An Eye on the Horizon (Day ) Mid Evening)

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

Shouji stood on the raised aftdeck of the Kobune, It didn't give him an exactly perfect look over the ship, but on a Kobune that was a bit of a fact of life. It did afford him a fair view though, and the Captain of the vessel used it to his advantage as he watched the crew in action and shouted the occasional command.

Watches were changing as some men went below to eat their dinner and others came above just after eating theirs, which left the deck a bustle of activity, not that the young Mantis minded. A busy ship was a happy ship, or so he had always heard.

[Moshi Meiko]

Shouji stood on the raised aftdeck of the Kobune, It didn't give him an exactly perfect look over the ship, but on a Kobune that was a bit of a fact of life. It did afford him a fair view though, and the Captain of the vessel used it to his advantage as he watched the crew in action and shouted the occasional command.

Watches were changing as some men went below to eat their dinner and others came above just after eating theirs, which left the deck a bustle of activity, not that the young Mantis minded. A busy ship was a happy ship, or so he had always heard.

From Shouji's viewpoint the rapidly bobbing head of Meiko is clearly visible as she hurries across the deck ducking around and under other sailors and nearly tripping over three different coils of rope before she practically jumps up the short set of stairs to the aftdeck and throws herself into a deep bow.

"Captain-sama! Captain-sama!...."
Dropping her voice from a shout to just loud talking
"...I had a question."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

The image of the small samurai-ko brought a smile to the Captains lips. He couldn't really name one less suited to a ship then Meiko, but her boundless energy did a bit to make up for it. In a few ways she really did remind hiim of Archie. If only she had kitty ears...

"Meiko-san! Meiko-san!." The Captain called in return, repressing the urge to pat the young Moshi on the head. Instead observing the young woman for a few moments arms akimbo. "I might have an answer!" He replied after a moment. "I suppose that depends on what you are asking though."

[Moshi Meiko]

The image of the small samurai-ko brought a smile to the Captains lips. He couldn't really name one less suited to a ship then Meiko, but her boundless energy did a bit to make up for it. In a few ways she really did remind hiim of Archie. If only she had kitty ears...

"Meiko-san! Meiko-san!." The Captain called in return, repressing the urge to pat the young Moshi on the head. Instead observing the young woman for a few moments arms akimbo. "I might have an answer!" He replied after a moment. "I suppose that depends on what you are asking though."

The Moshi blushes furiously, quickly looking around her as if a dolphin might have swum alongside the ship to eavesdrop
"It's about the wedding celebrations, and...I.... you know they're going to be a really big deal, with lots of samurai there from other clans. I'll get to meet Crane and Crab and maybe even a Unicorn! It...it was about that."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Oh." Shouji reached up a hand to push a strand of hair behind his ear, looking a bit chastised perhaps due to the yound woman's blush. He had been in enough similar situations due to certains members of the crew to not want to poke too much at other's embarassment. "Well, maybe I can help you there? I've met samurai from all kinds of different clans. What exactly was the question?" He asked, his voice pitched so it wouldn't carry.

[Moshi Meiko]

"Oh." Shouji reached up a hand to push a strand of hair behind his ear, looking a bit chastised perhaps due to the yound woman's blush. He had been in enough similar situations due to certains members of the crew to not want to poke too much at other's embarassment. "Well, maybe I can help you there? I've met samurai from all kinds of different clans. What exactly was the question?" He asked, his voice pitched so it wouldn't carry.

"Well it's just that."

Leaning in conspiratorially, which placed her head around most samurai's knee height
"It will be a once in a life time opportunity and I...want to seize it with both hands!"
She demonstrates with a double grip motion like she was yanking apples off two separate trees

Forgetting to keep her voice low "I...I want" And she starts listing on her fingers "I want to drink alcohol...and and to stay out late! And maybe going diving or attend a hunt or something crazy like that! And, maybe even...."
Rapidly shuffling her feet
"...You know, all the other stuff people do at parties. I want to do it all!....But you know, properly and with your permission."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Both hands." He repeated nodding at the young woman. That didn't seem too bad, after all it would be the young woman's first major shore leave in a port town. "You know you can drink alcohol here with us, we're having a bit of a gathering later and you can at least try some." Shouji offered with a helpful smile.

