Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

Word spread fast, and it brought Yoko here with a thought to mind. Asking after Bayushi Ijihime at the gate and seeing if she was willing to entertain a guest for a spell. She waited for word back as she played with her pipe, twirling it between her fingers as she often did.

Ijihime had her brought before her and said, “I did not expect a guest.”

She was dressed in white, the color of mourning.

"I'm not a guest people tend to expect," she suggested, chuckling with a small raise to her shoulders. "Thanks, though, for letting me in to see you. Especially now," she nodded toward the woman, referencing her attire.

"I'm Yoko," she said, placing her hand on her chest. "Though we've met before, briefly, but never spoken. Hope you don't mind if we talk for a bit?"

"We are already talking," she responded.

"I want to talk about Otomo Yusuke," she brought her hand up, gave it a shake back and forth. "Kinda. Some things I figure you might be able to tell me better than anyone, if anyone can now. At least anyone here."

She waited quietly for your questions.

Yoko paused a moment, reconsidering. Changing course slightly she waved her hand a little, "Otomo Yusuke wasn't a man I agree with. Not from our limited encounter by the end, eh? Liked him on the ship over well enough but, what I think doesn't matter," she waved off that thought. "Way I figure, his death leaves a hole in a plan that was set in motion that could save lives, eh? Now, maybe plenty of us think it's totally lost but- but he was human, he'd have had someone he could trust, no one doesn't. It isn't Otomo Saisei," she shook her head. "Learned that much recently when I made a suggestion to the man myself."

"Which leaves you," she indicated her with her open palm. "If he trusted anyone with information that could still help save some of those lives, even a few, I figure you are the one to have it," she paused, a moment. "Well, guess you might have already offered that to someone more important than me, eh? But if you haven't.. I've come to convince you to," she suggested, carefully watching the woman's reaction before she continued.

"He loved Otomo Saisei, like a son," she responded.

"As for what I do or do not know, I find such words to be dangerous. I seek nothing of plots and schemes, I simply grieve for a friend."

"Then he protected him like a father," she commented, took the pause for a calming breath.

Resting her hand on her hip as she started to speak, "For what it's worth, if it wasn't for the curse Otomo Yusuke would have killed someone I consider dear to me. And I doubt he would have stopped there, hurt more I consider my friends," she looked to her, gave a little shrug. "When he was originally spared I was glad, glad that the right choice was made. So, please, believe me when I say I speak from the heart," she tapped her chest.

"I ask your help, and promise that I will do whatever I need to see it doesn't fall to you. Without knowing more I'm limited, we're limited." Yoko raised up her arms, spread them out a little, "I'm willing to beg, even, if you have anything that might help. Help me help the people I can, we can."

"Your heart means nothing to me," she said solemnly.

"If this is why you have come here then you have come in vain, I have nothing to give you."

"Only suggesting I'm being earnest," she smirked, shook her head. "Wouldn't expect you to care about my heart, but lives maybe," she raised her hand to show she wasn't going back around again. "Honest though? I came here thinking I wanted to know more about him. May not have liked him much myself, but he still died suddenly and that leaves a mark. But, more I thought about it, more, well," she raised her hand, indicating Ijihime with her open palm. "More I think that was what I really wanted."

She looked at the ronin with a calm demeanor but said nothing.

"Just- I mean to suggest that now is gonna be the time to do something, if you can. Saving lives, that's what matters," she said last, but raised her hand again. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for disturbing your grieving, and for your loss," she looked down, reflected a moment.

"I'll leave you to your peace," she offered, and then bowed.

"Please do," she said in reply.

Yoko rose from the bow, and left.

/scene, thanks!