Drip Drop, Rain Stop [Day 6, ME]

[Yoko]

With the rain calming down Yoko found herself a little more active in the village, moving about from overhang to overhand best as she could. Using maybe a tree or what not a few times. What her destination was, hard to tell, maybe she didn't even care to know. Yet on the streets she still was, going somewhere.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Walking with purpose, the magistrate stopped when he saw Yoko. Turning suddenly, his previous plan of action was put to an end as he moved towards Yoko at a casual pace. With a bow, he kept an appropriate distance waiting for further invite. A social distance, if you will.

"Yoko-san. May I borrow your time?"

[Yoko]

Yoko paused when she found the Magistrate suddenly before her again. Today seemed to be the day of interesting moments. "Oh- shit," she said, both brows raised as she caught herself a little. "Sorry," she waved off the phrase with her hand. A nod, "Of course, my times not being used by anyone else, eh? What's up, Kakita-sama?"

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Yoko paused when she found the Magistrate suddenly before her again. Today seemed to be the day of interesting moments. "Oh- shit," she said, both brows raised as she caught herself a little. "Sorry," she waved off the phrase with her hand. A nod, "Of course, my times not being used by anyone else, eh? What's up, Kakita-sama?"

Permission gained, he begins to fall in stride.

"It's been a while since our conversation with the Empress, has it not? How have things progressed since then?"

[Yoko]

"Well, she's alive, eh? So, I consider that a job well done so far. As for her.." she waved her hand a little, dismissing the lingering thought. "She's been named. For now.. she's heir, she's safe. Good to be wary, eh? But.. I'm getting to hoping the bad times are behind us. At least with this, at least for now."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

If only he shared the ronin's optimism.

In truth, he didn't.

"Has a decision been made on Otomo Yusuke-sama? I heard Ikeda Ishi-san and Ikeda Hiro-sama spoke with him this morning, but about what I know not."

[Yoko]

Yoko paused, glanced down as she kept her thoughts her own. Looking up with a small smirk, she shrugged, "We can talk about that. Maybe we shouldn't right here and now though? Before we part ways, I promise, eh?"

[Kakita Konohamaru]

A nod. Secrets spilled on the street often left blood spilled in its place.

"Understood. On lighter news, perhaps - have you been faring well?"

[Yoko]

"Well enough," she said, it was a quick answer but she shook her head. Smiling, "No, today has actually been pretty good to me. Almost to the point it makes me a little nervous, eh?" she smirked, looking to Konohamaru. Waving the thought off with her hand, "You, Kakita-sama? I imagine a man like you has had plenty of duties to attend to, eh?"

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Getting out of the curse feels... strange. When I was in them I had a definite direction, but for now I'm back to waiting on shadows."

Magistration was frustrating sometimes, in that sometimes it was a waiting game until something happened and you could act - sometimes you knew something was wrong but had nothing to work with.

Speaking of work, it was almost possible to sea his memory return to something, his head snapping up into the recesses of his memory. His voice turned purposeful and official as he resumed a magistrate's poise.

"This reminds me - we still aren't sure about the safety of the docks, so try to avoid them at night. I hear Ikeda Ishida-san has been with the Mantis recently, so if they aren't aware already please pass it on to them."

[Yoko]

"Haven't come across any trouble, but- hard to avoid them at night when you sleep on one of the boats, eh? Still, I'll try to be as careful as I can. Tsuruchi-sama and the others are certainly aware of the danger themselves. Maybe for now we can start returning to a sense of the normal worries, eh? Like.. where our next meal might come from, and who's slighting who," she added, jokingly.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Haven't come across any trouble, but- hard to avoid them at night when you sleep on one of the boats, eh? Still, I'll try to be as careful as I can. Tsuruchi-sama and the others are certainly aware of the danger themselves. Maybe for now we can start returning to a sense of the normal worries, eh? Like.. where our next meal might come from, and who's slighting who," she added, jokingly.

"I imagine there will be no peace until this wedding is resolved." Mirthless, humourless, and entirely serious. The signature traits of the magistrate.

"When it does, where will your next meal come from, if you don't mind me asking?"

[Yoko]

"Don't know," she gave a slightly exagerrated shrug, "still here and present. Not looking too far into the future, eh? Just trying to do my part while I'm still here, helping Tsuruchi Shouji as he needs, I owe him a lot. And, if in that time I'm found wanted by the Empress or the Ikeda again," she tapped her chest. "Well, I'm here."

"Though.. to speak of another matter, eh? I wanted to tell you a story, didn't I? Today I walked to a dog's kennel with some others. Trapped and cornered as it was, it was willing to be leashed. Still.. a leashed dog can bite, and I'm not sure how strong of a leash it can be, but it's a useful dog far as I'm aware, leader of a pack and keeps other dogs in line," she laughed, looking to Konohamaru with a shake of her head. "Sorry to go on about this mutt so long, Kakita-sama, but it was a pretty unique experience, eh? I've never been present to search a dogs kennel and see it muzzled before. It was.. quite the experience."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Though.. to speak of another matter, eh? I wanted to tell you a story, didn't I? Today I walked to a dog's kennel with some others. Trapped and cornered as it was, it was willing to be leashed. Still.. a leashed dog can bite, and I'm not sure how strong of a leash it can be, but it's a useful dog far as I'm aware, leader of a pack and keeps other dogs in line," she laughed, looking to Konohamaru with a shake of her head. "Sorry to go on about this mutt so long, Kakita-sama, but it was a pretty unique experience, eh? I've never been present to search a dogs kennel and see it muzzled before. It was.. quite the experience."

