(Moon 13th, foredeck, Evening) Uncharted seas

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Un, it's alright." he chuckled kindly. "I do not expect everyone to remember everything I say."

"Hmm, that'd depend on how you define often, Shiba-san." he told her gently. "After I finished my schooling, I've spent more than half of the year travelling, pretty much every year. Most of the time with my father, sometimes without him."

[Shiba Naomi]

"I've never travelled with a caravan... unless you count merchant-ships though, but I don't imagine it's quite the same." The underlying message in her words was 'tell me about it'.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Oh, there are similarities. Or it depends, but assuming a big merchant ship, definitely. There are people all around the Empire, groups of patrons coming with their wares, or guards. Or both." he explained, smiling ever so faintly.

"The caravan is... much like a village on horseback, with each patron and his followers forming a 'family' of sorts. The groups camp, eat and take care of each other. Though on a longer journeys, it's not unheard for the groups to mix a little. A caravan... is always somewhat exciting. Well, unless it's a baggage train, and not a real caravan." he chuckled.

"While you know where you are going, there is some excitement in the air, as the places where such caravan might be headed, are usually distant and strange. People talk and socialize happily, and when the caravan stops for the night, the air is filled with wonderful smells of spices and fresh food as everyone prepares their meals."

"It's also... quite demanding, travelling 6 to 8 hours in a day. But also, very rewarding. You get to see new places, and meet new people." he explained, his eyes gleaming.

[Shiba Naomi]

"It sounds exciting," she smiled dreamingly as she imagined travelling the Empire's roads. "But... to live on the road. I suppose it's not so different from a ship, you give up many of the same luxuaries, after all, like baths, a room of your own... privacy..."

"It would be fun to experience some day. Travelling in a caravan, that is."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Eh? privacy... I thought that... Blushing slightly, the man coughed weakly. "Ahem, yes. Not that different." His thoughts had went for a rather interesting tangent there for a while.

"Hee, why not. My mother doesn't usually accompany us, but that doesn't mean it never happens. More common when my parents were young, before I was born." he told her, smiling.

[Shiba Naomi]

Naomi nodded, her thoughts straying away for a moment as she recalled conversations she had shared with her fellow crewmates these past days.

"Uhm... when... if..." she paused to clear her throat, "if all goes as our parents wants... I... don't just want to be a wife at home."

Her eyes focused on Xiao Hua, never looking higher than his shoulders. "I came here because I wanted to mean something, be more than just what I've been..." The words came out with difficulty, but it was so hard to know if he would understand.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hee, hmm... I see." he wasn't too happy about that. "Erm.. yes... we can talk about that, when the time comes?" he told her, smiling. "I am sure we could arrange something... occasionally." he wasn't exactly lying. He intended to let her to do other things as well, at least until she got pregnant.

"Hmm, Shiba-san. Everyone is important, no matter what they do." he assured her. "Everyone from the lowliest eta, to the Empress on her throne, may she live long and prosper, has a purpose. Everyone is here for a reason. From what I have told you have up-kept your household..."

Are they really that poor...?

"And helped your family. Do not brush it away as something insignificant, Shiba-san." he spoke with a soft voice, smiling gently. "Though, there is nothing wrong in he step you have taken." the man added. "Fortunes favour the courageous, the say. And, to a degree, it is probably true. Very few find the way, sitting home." he chuckled.

"But do not discard your past either, daughter of Shiba." the man looked to her eyes, smiling, trying to encourage her. Life, was a journey in several senses. Firstly, it was a journey from cradle to the grave, but it was also a spiritual journey, a sojourn for the soul. And walking that path, was important as well.

The explanation left the man out of breath, staring somewhat soullessly at the girl before him.

[Shiba Naomi]

"Ah yes... I'm sorry for bringing it up so early. It's just been on my mind lately..." she bowed her head slightly, feeling she might've rushed ahead a bit.

