(D1 EM, The Sea Fox) Necessary Cleansing

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Koemi hefted the last of the linens she had washed from their guests' stay. She brushed into the cabins, setting up the beds in proper, military-esq style. Though this boat was not a military vessel, such were her origins.

With an exasperated sigh, she blew the hair out of her face. Still unsatisfied, she tucked it behind her ear and continued on her way. "Hey! Moshi-sama," she announced in her sailor voice as she left the cabins. "You ever want to take one of the rooms? Seeing as you're some special advisor or whatever?" She glanced towards the docks instinctively. Though not visible, her connection to the boat made the direction of land obvious. "Or you planning on staying in the inn with the Imperials?"

[Moshi Meiko]

Koemi hefted the last of the linens she had washed from their guests' stay. She brushed into the cabins, setting up the beds in proper, military-esq style. Though this boat was not a military vessel, such were her origins.

With an exasperated sigh, she blew the hair out of her face. Still unsatisfied, she tucked it behind her ear and continued on her way. "Hey! Moshi-sama," she announced in her sailor voice as she left the cabins. "You ever want to take one of the rooms? Seeing as you're some special advisor or whatever?" She glanced towards the docks instinctively. Though not visible, her connection to the boat made the direction of land obvious. "Or you planning on staying in the inn with the Imperials?"

Two large pillows supported by a Moshi hurry past Koemi and into the cabins behind her, finishing the setup process before Meiko hurries back to the Yoritomo.

"One of these rooms? Oh, no, no they're for important people, like Minami-san or Katsu-sama. I'm just me."
Following Koemi's glance
"I do really want a futon though, but I think I want to earn it."
Remembering what captain-sama had said on the subject
"That's uh, something I wanted to talk to you about actually, Koemi-san." nervously "If you have the time, if not, no worries!"

[Yoritomo Koemi]

The rigger grunted twice, once on the matter of importance and the other on futons. "Did they send you to be soft, to endear the hosts to us?" Koemi prodded. She chuckled a bit, which inadvertently turned into a bit of a cackle. "I'm sure the Crane will appreciate it. You can leave the Crab to me."

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Certainly not the most welcome of looks. "Go ahead. My list of duties is naturally shorter while we not at sea," she answered. There was a mix in there. Shore leave was welcome but it robbed her of purpose.

[Moshi Meiko]

The rigger grunted twice, once on the matter of importance and the other on futons. "Did they send you to be soft, to endear the hosts to us?" Koemi prodded. She chuckled a bit, which inadvertently turned into a bit of a cackle. "I'm sure the Crane will appreciate it. You can leave the Crab to me."

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Certainly not the most welcome of looks. "Go ahead. My list of duties is naturally shorter while we not at sea," she answered. There was a mix in there. Shore leave was welcome but it robbed her of purpose.

Weakly "I'm not soft! Well, not entirely. I have boney bits and can be plenty tough."
Not that she seemed to be making a good case for that.

"What I wanted to talk to you about was...uh...it was plowing. Captain-sama said you knew a lot about it."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"Not soft in the literal sense," she said, though she took a moment to assess the Moshi's physical prowess. Her eyes honed in on the legs; they seemed to be proportional for a taller package. "I haven't known you long enough to know if that's the case. But no, I meant it in terms of character, in spirit."

Koemi narrowed her eyes. Foreboding indeed. "You can't be serious. Or he's playing tricks on you. Or maybe... goodness, you don't really know anything about metaphors, do you?"

[Moshi Meiko]

"Not soft in the literal sense," she said, though she took a moment to assess the Moshi's physical prowess. Her eyes honed in on the legs; they seemed to be proportional for a taller package. "I haven't known you long enough to know if that's the case. But no, I meant it in terms of character, in spirit."

Koemi narrowed her eyes. Foreboding indeed. "You can't be serious. Or he's playing tricks on you. Or maybe... goodness, you don't really know anything about metaphors, do you?"