"As it is the other things sound like normal shore leave activities to me." He cleared his throat, a blush making it's way onto his cheeks. "As for what happens after parties, I mean what you do outside of sight of others isn't really any of my business." His eyes shifted out to the ocean. "As long as you're discrete, and um...." He trailed off his face scarlet now.

"Just you know... Have fun. You have um my permission for that." Yeah, that was the right answer. Right?

[Moshi Meiko]

"Both hands." He repeated nodding at the young woman. That didn't seem too bad, after all it would be the young woman's first major shore leave in a port town. "You know you can drink alcohol here with us, we're having a bit of a gathering later and you can at least try some." Shouji offered with a helpful smile.

"As it is the other things sound like normal shore leave activities to me." He cleared his throat, a blush making it's way onto his cheeks. "As for what happens after parties, I mean what you do outside of sight of others isn't really any of my business." His eyes shifted out to the ocean. "As long as you're discrete, and um...." He trailed off his face scarlet now.

"Just you know... Have fun. You have um my permission for that." Yeah, that was the right answer. Right?

"Tonight? I'll try some, if it's appropriate. I don't think I've ever drunk a whole sake before."

As for the rest, well, Shouji isn't the only one inspecting the ocean and looking rather flushed.
"Oh yes, I'll be very discrete, I promise!"
Now getting worked up to the idea Meiko is back to her usual vibrating self
"I don't know who they are or what they'll be like but I want to hold their hand and write poetry about metaphors for them and compliment them about their body shape! I feel like a lot of the rest of the crew has already done that. Komei-san keeps talking about how she goes farming with other samurai, which sounds really tiring but also fun? And then there's Minari-san."
A slight frown which is quickly brushed away in a second
"She's probably held lots of people's hands from what I've heard."
Tut tut tut

"I promise I won't let you down Captain-sama! I'm so lucky to have a senpai who understands this sort of thing."
Beaming widly
"It's so complicated!"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"It shouldn't he a problem." Shouji offered visibly relieved when it appeared the Moshi was reffering to holding hands and poems and not plowing fields as Koemi would refer to it. "Koemi isn't refering to the fields when she talks about sewing seeds though." He offered with a die eyed glance at the Moshi.

"You may want to ask her what she means when she says that though, if you're nice she can explain it in detail." Did Koemi deserve that sort of questioning? Maybe not, but he certainly wasn't going to explain it if he coudl avoid it.

He coughed. "But yeah, Minari may have done her fair share of Hand holding, but you never heard who it was with, which is what makes it all good and proper. Though I suppose people really shouldn't be spreading word of any hand holding Minari has or hasn't done either." He Should probably squash those types of rumor aboard the ship

"But yeah." He cleared his throat and offered Meiko a smile. "I Like to help if I can, if you have any more questions about this sort of thing...." Sometimes senpai duty was hard. "feel free to ask?"

[Moshi Meiko]

"It shouldn't he a problem." Shouji offered visibly relieved when it appeared the Moshi was reffering to holding hands and poems and not plowing fields as Koemi would refer to it. "Koemi isn't refering to the fields when she talks about sewing seeds though." He offered with a die eyed glance at the Moshi.

"You may want to ask her what she means when she says that though, if you're nice she can explain it in detail." Did Koemi deserve that sort of questioning? Maybe not, but he certainly wasn't going to explain it if he coudl avoid it.

He coughed. "But yeah, Minari may have done her fair share of Hand holding, but you never heard who it was with, which is what makes it all good and proper. Though I suppose people really shouldn't be spreading word of any hand holding Minari has or hasn't done either." He Should probably squash those types of rumor aboard the ship

"But yeah." He cleared his throat and offered Meiko a smile. "I Like to help if I can, if you have any more questions about this sort of thing...." Sometimes senpai duty was hard. "feel free to ask?"

