Mmm, foods... (Moon 10, Crow's Nest, Early Afternoon)

[Shiba Nozomi]

Looking properly admonished, she nods slowly. "A-as you w-wish, Isawa-sa-sama."

[Isawa Junpei]

Deference was one thing but this was swiftly becoming subservience, an entirely pitiable state. Sadly nothing he could say would bring her out of it. It would be just another Yes sir, no sir, of course sir, whatever you say sir. Maybe if he said something completely unreasonable...

He trailed off into his own thought for a moment. Coming to his senses he turned his attention to the bushi, "So, Hida-san, how did you find yourself as part of the legions?"

[Hida Musasha]

He finishes his carrot, "a pretty courier gave a parcel to my commander as we came to port, and he kicked me off his ship ta come vacation wi you lot. Ain't seen nothin' but easy days since. Kinda dull. Woul'na mind a good game o' identify the dead thing."

[Shiba Nozomi]

Nozomi chokes a little bit on the bite of apple she was nibbling on. Oh boy... Her eyes dart over to Junpei.

[Isawa Junpei]

"I pray you're joking Hida-san," Junpei put on a feigned aura of good-humor. "I mean, of course you're bored to tears watching the rest of us try and get our sea legs while the rest of you career sailors must endure the tedium, but certainly you don't mean that the death of another would bring you joy."

[Hida Musasha]

He shakes his head, "it ain't men we play that game with. It's how we study th' enemy. Th' kuni points at th' basterds we jus' bashed dead, an we gotta identify what kinda horrible monster it is. Ain't that how you learn in th' empire?"

[Shiba Nozomi]

Sensing that whatever comment that might be coming from the Isawa might not be the most kind to the Crab, Nozomi pipes up a little first. "Mo-most people are ge-generally taught by rep-repetition, yes... b-b-but not always so... directly, Hida-san."

[Isawa Junpei]

"It's true, we tend to learn by rote. Plus, studying...that subject...isn't as popular 'in the Empire', as you put it. Obviously I could hardly begrudge the crab their pursuits in that matter, but many of us find studying the dark can lead one into the dark. Something both our clans know all too well."

[Hida Musasha]

He nods, "Tha's why we burn any writin' we find about it on captured vessals."

[Isawa Junpei]

"Really? I assume after you've read it to glean what it might have been about." In truth Junpei had no idea but it seemed practical. Sure the Crab must read the writings in order to know what they were about in the first place, but it seemed good practice to know exactly what blasphemy some particular ship was up to. That got him to thinking, "Do the Crab find much heresy often aboard enemy vessels?"

[Shiba Nozomi]

It was a theoretical debate that she remembered others from her days of tutelage partaking in, sometimes rather vehemently. "J-just the wr-writing?"

It seemed to her that any provisions on board would be circumspect, as might the very wood of the ship itself. Not that she knew anything about it, of course.

[Hida Musasha]

He shrugs, "If its bravin' th' Sea o' Sorrows, odds are it's evil. Dark Wave, Tsukai, ships crewed wi' skellyton men I've all seen first hand. We set 'em on fire from a distance, if we ken. Watch 'em burn ta death. If it comes ta boardin', we kill 'em ta a man, sail th' ship ta deep waters, an' punch a hole in th' hull so big a sumai could stan' up in it. Anythin' written on is looked at, an' if it ain't legible by a normal scribe, burned. If it can't be opened, burned. If it has pictures, burned."

[Isawa Junpei]

"I don't envy your task or your life, though it does beg the question why you're here and not still aboard the Jade Fortress. It seems that your skills have been recognized by service to the Crab, so why leave your post with your brothers and apply for a position in the far less thrilling Imperial Legions?"

[Hida Musasha]

He laughs, "Jus' 'cause I'm here don' mean I applied. They tell me I earned a pramotion. Dunna how, don't really care. Let th' ones tha' know about tha' make those choices."

[Isawa Junpei]

"Seems there are a number of ways to gain entrance to the legions, at the moment I feel as though I'm the only one to actually apply on my own behalf." he bobs in the air falling into thought at who he'd all spoken with and their own tales on how they got here.

[Hida Musasha]

The man's eyes show a bit of suspicion, "Why would ya wan' ta leave home an' clan so bad ta push fer a spot outside yer boarders? Tha' ain't natural either."

[Isawa Junpei]

"I sought a place in direct service to the Empress, and she accepted. Natural or no, her's is the only judgment I care for on the matter." Junpei kept his voice conversational, in spite of the defensive words. "That my sensei sent recommendations on my behalf I feel speaks on behalf of my actions. Besides, what great samurai has gained legend by going about his duty in the same fashion as everyone else? I have no wish for glory, but to do my ancestors proud I must not be afraid to broaden myself and seize the opportunity to grow."

[Hida Musasha]

He shrugs, "We have a sayin' fer the uppity Crab tha' want everythin'. 'Remember what wantin' power got Junzo.' Then we beat th' crap outta 'em ta make 'em remember. I ain't yer judge, tho, Phoenix. Jus' statin' how I think."

[Isawa Junpei]

"Something you can't seem to help but do." The previous charm Junpei had cast over his voice was gone. "Don't lecture me on the hubris of ambition, you are ill suited. We shugenja deal daily with temptations of power, the ability to speak with the elements and perform miracles you can't possibly imagine. You don't even know your proper history. Junzo's downfall wasn't power, his downfall was love. He loved his clan more than the empire, that was his sin. He is a pitiable lesson for every shugenja, like all of us that fall. We have the power to bring peace to the empire, but we are also some of its greatest villains. You may face down the horrors of the Shadowlands, samurai, but you know nothing about me or the life of a shugenja."

[Hida Musasha]

Again, he shrugs, "Never said I did, jus' said what I thought. As far as what ya ken and can't do, that's all in yer head."

He spit over the side of the ship, "As fer the basterd, I don' care why he did it. I only care that the crewman standin' nexta me knows his damn place, and it's there nexta me. If we are gettin' attacked, I don' want ta be thinkin', 'Gee, I hope some shit spittin' miracle comes from the sky an' saves me.' I better KNOW that piss stained miracle is a comin'. An' I don' care WHY it happens, whether it be 'cause ya think yer better 'n' us that can't hear yer kami talk, or 'cause ya know that if I die, yer next. It jus' better come."

He pauses, "'Cause like it or not, we're crewmates. An' I'll f*ckin' die fer you ta live, an' you better be ready ta do the Jade Dragon be damned same."