"Oh....."
Meiko looks a little downcast before bouncing back again.
"Wait, so you're not farming with people? That makes sense....and uh, I think that would just be a euphemism, not a metaphor."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Koemi blinked. "Oh. I think euphemism would work better in both cases." She scratched the back of her head rigorously, clearly embarrassed by her vocabulary. "But no, I certainly did not mean that in the farming sense."

She nodded to herself. "Yes, he most certainly set this up. Well, come on, Moshi-sama. Since you have shown yourself to be an academic of sorts, surely you can work out this euphemism. Visualize the motion and how it could involve someone in the Imperial delegation."

[Moshi Meiko]

Koemi blinked. "Oh. I think euphemism would work better in both cases." She scratched the back of her head rigorously, clearly embarrassed by her vocabulary. "But no, I certainly did not mean that in the farming sense."

She nodded to herself. "Yes, he most certainly set this up. Well, come on, Moshi-sama. Since you have shown yourself to be an academic of sorts, surely you can work out this euphemism. Visualize the motion and how it could involve someone in the Imperial delegation."

"Well, plowing is when you open up the land and insert your seed and OHMYFORTUNESIGETITNOW"
Meiko looks horrified.

[Yoritomo Koemi]

The Yoritomo blinked at the outburst. Then, she erupted into laughter. She bent over, supporting herself with her bent knees as she lost any semblance of restraint. "You are," she said in-between the cocktail of giggles and coughs, "absolutely ridiculous. I see now that the Moshi upbringing is much different from my family's. But truly, you're putting your education to good use!"

It took a couple more, somewhat painful attempts to rein in her laughter. "The other Moshi aboard this ship is a testament to that. Tell me, Moshi-sama, do you intend on your position on this ship to remain temporary or are you hoping to stay?"

[Moshi Meiko]

The Yoritomo blinked at the outburst. Then, she erupted into laughter. She bent over, supporting herself with her bent knees as she lost any semblance of restraint. "You are," she said in-between the cocktail of giggles and coughs, "absolutely ridiculous. I see now that the Moshi upbringing is much different from my family's. But truly, you're putting your education to good use!"

It took a couple more, somewhat painful attempts to rein in her laughter. "The other Moshi aboard this ship is a testament to that. Tell me, Moshi-sama, do you intend on your position on this ship to remain temporary or are you hoping to stay?"

Meiko looks very chagrinned
"Well nobody in my lands uses such....direct language. We learnt other things."
Harrumph
"On the ship? Um, I think I want to stay as long as captain-sama will let me. Back home was just.....nothing every happened. Here, stuff happens all the time."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"Direct language is necessary aboard any sort of sea vessel," Koemi explained, utterly convinced in her teachings. "Without it, the slowdown of information could easily result in disaster." She pretended to spot something out from the lookout position. "Tsuruchi-sama, do I have permission to announce to you pressing information? Thank you so much, Tsuruchi-sama. As I was saying-"

Suddenly, she clapped her hands together. "And then the ship crashed and sank into the briny deep." She giggled at her own little explanation, even if it wasn't actually that funny.

"Oh? And how long will we need a cultural attache?" She looked over her shoulder. "If I were the other Moshi, I would be worried about you taking my position aboard the ship."

[Moshi Meiko]

"Direct language is necessary aboard any sort of sea vessel," Koemi explained, utterly convinced in her teachings. "Without it, the slowdown of information could easily result in disaster." She pretended to spot something out from the lookout position. "Tsuruchi-sama, do I have permission to announce to you pressing information? Thank you so much, Tsuruchi-sama. As I was saying-"

Suddenly, she clapped her hands together. "And then the ship crashed and sank into the briny deep." She giggled at her own little explanation, even if it wasn't actually that funny.

"Oh? And how long will we need a cultural attache?" She looked over her shoulder. "If I were the other Moshi, I would be worried about you taking my position aboard the ship."