"I'll definitely ask her...but I don't think she likes me. She's so...scary, and her laugh."
Meiko often tried to hide when she heard the laugh

The Moshi blanches a little about the Minari explanation
"They shouldn't? But every one back home talked about that, well they didn't call her 'Minari the hand holder', they often used much worse language...and" Crossing her arms "I didn't think it was appropriate, you should never say bad things about your family, especially if they're true!"
In truth, Minari scared Meiko as well.

"But if you have the answer to these questions that's great! Everyone in the dojo said I'd understand when I older, but I'm older now and nobody has ever explained it to me!"
With some difficult Meiko wriggles up the ship's rail to get some height before extracting some crumpled parchment from her kimono sleeve.
"Question 1. How do you know someone likes you? And I don't mean, you know, as a friend. That's easy, if they return your smile first thing in the morning, they like you."
Pause
"And 'when they say they like you' doesn't count. When a Scorpion says they like you they don't mean it."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

Koemi's laugh was a bit... special. "She's nicer then you'd think at first." The Captain offered after a moment, Koemi did want to bring him a head of one of their enemies... that was nice right? "I bet she likes you just fine!"

"I mean that's true, but I mean Minari is a nice girl too!" Usually. "She just drinks and smokes and curses a bit, which I mean isn't so bad right?" It's the sort of thing sailors did and sailors were good people! Though he was pretty sure he had seen Minari giving him weird glance s a time or too, and he wasn't sure what the Moshi had in store.

As the Moshi climbed up the railing Shouji kept a wary on her, that was an easy place to fall from after all. He hadn't expected the paper or to be asked these kind of question right away. Still he tried to weather the storm as it were, as best as he could at least. "Um... I guess that is a bit different for most people. I mean I tend to be a bit shy around girls I like." The Captain admitted looking down at the ground. "Unless I've had a few cups of sake. You just have to um use your intuition? Maybe if they ask you to places it can be just you two, they may like you? Like you know a walk in the gardens, or out to dinner? I mean you might want to figure out if you like them first though?"

He reached a hand up to scratch his head. "I mean if you don't like them, it really doesn't matter much if they like you, right?"

[Moshi Meiko]

Snip

Meiko nods vigorously, swaying dangerously back and forth on the railing as she does so.

"You're so smart captain-sama, that was my second question!"
She shows him question 2 which was outlined 'How do I know if I like someone?

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

Shouji, reached out a hand to pull at the Moshi's sleeve in an attempt to steady her in one of her more dangerous sways. It brought them a bit closer, and he let go a moment later after making sure she was safe.

The second question caused him to blink. That was a hard one. "Um... That's a hard one!" He offered with an embarassed chuckle. "I'm not um sure if it works the same say for boys as it does girls. But I get a bit nervous around someone i like." He confessed his cheeks once again turning red. "I kinda find it hard to figure out what to say, and my heart beats a bit fast."

"I mean it's usually someone I think has physical features I want to complememnt. Like maybe they have." His hands come up as if he is about to illustrate a point, before he pulls them away and crosses them aganist his chest. "Well, you probably don't need to hear that." He looked down and frowned a moment before looking up. "But have you every looked at a boy and thought he was handsome, or had nice hair, or that his... biceps were well formed?"

[Moshi Meiko]

Shouji, reached out a hand to pull at the Moshi's sleeve in an attempt to steady her in one of her more dangerous sways. It brought them a bit closer, and he let go a moment later after making sure she was safe.

The second question caused him to blink. That was a hard one. "Um... That's a hard one!" He offered with an embarassed chuckle. "I'm not um sure if it works the same say for boys as it does girls. But I get a bit nervous around someone i like." He confessed his cheeks once again turning red. "I kinda find it hard to figure out what to say, and my heart beats a bit fast."

