Whistles the Wind (Day 0 Late Evening.)

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

The night air blew across the foredeck of the Seafox, where Shouji was standing looking out onto the sea. They'd be at their destination in the morning and it was a good time to get together with the crew before arriving.

It'd be an extended shore leave of a kind after all and it was important to make sure... Well, it was good to make sure no one would do anything too strange. Turning back towards the deck, Shouji slipped into a seat. The others would arrive shortly and if he knew his crew even for a casual meeting like this there would be drinking.

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Koemi finished her securing the forestays and wormed her way back onto the deck. Now in the presence of the captain, she gave a proper, Rokugani bow. "I have nothing to report, neither on the rigging nor our guests, Captain," she said. As always, her Thranish was thick with an accent; it was as if she was unable to breathe properly whenever she spoke the language.

"It is an auspicious duty to provide swift travel to them." A smile spread on her lips, one much more sinister than she intended. "You like what you see from them? Any you want to plow?"

[Moshi Minari]

The scent of foreign tobacco was like a silent way to alert to the presence of the short navigator, and her ornate kiseru with golden inlays was in its usual place on her otherwise unadorned lips. Minari carried with her two bottles of shochu as she came to join the meeting, because of course a proper meeting needed drinks. And of course, she had her own cup.

"Oy, cap'n. Koemi." She waved, giving the young captain a proper bow though as she stopped. In the end, he was still the captain, and it was bad form to disrespect him too much. "We haven't even started drinking and you're already thinking like that. Good grief," she shook her head at the Yoritomo woman as she unceremoniously sat down with her legs crossed.

With the bottles placed before her, it now freed up her hands to lift the pipe from her mouth to exhale properly.

[Otomo Yusuke]

The sea.

The seas were endless freedom for the Otomo, it as a stroke of luck that he found a ship heading to their destination but then again when one is Otomo Yusuke, luck becomes a well honed skill. He didn’t understand the foreign words but had spent enough time with the Tortoise to not feel put off by the foreign tongue.

The response of the Moshi said all he needed to know of the words struck between them and he added, “So when do we start drinking? Surely the time is nigh, given the late hour and good company.”

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

Koemi's words brought a fierce blush to the Captain's cheeks. Still he didn't shy away from answering. "One of them is cute, but I don't think you're supposed to go around 'plowing' Imperials, Koemi."

Further comment was skipped though as Minari arrived, and the Captain remembered to deliver an informal bow to bow of his crew. "It's probably just Koemi looking forward to shore leave, Minari." Shouji offered with a easy smile. "Can't really cut loose aboard the ship after all." Shouji reached down and pulled out a sake cup. "Bring enough to share? Or should I get some of my own?"

The arrival of the Imperial brought the captain to his feet though and the Otomo was given a bow. "Good Evening, Otomo-sama. " Shouji glanced towards Minari. "Seems we were about to get started."

[Moshi Minari]

"Eh, it's for sharin', cap'n," she smirked, holding the kiseru a few inches from her mouth. Judging by her confidence, it probably wasn't from her personal stash, hence why she was sharing it.

"Otomo-sama," she gave the Imperial a seated bow. How troublesome, she had hoped the Imperials would be below deck bellyaching right about now. Or knocked out from all the sun and wind earlier. "Didn't think you were a boozer like us simple folks."

[Yoko]

Coming up from below deck Yoko paused just before she'd come around the corner. Wincing at a small tightness in her shoulder she leaned with her other shoulder into the nearby wall a little. "Shit, knew I was doing that wrong," she mumbled to herself as she massaged out the pain.

Given a few moments she leaned off the wall, feeling a little fresher. Stepping around she found the sight of all the Mantis and.. well, the Otomo. Sure the Captain was big news too but.. well, he was the one who hired her, and a Mantis, she waved off the thought to herself as she pressed on up onto the deck. Mixing her way into the group she gave her little deferential bow to those gathered and found herself a seat, quietly.

[Otomo Yusuke]

“Then I am obliged to join you, Captain,” he said with a chuckle and kind smile. In his left hand he held a corked gourd and said, “Crab shoju, only good for stripping paint and getting suitably blitzed out of one’s mind.”

He offered the gourd to the Moshi, “Moshi-san is simple folk? I always thought the lineage of Moshi to be the most devout of the Mantis. Certainly they share the blazing beauty of the Sun.”

Yusuke finished with, “I have been to the valley of the Moshi several times and never taken the same path twice. Some think the valley has legs and moves with the grace of Lady Sun.”