"Hey! I wouldn't say that....he's 'Captain-sama'!"
Although Meiko supposes Koemi might be right there.

"Uh, we need a culture attaché as long as captain-sama says we need one, they're indispensable from time to time." The Moshi actually does a double take at that last suggestion
"Take her position? But she's the navigator, I don't know anything about that. I'm not like Minari-san at all."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Koemi smirked at Meiko's supposed title for the captain. Like always, she had the habit of looking more devilish than intended.

"I would hope we don't need a cultural attache too often," she admitted. "That would be sailing into unknown waters quite often. Pardon the metaphor." She rubbed her chin. "Or is that a euphemism?"

Shaking her head, she pursued the matter at hand. "That's good for her. I suppose shugenja and navigator do not need to go hand in hand." For some reason, she foresaw that not always being the case. It was a strange feeling, one that had no ground in this reality. She pushed it aside to remain at least somewhat sensible. "Do you understand what I mean about a threat though? Space aboard a ship is valuable..."

[Moshi Meiko]

Koemi smirked at Meiko's supposed title for the captain. Like always, she had the habit of looking more devilish than intended.

"I would hope we don't need a cultural attache too often," she admitted. "That would be sailing into unknown waters quite often. Pardon the metaphor." She rubbed her chin. "Or is that a euphemism?"

Shaking her head, she pursued the matter at hand. "That's good for her. I suppose shugenja and navigator do not need to go hand in hand." For some reason, she foresaw that not always being the case. It was a strange feeling, one that had no ground in this reality. She pushed it aside to remain at least somewhat sensible. "Do you understand what I mean about a threat though? Space aboard a ship is valuable..."

"If you don't sail into unknown waters then you....then you're just sailing the same waters all the time, which is boring and the opposite of what a Mantis kobune should be doing!"
So there! She even stomps one of her feet
"And I'm small and hard working and valuable and I have as much right to space as any other crewmate on this ship!"

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"That is true," she admitted. "Although I would also add that they would eventually become familiar waters. And then would they become boring?" It seemed as if this line of talk was confusing her. She scratched at her throat, looking around with a bit of anxiety.

The little foot stomp helped relieve her stress. Koemi looked down at her foot and then back up to the Moshi, one eyebrow raised. "I suppose your size leads to space efficiency," she remarked with a classic grin. "But anyways, I didn't mean to draw your effectiveness to question. Not at all. What I meant is..."

She sighed. "It's nothing. I'm sure you'll prove yourself even more than you already have."

[Moshi Meiko]

"That is true," she admitted. "Although I would also add that they would eventually become familiar waters. And then would they become boring?" It seemed as if this line of talk was confusing her. She scratched at her throat, looking around with a bit of anxiety.

The little foot stomp helped relieve her stress. Koemi looked down at her foot and then back up to the Moshi, one eyebrow raised. "I suppose your size leads to space efficiency," she remarked with a classic grin. "But anyways, I didn't mean to draw your effectiveness to question. Not at all. What I meant is..."

She sighed. "It's nothing. I'm sure you'll prove yourself even more than you already have."

Leaning forward anxiously
"W-what's nothing? Is something wrong? Is captain-sama unhappy with me?"

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"What? No, I'm not trying to say that." Koemi stepped back, secretly praying that nobody was around to eavesdrop on them. This damned ship never had any promise of privacy. "He likes you. I know he likes you," she continued, a touch of jealousy in her voice.

[Moshi Meiko]

"What? No, I'm not trying to say that." Koemi stepped back, secretly praying that nobody was around to eavesdrop on them. This damned ship never had any promise of privacy. "He likes you. I know he likes you," she continued, a touch of jealousy in her voice.

"Oh, that's good then!"
The Moshi's body language almost instantly switching to upbeat.

"He likes you too Koemi-san, I know he does!"