"I mean it's usually someone I think has physical features I want to complememnt. Like maybe they have." His hands come up as if he is about to illustrate a point, before he pulls them away and crosses them aganist his chest. "Well, you probably don't need to hear that." He looked down and frowned a moment before looking up. "But have you every looked at a boy and thought he was handsome, or had nice hair, or that his... biceps were well formed?"

The captain's grip was timely indeed as the metronome moshi was steadied, Shouji being rewarded with a bright smile.

"Huh.....I mean, maybe?"
Her face screws up with concentration
"You know...I do remember something a bit like that back home, but it was about a girl so that was probably different. Here biceps were nice though."

Still thinking intently
"So it's when your heart beats fast, and you get confused? Maybe I really like when we unpack the ship's hold all day?"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

He coughed to clear his throat. "Well, from what I understand some girls prefer to hold hands with other girls? That's um something you should probably talk to Minari about though? She's a girl and all after all." Thought now he was curious at what kind of moshi girl had great biceps...

He shook his head at that. "Not that kind of heart beating fast. It will like kinda pound in the back of your head even though you haven't been doing anything to make you tired or sweaty. It's not really confusion either, you just kinda stop thinking about other things and just think about them." His blush returned with a fury as he continued. "Like maybe you notice how soft their lips look, or take notice of how they smell. Then your looking in their eyes, or peeking at their collar bone peeking out from the hem of theirs clothes." Could he die now? He wanted to die.

[Moshi Meiko]

He coughed to clear his throat. "Well, from what I understand some girls prefer to hold hands with other girls? That's um something you should probably talk to Minari about though? She's a girl and all after all." Thought now he was curious at what kind of moshi girl had great biceps...

He shook his head at that. "Not that kind of heart beating fast. It will like kinda pound in the back of your head even though you haven't been doing anything to make you tired or sweaty. It's not really confusion either, you just kinda stop thinking about other things and just think about them." His blush returned with a fury as he continued. "Like maybe you notice how soft their lips look, or take notice of how they smell. Then your looking in their eyes, or peeking at their collar bone peeking out from the hem of theirs clothes." Could he die now? He wanted to die.

"Ohhhhhhh, oh that explains so much. I didn't even know that was an option."
Meiko jots down 'Girls holding hands with girls?' on her notes with a piece of charcoal.
"I could ask Minari-san about it...although maybe when we get to port, she's pretty fierce when she's concentrating on the navigation."

Peering intently at Shouji at that last part
"Captain-sama, are you alright?!?! You're all red."
Dropping her voice "Is it because you're thinking of someone's collar bone?"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Well..." He coughed. "It's not like it's an option for marriage, but it's the type of stuff you can do after a party?"" Hopefully Minari would be able to explain it better, and the option of asking Minari when they reached port recieved a firm nod. "You should do that!"

That was followed by a fierce shake of his head and he turned around to compose himself.. "No, not at all!" He replied truthfully. "It's just your a girl and I'm a boy and um. It's pretty embarassing to um tell a girl about the type of things I like and what I'm looking at when I'm around a girl I like. Even if it's to help you figure out what it feels like to like someone?"

[Moshi Meiko]

"Well..." He coughed. "It's not like it's an option for marriage, but it's the type of stuff you can do after a party?"" Hopefully Minari would be able to explain it better, and the option of asking Minari when they reached port recieved a firm nod. "You should do that!"

That was followed by a fierce shake of his head and he turned around to compose himself.. "No, not at all!" He replied truthfully. "It's just your a girl and I'm a boy and um. It's pretty embarassing to um tell a girl about the type of things I like and what I'm looking at when I'm around a girl I like. Even if it's to help you figure out what it feels like to like someone?"

