Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

As the sun was setting, the Sea Fox's navigator took up her usual spot at the bow, as it gave her a clear and uninterrupted view of the horizon. To the fire kami's delight, the tobacco in her kiseru was lit and soon scented smoke filled the air around her, which the air kami appriciated.

Minari took a few puffs of the pipe and calmly undid the string of three coins she carried with her. The heavy coins rested in her palm for a while before she turned and tossed them to the deck in front of her, and as they came to rest, she knelt down with her fingertips brushing over their surface as she intepreted the signs.

"Seems we'll have luck for travel... but the portents for the destination seem unclear. Tch, typical..." puffing the smoke out, she chewed on the mouth-piece of her kiseru as she pondered the meaning of the coins.

"What do the omens say, Moshi-sama?" Koemi asked as a way of announcing her presence. She then gave a proper bow and approached the bow of the ship. Her eyes went to the bowsprit. No need for adjustments quite yet.

Satisfied, she looked out to the sea. "You get to see any of the dolphins up close?" she continued, excitement obvious in her tone. For what purposes, well, they certainly did not seem kind.

Saisei overhears dolphins. Since he had never seen one, he immediately tries to figure out how to find them in the dim light of the evening looming over. Taking a glance at Koemi, he blinks a bit and tries to zoom in at the patch of watery waves she's looking at, but at no avail.

He shakes his head in disscontempt.

"The signs are simple but fine; weather will continue like this. So in the morning I'll ask the winds to pick up the pace somewhat." She puffed out a scented cloud of smoke before placing the pipe back to her lips.

"Unh," Minari grunted somewhat, "saw some of them earlier today, as some of the crew were dragging up some fish to cook. Cocky bastards were hopping along, hoping for a free lunch."

The young man nods to himself and decides to build up the courage to go speak with the ladies. Then his decision is overruled by some not yet completely rooted out shyness. He hasn't actually shared many ideas so far with the crew members if not his master and the yojimbo.

Taking another deep breath, Saisei keeps his thoughts to himself. He wonders that besides becoming a potential nuisance if he interferes in their talk, he would also look shallow to partake on small talk.

"Ah, can we ask for better weather though? I'll do my duty regardless but I prefer it to be calm when working on the riggings." Koemi sighed in disappointment as she kept watch for more dolphins. "That's a shame about the animals though. I figured we'd find at least one." Her hand idly stroked one of her kama. "I bet they taste pretty good."

She swung back around towards Minari and caught Saisei in her gaze. A quick glance to the priestess before she spoke. "Oh, Otomo-sama, did you need something?" she asked with a polite bow.

"Eh..." He clears his throat, and continues, "No. I do not need anything. Thank you for minding. I was only trying to see if there are still dolphins at this time of the day. I missed them before."

Saisei bows back, returning the politeness, and introduces himself, "I am called Otomo Saisei. An honor to be aboard this ship with you."

"Better winds for travelling, Koemi, not a damn hurricane. Tch. And be careful eating dolphin - some say it's bad luck if the dolphin happens to be a favorite of Suitengu."

Or rather, superstitious fishers thought so but she didn't need to tell the Yoritomo that she was pulling her leg.

The Otomo was given a nod, and then a bow as she remembered that Katsu might be watching. Man all these Imperials looked so... floozy.

"Sure. An honor. You'll have better luck spotting dolphins in the morning, Otomo-sama. They're more active when the sun's up."

"Oh?" Koemi rubbed her chin as she thought about the favored dolphins.

"Moshi-sama is right. You can see them better with more sunlight." She looked casually back out to the seas. "Although we should be arriving at the port soon."

He nods to that, taking another glimpse at the water and even forgets how anxious he was to bring up a topic to talk about. After a moment, he finds a post to get closer –– but never too close –– and crouches down to look at the strange divination ritual. Kneeling in seiza proved to be a bad decision earlier, as the boat finds some fattier waves to cut.

"I'll do as advised. Thank you. First time in a boat. I hope miss the opportunity." He finally replies, still looking curiously to the whole procedure. Then, he presses his lips, as the thought of food returns. "I didn't know dolphins were good meat. Aren't they somewhat naturally different to the common fish?"

"It's much like whale-meat, really," the short navigator shrugged, starting to pick up the three coins, "just more likely to make you sick than whale. But Otomo-sama is right that dolphins are different from normal fish - fish when gutted have white or red flesh, dolphin's almost black. Their fins are different than other fish, and unlike fish they hold their breath under water instead of breathing in the water."

There was a sense of smugness to her as she talked, delighting a bit in showing her superior intellect to an Imperial.