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Meiko's shift in demeanor caught Koemi off-guard. Who was supposed to be the distressing one again?

"Eh? He does?" she asked out loud, a bit flushed after realizing the words leaving her lips. "That's good. Very good." She scratched at her throat and then found a perfect shift in topic. "You asked about plowing. Is it because Thranish is hard for you or are you good at speaking Thranish?"

[Moshi Meiko]

Meiko's shift in demeanor caught Koemi off-guard. Who was supposed to be the distressing one again?

"Eh? He does?" she asked out loud, a bit flushed after realizing the words leaving her lips. "That's good. Very good." She scratched at her throat and then found a perfect shift in topic. "You asked about plowing. Is it because Thranish is hard for you or are you good at speaking Thranish?"

Nodding "He thinks you're the best warrior we got, and that you have lots of positive attributes!"
Go team!

Clearing her throat "I speak thranish pretty 'eaven and 'ell, I fin'. me accent is just a bit thick."
Continuing on.
"The captain suggested ya knew more abaht...women 'oo loike women...for plowin'."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Koemi listened to the second-hand assessment of her abilities. She thought about her status as a fighter. Although she had the most accolades, she still felt so insecure about it. Surely she was not going to voice this to the Moshi. "That is good to know," was all she said.

The rigger listened to the shugenja's accent. "I have not heard anyone speak like that before," she squeaked out. Still sounded so unnatural. "But it is good you can speak Thranish."

And then the odd part. After all that supposed praise, the captain supposed that of all things. Or, again, he was hoping to play some sort of joke on the two of them. "I cannot see much plowing happening between two women." She tried to picture a better euphemism, seeing as they lacked any seed to insert. "The rumors are true? Your family prefers that sort of thing?"

[Moshi Meiko]

Koemi listened to the second-hand assessment of her abilities. She thought about her status as a fighter. Although she had the most accolades, she still felt so insecure about it. Surely she was not going to voice this to the Moshi. "That is good to know," was all she said.

The rigger listened to the shugenja's accent. "I have not heard anyone speak like that before," she squeaked out. Still sounded so unnatural. "But it is good you can speak Thranish."

And then the odd part. After all that supposed praise, the captain supposed that of all things. Or, again, he was hoping to play some sort of joke on the two of them. "I cannot see much plowing happening between two women." She tried to picture a better euphemism, seeing as they lacked any seed to insert. "The rumors are true? Your family prefers that sort of thing?"

Aghast
"-uh...uh What rumours?!?! I..I don't think we do, at least, nobody back home said anything like that. I don't even know if I prefer that sort of thing."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"Oh? I will have to ask your cousin about this matter too," Koemi teased. After a short fit of guffaws, she lightened up and did her best to genuinely help the naive Moshi. "There's no shame in being curious in it, though. I've heard all sorts of arguments. 'Only one of the same gender can truly understand you' or 'A man and a woman complete each other' or 'Love does not care.' Do what you want."

[Moshi Meiko]

"Oh? I will have to ask your cousin about this matter too," Koemi teased. After a short fit of guffaws, she lightened up and did her best to genuinely help the naive Moshi. "There's no shame in being curious in it, though. I've heard all sorts of arguments. 'Only one of the same gender can truly understand you' or 'A man and a woman complete each other' or 'Love does not care.' Do what you want."

Nod nod
"I just don't know how any of it works and nobody ever wants to talk about it. I mean, what if I meet someone and I want to hold hands with them, but they're a lady? That's okay, right? If it's discreet and proper and everything like that."

[Yoritomo Koemi]

Talking about homosexuality and its perception in Rokugan was not one of the topics Koemi ever had in mind. "As I said, people's personal opinion can vary. I don't think any particular area likes or dislikes it more than another," she said, rubbing her chin in thought. "Yes, discretion is always key. I suppose the person who might have the most issues is someone who only wants to have relations with their spouse."

The rigger then blinked. "You said hand holding?"