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"It sounds like you brought the very best then." Shouji offered with a grin towards the Otomo. "At least as far as most here are concerned."

Waiting for Minari to pour her first drink, Shouji would take the bottle when offered before taking a measure for himself and sharing the bottle around. Yoko received a polite smile and bow as she took her seat, the Captain apparently in an easy going mood.

"I've heard that rumor myself, though I've only visited the valley by sea, and as far as I can recall it's always been where I left it..." It would be a truly odd thing if it actually moved...

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Koemi's words brought a fierce blush to the Captain's cheeks. Still he didn't shy away from answering. "One of them is cute, but I don't think you're supposed to go around 'plowing' Imperials, Koemi."

At that, Koemi began her discomforting laugh. She tried to hold it in at the approach of the Imperial. It took a few chortles and coughs to get it to go away. "Forgive me, Otomo-sama" she pleaded before giving a reverent bow to the man and also to the Moshi. She seemed almost ready to scurry off before regaining her composure. The arrival of the ronin, of course, only got a nod.

The rigger looked sheepishly at the liquor. She pulled out her own cup, ready for such occasions aboard the ship. After pouring it, she took a small sniff. "Niiice," she commented. "Are you sure it's not the sailors thinking it shifting due to all the liquor?"

[Yoko]

With the polite smile from Shouji, Yoko gave a little cocky smirk which she quickly hid by looking down to her side and fetched her own bottle. Sliding the bottle into her lap, still attached for the moment to her hip by the rope she set the stage. Wasn't far she had to go to find herself among betters, so at least she was somewhat used to that need to keep a lower profile. Which meant she could focus on the best task she could have asked for this evening.

Undoing it from her hip, uncapping her own bottle she created a nice little bubble for herself at the Ronin side of the table by seeking a nice drink from her own bottle, and rather fleeting stash.

[Moshi Meiko]

Meiko's arrival is proceeded by the rapid pounding of her feet as she races up the stairs from the hold looking completely exhausted. The Moshi is actually wearing a rather proper and traditional kimono even if it looks like it desperately needs a proper wash.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Bayushi-sama didn't like the first set of pillows or the second set of pillows so I found the third set of pillows and of course they weren't clean enough and..."
Spotting the Otomo
"...and that was no problem for our honourable guests so I solved the problem without complaint and here I am!"
She sights a chair and leaps onto it, tucking her legs underneath her body and looking around at the rest of the crew with interest.

[Yoritomo Tetsuo]

Tetsuo climbed down from the sails, having checked the rigging. The tiny bushi seemed fearless as he was practically zipping down. "Everything is in order Captain. Otomo-sama, greetings." He hastily bowed as deep as possible, his nose almost sweeping the deck.

"Koemi-senpai, Meiko-senpai." he gave a bow to the others as well. "The cat is also fed."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

Shouji shook his head as he noticed the Ronin's smirk. Koemi would likely say that was the type of smile that earned you a good plowing. Koemi was always a bit forward about the kind of things one did that likely deserved a good plowing though. The captain looked at his drink, trying to fight down the rising blush. He'd have to put knots on the riggers head for getting him thinking in that direction.

Luckily Meiko's arrival sered as a bit of a distraction and after taking a drink from his glass, he offered a polite nod in the Moshi's Direction. "Evening Meiko-san." He turned towards Tetsuo and offered a polite nod to serve as a bow. "Good to hear, Archie is a growing kitty."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"Good job," Koemi told the smaller Yoritomo, her accent with the last syllable incredibly thick. She even threw in a thumbs up, something she had read about in her Thranish text. "Although I wonder if the cat would become a better hunter if you didn't feed him. Scarcity forces one to adapt, after all."

It was difficult to tell how serious she was. Her tone and smile suggested that she was but the ship's butcher often interacted in such a way. "You might trip sometime, Moshi Meiko-sama," she suggested, gesturing to the kimono. "Or be unable to lift your arms." She tapped her own, exposed veiny bicep. "Nice and free."

[Moshi Meiko]

"Good job," Koemi told the smaller Yoritomo, her accent with the last syllable incredibly thick. She even threw in a thumbs up, something she had read about in her Thranish text. "Although I wonder if the cat would become a better hunter if you didn't feed him. Scarcity forces one to adapt, after all."

It was difficult to tell how serious she was. Her tone and smile suggested that she was but the ship's butcher often interacted in such a way. "You might trip sometime, Moshi Meiko-sama," she suggested, gesturing to the kimono. "Or be unable to lift your arms." She tapped her own, exposed veiny bicep. "Nice and free."

