the man having been helping the wounded, bot Rokugani and the allied locals through the night. Huddling his head to his hands, the man sighed again, only to shake his head before straightening himself. This wasn't the time to be sad. He had things to do.

Noticing Tomoe near by, he raised his hand to a meek greeting, his voice lacking the usual spirit. "Good morning, Mirumoto-san."

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

She inspected him for a second before replying "Good morning Iuchi-san". She gave a rigid bow and walked a little closer, but kept enough distance in case he wanted to be alone. The stranger looked a little stressed she thought. That makes two of us

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Bleak morning." he nodded. "Despite the weather. Did you manage to catch any sleep?" Iuchi looked at her, tilting his head.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

"Hai. I feel a little better thanks to it" Tomoe responded. "We have not met before. Mirumoto Tomoe. Hohei. I have been transferred from the Orochi's Wake". She gave another formal bow.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Pardon my manners." the Unicorn bowed to the Dragon. "Iuchi Xiao Hua. A pleasure to meet you, Mirumoto-san."

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

A strange name. Foreign? She wondered. After a second of thinking that, she then inspected the man. Her gaze running up and down him twice to take in his clothes, stance, general appearance and how well groomed he was. She recalled his tone of voice. She tried to learn as much as she could from the inspection. Finally she finished by staring into his eyes. How would this one react?

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

The Dragon stared the Unicorn. Had the Dragoon been an actual mythical being, staring Ki-Rin, the scene would have made sense. But as the situation was notably less spectacular, the Iuchi felt himself bothered by Tomoe's gaze.

He carefully waved his hand left and right before her eyes.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

She stepped back with a look of annoyance. A wise guy. Hmm. "Well, you seem to be in a sane state of mind now". Pardon his manners indeed. "Nice to meet you" She said slowly and cautiously. "I will be glad to be leaving this wretched city. You?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"My sanity was suspected?" Xiao Hua asked, raising his eyebrow. "And yes, I have to agree, as much as sailing through the Sea of Shadows is exactly my thing..."

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

"We have a good captain with experience of the trip so we will be fine. As for sanity, I meant... never mind" She smiled back. Everything was wearing her out lately. "I wonder how this land will look in a few years after the demonic things ravage it..."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"What did Mirumoto-san mean, then?" A curious man was curious. "Oh and we will be fine. it'll be just a misery for those who can talk with the kami." the man chuckled. "Ad as for this land... I'd rather not think about it, to be honest. People will suffer.. and die."

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

"They are barely people. They will die to their own kind due to their own nonsensical stupidity. Have you heard that they worship demons and happily sacrifice people for their religions here? They are savages". The Unicorn's ignorance of what Tomoe has come to think the gaijin are like rattles her. Who cares if they all suffer and die? Did they care when they did that to their victims?

"Have you heard about the murders in town, their evil temples or what we found in their ship yet? Surely some rumours must have reached your ears Iuchi-san?" She asks in all seriousness, dismayed by the man's apparant concern for the gaijin. She would have been the same a few days ago but any compassion she had for them has been eroded away.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"No... no I have not. What I have heard is that, as alien as this place is, these people go on, and live their lives. They have learnt men as we do. Of course they are unaware of the Celestial Order, but... as little teacher said, all is one." Iuchi explained, frowning. "As much as these people here are not... proper... they ones who are not member of the hideous cult, are still part of the universe, composed of the same elements as we are."

"For the murderers I have little sympathy, or for those who..." the man waved his hand at the direction where the debris from the gaijin ship laid. "But, it's the common people here. I do not think they deserve this fate. No-one deserves it."

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

Many words with no meaning. "Ha, the common people allow demons to be worshipped and none here can even defend themselves. I am surprised some haven't come to ask for help to flee. If they deserved any sympathy then the heavens would support their cause. They themselves think this destruction is inevitable and necessary. They want to die. Let them. Personally, I think they lack void..." I say firmly. "And did the Little Teacher mean even that outside of the Empire? I cannot be sure. They live their lives here but I have come to realise it is a horrible mockery of the rightful order of things. They appear to have some civilisation but they are still ignorant savages." I finish with those strong words, my thoughts full voiced and my mind now set in stone on the notion.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Where would they go, Mirumoto-san? And would your heimin leave the lands they have spent their lives on?" Iuchi inquired the woman. "As for the gaijin's lack of void... I'll leave that question to scholars."

Scratching the stubble on his chin, the man continued. "Yes, little teacher said that 'All is one'. How that is interpreted is of course, depending on the person hearing it, but we think that it refers to the whole world. As misguided as the people here are, they are still part of the universe, the very same way the Realms are."

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

I shook my head twice, slowly, as if disagreeing with a request. "A fleeing animal does not think where it runs to, only that it needs to run. If they are a part of this universe then their best use would be as they are - savages so we have something to compare ourselves to so that we may be reminded of our own values. Not that any reminder should be necessary. Still, they may serve better as eta..." I let my words trail off, I feel I should tell the naive Unicorn about the atrocities in town or on the enemy ship but what would be the point? He would probably blame them on some other element or forgive the gaijin for their heathen ways. Perhaps the Unicorn still had some ways to go before they were once again used to Rokugan? I mused on this thought, staring out across the waves and letting them calm me somewhat.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Does Mirumoto-san see the heimin serving the Dragon as animals as well? A cattle to drive at one's whim?" Xiao Hua asked the women, visibly upset by her comments.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

"Of course not!" I reply swiftly, insulted by the suggestion. "The peasants here are nothing like the heimin we know. You insult honest Rokugani by even comparing them. As I said, more like eta but I suppose even that is somewhat insulting..." I stop and wave my hands to end the conversation. "Go ask one of them about their view on demons and see if it changes your mind"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Do I? The heimin here, just as the heimin back home are dependent on their master's benevolence , and their righteousness. Under a cruel lord, they both suffer, under a firm, gentle hand they prosper. They had no choice in the matters, the same way our heimin have no choice if a famine, or war ravages their lands." Iuchi huffed at the Dragon. Apparently you saw far away, when you sat on a rock. And failed to see the ants toiling beneath you.