"Well... the servants do all the hard work," she muttered slightly. "I've just been like a mother to my younger brother, and done all the things that mother should've done. My time at the dojo was... a very liberating place to be, just like being here. Here, I'm just another samurai like everyone else, serving the Empress by defending her Empire's borders out at sea."

She smiled a bit at his encouragement. "You're right... Shinsei says that all journeys must begin somewhere. Even the wisest came from humble beginnings, just as Shinsei himself was a humble teacher who had not expected such reverence of his wisdom." Speaking of the Tao seemed to ease her worries. "It's an honor to share the name of the Kami who penned the first Tao..."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Unfortunately, the Iuchi missed all this, lost in his reverie. The man just stood there, silent, his mind lost among the various esoteric interpretations of the meaning of existence.

[Shiba Naomi]

"Uhm...?" Naomi looked, if Xiao Hua could sense her, confused and puzzled at the lack of reply. He seemed to have been so spirited in the conversation of the Tao for a bit there, and then he had just sort of... dazed away?

"Kyouka?" she asked, but no answer was given.

With a trembling hand, she grabbed his sleeve to shake him gently, without touching him. Oh Fortunes, don't tell me he's possessed by anything...

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Erm... uh..what. Oh Fortunes..." the man gasped as he came to. Looking quickly around, as if to ascertain himself where he was, the man sighed. Hanging his head low, he muttered. "I am sorry about that... occasionally when I think... about matters... the world around me just disappears. Do not blame yourself for that, Shiba-san." his voice betrayed the fact that the man was embarrassed.

"Erm... did you say something when I was... lost?" the man asked, his face turning to crimson.

Rats...

[Shiba Naomi]

"..." Maybe he's touched by the Void in some way? Naomi shook her head and looked away. "Iie... it was nothing." He seemed embarressed enough, so she didn't feel like repeating what she had said.

"You had me worried... I thought something here might've... done something to you," she admitted shyly. "You sure you're alright?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Keeping his head low, the man muttered. "Erm... yes. Not the first time this happens. My mind just..." The man shrugged, unable to explain. "Nothing to do with that..." he chuckled, waving his hand at the sea. "I hope."

[Shiba Naomi]

"I've met some shugenja who are in touch with the Void, so that they sometimes space out like you did... they claim to have visions of the future when they do." There was curiosity in her voice as she tried to understand what it was that had caused this to happen.
Maybe I need to keep my guard up? Perhaps it is something that has possessed him?

"... Didn't you hear me call your name?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Erm.. no, I didn't... I came to when you shook me." he lifted his gaze slowly to meet her, a touch of fear visible in his eyes.

"And no, I do not think it's that, though... I have never had the chance to talk to a such person. To compare.... I just...ger lost among the myriad possibilities, the things that could explain the matter at hand. The more... elemental the problem, the more explanations there are... My teachers were just as mystified as I am."

"They came to the conclusion that it's not an ailment, but... can't say it's blessing either. "

[Shiba Naomi]

She nodded slowly. She didn't want to believe he had been possessed by anything.

"Does it happen often? Or... is it something that usually occupies your mind more than other things that make you lapse so into thought?" She did her best to try to understand. It was the least she could do, especially if such a thing would happen while they were on duty.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Well, yes and no." he sighed. "Mostly when I get excited about the topic at hand. Now and then, Usually once, twice a month. Few times a week, at most. " He had not wanted to tell her, but since the topic came up, he thought he'd better be honest.

"And as I said, it's usually the fundamental questions that trigger the... thing. Deciding between two ge... gelded horses would never cause it."

[Shiba Naomi]

"... Should I avoid the topic we were talking about prior to this... incident?" she asked cautiously, not knowing what could trigger it.
I pray it isn't so. To not discuss the lessons of the Tao with the one I'm supposed to live with?

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"No... I love such discussions." he was clearly upset by the idea. "I just... if that happens again... just do what as you did now and I'll be fine." he tried to reassure her.

[Shiba Naomi]

"... Does it happen everytime the subject is brought up?" She imagined having to shake him out of his thoughts every minute just to have a conversation like that.