Meiko nervously glances from the bicep to Shouji and then back to Koemi

"H-hai Yoritomo-san, I will keep that in mind."
Mustering a small smile
"Your biceps look very nice today." Clearly her throat and trying to remember the Thranish phrase. I 'ope ya 're 'eaven and 'ell.

[Otomo Yusuke]

Yusuke said to the Mantis, “Well it’s good enough to kill any chance of being productive and it sparks the worst decisions you will ever make so… in that way it could be the best.”

He said to Koemi, “Well that is possible though I usually approached by land but in my youth I would not be surprised if I thought I was sailing while on my feet. Years ago, surely it is exactly where it needs to be.”

To be young again, not that he wanted to be young, it was just a wistful revelation, he was quite happy with where he was. “Bayushi-san is very particular, Moshi-san, so I applaud your skill in navigating her exacting needs.”

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

The mention of biceps got a slight blush from Shouji, and he was pointedly not looking at Koemi's when she flexed. Though his own clothign really didn't cover much more then hers, and he was rather used to seeing that amount of skin.

"Well, I'll call that at least the best for this evening." Shouji offered with a slight chuckle. "Though the crew and I likely won't really cut loose until we get to shore."

Glancing between Meiko and Koemi he took a sip from his cup before adding. "Just keep the explanations of plowing to Thranish, okay?" his own pronuciation was far better then the ladies, he;d either been speaking it for longer or just paid better attention.

[Yoritomo Tetsuo]

Tetsuo frowned. "Not sure if he'd be a better hunter, but I figured I better eat him before he eats my dinner." He was still growing! Surely!

He looked at his own biceps. "I'm strong too Koemi-senpai!"

"Bayushi-san better appreciate the pillows." Grumbled the youth who had to give his own to the Scorpion bodyguard, at the urging of the tiny Moshi. No, the other one.

"Captain, I am finished with my duties, may I indulge as well?"

[Moshi Minari]

Pouring drinks from the bottle she had brought, Minari frowned and looked over at her fellow Moshi. "Better not have been touchin' my stuff..."

One hand held her kiseru as she took a big gulp of shochu from the cup in her other hand.

"We're simple folk compared to your esteemed self, Otomo-sama. Even some of my family really."

[Otomo Yusuke]

"Moshi-san, I would never describe you as merely simple," he replied warmly. "You do me too much credit, just a simple nakodo trying to bring two stubborn families into unity. I am only an instrument of the Heavens, and this instrument needs a moment of respite just like anyone else."

"Making peace is tiring work and we all nee a break from our duties, I can see why plowing is the topic of the evening."

He chuckled raising a hand, "I only know a few words but my education of the tongue was more low brow than the Empress would like."

[Yoritomo Katsu]

Katsu stepped onto the deck, sweeping it with his sternly watchful gaze. This was fairly normal. That he wasn't yelling at anyone yet meant that he was in a good mood, or at least a neutral one. In fact, he nodded guarded approval to the sailors who bowed to him as he walked past.

"Captain." Katsu grunted, bowing to the younger man. "All's well below. We should be fit for landfall by the morning." After a moment, he turned, giving Tetsuo a short bow of aknowledgement.

[Yoko]

Half-way through a drink she blurted out, "Wait- did he just say plowing?!" she laughed, but then did her best to catch herself a little as she waved herself off. "Not that I mean to interrupt, Samurai-sama," she said, addressing the group by the single phrase. Glancing to the two, Shouji and the Otomo, taking their measure in their reaction.

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Feel free." The Captain offered to Tetsuo, the youth deserved a bit of drink too right? He'd seen to all his duties well. The arrival of the first mate was greeted with a smile and bow. "Evening, Katsu. Glas to hear, why don't you join us?"

Then the Otomo pointed out he knew at least at little bit of Thranish and the ronin was making choking on her drink because of it. "Yes, Yoko-san." Shouji admitted a blush creeping onto his cheeks. He struggled a few moments to figure out what to say next before deciding to bite the bullet as it were. "It was a bit of good natured teasing from Koemi as she tried to figure out my plans for the evening."

He finished his drink his face still red. "Which currently doesn't involve any plowing."

[Otomo Yusuke]

Yusuke smiled and said, “Shame Captain, you have a few admirers that seem interested in plowing. It speaks well of you that you keep your eye on the horizon and not focused on the embarrassment of riches around you.”

He said to Yoko, “Get enough shoju past these lips and you may hear all manner of astonishing words.”