Gaaasp!
"Oh I didn't think think of that! You're just captain-sama to me, neither boy nor girl but something more"
Raising both her fists into the air
"Something beyond them both! Like a great....boat! But I suppose you're also a great boat boy...no, a great boat man! Please don't be embarrassed captain-sama, I'm not embarrassed. I know you're the wisest samurai on this ship and you know everything. I'm sure you like the best things about girls like their lips and their eyes and their biceps! And it's really convenient too since most girls have all of those things, which is really a testament to your compassionate character."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

That was something of a relief? Though now Meiko seemed to be confessing she thought of him like someone like Moto Silvia. Which was a lot of pressure honestly. He'd have to try and respond to her trust with dignity. Though Moto Silvia would try and tury that into some sort of sauve pass at Meiko... Shouji fought down a sign. He had a long way to go before he was there.

"That's very kind of you to say, Meiko-san." He offered as he turned back towards Meiko. "I mean I try to treat everyone equally and look at their good points!" Even if Koemi's were perhaps best viewed while she was climbing into the rigging. "Still I'll try my best to live up to the faith you have in me, and answer any question you have!"

[Moshi Meiko]

That was something of a relief? Though now Meiko seemed to be confessing she thought of him like someone like Moto Silvia. Which was a lot of pressure honestly. He'd have to try and respond to her trust with dignity. Though Moto Silvia would try and tury that into some sort of sauve pass at Meiko... Shouji fought down a sign. He had a long way to go before he was there.

"That's very kind of you to say, Meiko-san." He offered as he turned back towards Meiko. "I mean I try to treat everyone equally and look at their good points!" Even if Koemi's were perhaps best viewed while she was climbing into the rigging. "Still I'll try my best to live up to the faith you have in me, and answer any question you have!"

"And I'll do my best to uh...ask questions you have answers to! And not let our Bayushi guest drive us mad!"
Vigorous fist pumping

"I knew you were the best captain the day you let me join the crew. You were someone who was going to treat everyone good and look at them equally."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"You're doing a great job there, Meiko-san!" This time he couldn't resist and reached a hand up to pat the Moshi on the head. She was such a good kitty.

His chest puffed up with pride at the praise. "I really do try, and it helps that I have a really good crew. Makes my job easy you know? I don't even have to yell much."

[Moshi Meiko]

"You're doing a great job there, Meiko-san!" This time he couldn't resist and reached a hand up to pat the Moshi on the head. She was such a good kitty.

His chest puffed up with pride at the praise. "I really do try, and it helps that I have a really good crew. Makes my job easy you know? I don't even have to yell much."

Meiko looks very proud. Acknowledgement from your captain was the highest praise for any sailor, and she was sort of technically a sailor.
"Of course, it's Katsu-sama that yells, or Minari-san, or Komei-san. Your role is to be above the yelling."
She was pretty sure that's how captaining worked

"You must have planned for a very long time to arrange the perfect crew, how did you know where to find each of us?"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"It was intuition mostly I think?" Shouji said after a moment. As well as certain Moshi tugging at his sleeve, and begging him to please, please, please take her away from the boring. She'd been too adorable to turn away, but he wasn't about to admit that he picked some of his crew based on how adorable they were. Minari would like hit him over the head with her pipe for that one.

"Sometimes you just know who might make a good member of the crew?" That was at least mostly how he picked... "They have turned out to be a good set though haven't they? All of ou, well them. Work together really well."

[Moshi Meiko]

"It was intuition mostly I think?" Shouji said after a moment. As well as certain Moshi tugging at his sleeve, and begging him to please, please, please take her away from the boring. She'd been too adorable to turn away, but he wasn't about to admit that he picked some of his crew based on how adorable they were. Minari would like hit him over the head with her pipe for that one.

"Sometimes you just know who might make a good member of the crew?" That was at least mostly how he picked... "They have turned out to be a good set though haven't they? All of ou, well them. Work together really well."

"That makes sense, intuition, a captain just knows."
Meiko glances back at her notes
"This is going to make it so much easier to find you a wife! When you see them you'll just know and then your loyal crew can help arrange everything!"

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

That caused the Captain to pause and blink. "Wait, what was that there at the end?" Shouji asked a bit dumbfounded.

"You're going to try and find me a wive here?" Could he run now? Should he run now?