"So you have tasted it," Koemi urged Minari. "Is there something wrong with it to make you sick? There must be some way to prepare it that wouldn't make a person sick." She used her hands as a focus for her eyes as she looked out to the waters again. "Some whale sounds like a good meal right now."

She shook her head. "Not me, but I've heard the stories from other sailors during my training. There's an elemental imbalance in the meat - too much earth." If only Rokugani knew of the concept of mercury poisoning.

The three coins had been picked up and Minari secured them to her belt on the knotted and sturdy string.

Saisei allowed a small smile to rise as he sees the Moshi gaining confidence as she explains a bit of more of her people's ways. As usual, he keeps himself silent for a while so they could exchange thoughts. The accents are rather different between the two. One of the accents, actually similar to his own, at some point. It seems.

"I cannot complain. I am an admirer of a good meal, I confess. The Mantis have been rather generous with the serving and quality of the food in this ship. A good portion of rice, and fresh fish like we had here... honestly, this is a dream come true to most Rokugani that appreciate a good nigiri sushi."

"Hm. I wonder what I could do to balance out the amount of earth." Koemi shrugged and then looked over to the Imperial. "It's the freshest one can get it. And we work hard to be able to afford an ample supply of rice." She rolled her shoulders to loosen up the tension. "Keeps everyone on the ship in good spirits."

She smiled over at Minari. That damn smile. "I bet the First Mate appreciates how effective we are on a satisfied belly too."

"'An empty sack won't stay up'. My old uncle used to say." He looks up to the sky and claps his hands together in a gesture of piety, saying, "May he watch us from Yomi."

Looking to the ladies again, he mentions, "So the First Mate is the commander of the crew here. I always thought it would be the Captain, or something related to that. Forgive my ignorance. I am merely an enthusiast in the military."

"Cap'n can't be everywhere and do everything. Like a general have commanders under them to enact their will, so does the Captain have their First Mate to do what needs to be done." Minari shrugged and her lips tightened around the mouth of the pipe for a moment. She didn't need to tell him that their captain was also a young one, and benefitted from having an older first mate with more experience.

And a lot of what kept the captain busy these days was the esteemed guests.

"Captain gives the word, First Mate makes sure that it's followed through."

"A boat isn't exactly military either," Koemi added. "This isn't a war vessel, although we are prepared for battle, if need be." She traced a finger across her katana's hilt, a fond smile spreading across her lips.

"Unh," she grunted in reply, fingers drumming against the elaborate inlays of her kiseru as she rose to her full, although not terribly impressive, height.

"Military ships wouldn't have taken on passengers like yourself, and the Crane, Otomo-sama, you see. Much too rough and unpleasant for sophisticated and gentle folks like yourself."

Koemi blinked. It was not that she disagreed with Minari but rather she would never had said something out in the open like that. "Ah but everyone can get accustomed to it," she added. "What with the Iron Crane and the Imperial Legions."

She offered what was supposed to be an easy smile. "Otomo-sama, you've grown accustomed to the sea yet?"

"I haven't seen the dolphins." He mentions with a warm smile. Then, he nods, saying, "I cannot deny, thought, that the sights have been inspiring, the company heartening, and the food very welcoming. I believe I would be prepared to endure the rough side of Suitengu, or other fierce natural phenomenons in such company, yes."

Taking a glance toward Koemi's blade hilt, as she moves her fingers in what seemed to be a caress, he chuckles and looks to Minari while extending the creeping smile. Saisei comments, "Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate you find us gentle."

Minari snorted out a very un-ladylike laugh. "Yeah. A real compliment for you, Otomo-sama."

"So what exactly is it that you do, if you don't mind me asking? Only fair since we told ya 'bout what a First Mate is, eh?"

"Oh no," she groaned in her accented Thranish, shaking her head and covering her palm. She looked back at the riggings and seriously considered checking them again to get out of this situation. On the opposite end, perhaps there was the other Moshi?

She grimaced. "The courts are an entirely different world," she mumbled.

Saisei's smile widens a bit further, but no teeth is showed, of course. He takes a good look at Minari's well measured height –– which is naturally brief –– and nods, saying, "Fair enough. I don't mind the question. I am but a humble clerk. Assistant to the Imperial Nakodo that has arranged the wedding about to happen at this boat's next destination... or so I hope."

"Calm your tits, girl," she retorted calmly to Koemi's groaning and concern.

"Ah. Paper-pusher then," Minari nodded. That seemed like a lot of the stuff that Katsu did. "Are you worried the wedding won't happen?"