He believed he understood the meaning immediately. Or a least, he thought he did.

"You leashed a dog, you say? Perhaps it was for the best. A dog only bites to gain dominance or protect what it loves, but I doubt a dog can tell you which. Perhaps the truth lies in its kennel, or perhaps it cleaned is kennel first - as much as a dog can, that is."

[Yoko]

"Not me, really. Just watched it happen. This dog was trained well, barks on command even. Does what it's master asks, nothing more supposedly," she half-smirked, it was certainly an amusing way to talk about it. Even as she glanced away a little in thought.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

...

"Then it is as I feared."

He sighed.

"If you need shelter, I haven't heard Ikoma Ren disbanding his idea of a ronin group of valor. But I would advise that any shelter be better than none in the coming storm - as long as its residents don't bite."

[Yoko]

"We'll see- you might misunderstand, but that's my fault for talking about dogs, eh?" she suggested, giving him a look and shrugging. "Just trying to be respectful and not talk about the things I probably don't have a right to. Still, I think you'd do what's right. So, I said what I said, eh? Things should be settling but.. you never know when you back someone into a corner, eh?" she waved her hand.

"Better leave it at that though."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"I understand you weren't talking about a literal dog, Yoko-san. Understand that I am not talking about a literal shelter."

"But I suppose you're right, we should leave it there. Have you eaten this evening?"

[Yoko]

"Been too busy thinking, if I'm honest, Kakita-sama. That an offer?" she asked, quirking her brow but immediately laughing. Shaking her head, "Damn, I'm clearly getting too comfortable talking to some of my betters around these parts, eh?" she glanced up to him with a smirk, shaking her head. Holding up a passive hand, "No offense intended."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Been too busy thinking, if I'm honest, Kakita-sama. That an offer?" she asked, quirking her brow but immediately laughing. Shaking her head, "Damn, I'm clearly getting too comfortable talking to some of my betters around these parts, eh?" she glanced up to him with a smirk, shaking her head. Holding up a passive hand, "No offense intended."

"No offence taken, but yes, that is an offer. Call it thanks for looking after things while I was dealing with ghosts, if you wish."

[Yoko]

Yoko raised a hand, giving pause, "Kakita-sama. Respectfully, there is nothing you have need to thank me forwith what I've done. Everything I did was for myself, and because of what I felt was right in the moment. Those I helped are worthy of the help on their own merit, eh?" she shakes her head.

"I can't accept a thanks for something I did for myself. If it benefitted you, or you approve of it," she shrugged, chuckling. "That's fine, but I can't accept thanks from you."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Yoko raised a hand, giving pause, "Kakita-sama. Respectfully, there is nothing you have need to thank me forwith what I've done. Everything I did was for myself, and because of what I felt was right in the moment. Those I helped are worthy of the help on their own merit, eh?" she shakes her head.

"I can't accept a thanks for something I did for myself. If it benefitted you, or you approve of it," she shrugged, chuckling. "That's fine, but I can't accept thanks from you."

A non-Crane might have shrugged and walked on, minding their own business.

Instead, the rule of three was being applied.

"Are you sure you wouldn't accept one meal on behalf of the Empire?"

[Yoko]

Yoko raised a hand, "I'm.. you're kind and proper, Kakita-sama. Again, I don't think this would even qualify for what you suggest, eh? It's not a refusal," she smirked, shaking her head. Laying her hand down, "If you want me to join you for a meal, I will. Easy and done. Just- don't consider it a return of thanks for something I did, eh? I don't claim credit for having done you a service," she lowers her head a little.

"Sorry if that sounds.. harsh,' she waves her hand a little to dismiss the weight she may have given her comment, "but yes. I would appreciate the meal, Kakita-sama. Just leave it as a meal shared for other reasons. Appreciation, not gratitude, works just as well. Any other reason than to return thanks, really, eh?" she looked back up, shrugged and smiled.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Yoko raised a hand, "I'm.. you're kind and proper, Kakita-sama. Again, I don't think this would even qualify for what you suggest, eh? It's not a refusal," she smirked, shaking her head. Laying her hand down, "If you want me to join you for a meal, I will. Easy and done. Just- don't consider it a return of thanks for something I did, eh? I don't claim credit for having done you a service," she lowers her head a little.

"Sorry if that sounds.. harsh,' she waves her hand a little to dismiss the weight she may have given her comment, "but yes. I would appreciate the meal, Kakita-sama. Just leave it as a meal shared for other reasons. Appreciation, not gratitude, works just as well. Any other reason than to return thanks, really, eh?" she looked back up, shrugged and smiled.

The magistrate nodded. If one where to chronologically study the magistrate for long enough, they might even believe there was a smile on his face.

"Very well - meal's on me, no background attached. Do you have a place you'd recommend or should we simply look around? I admit I don't know this village well."

[Yoko]

"None-" she brought her hand up a little as she smiled, "but, well.. I do want to try my luck at something real soon. So, best we find somewhere nearby and eat quickly, eh? Sure there's bound to be someplace that'll happily make the time for you. We might just have to give our luck toward finding it in the rain, even if it seems to be clearing, what do you say?"