[Day 5, Morning, Tea Room] Breakfast

[Kakita Sugita]

With the news of a missing crew member and yesterday's display, the situation is somewhat tense. Kakita Sugita comes to the embassy to get a better feel, despite his negative feelings about the whole gaijin thing. It will only be half the day, he reminds himself. Then back to the ship.

The only point is to be closer to trouble if it starts. Sword and bow have both been stashed at the embassy while here. All that is left is to relax and wait. Sugita starts with some breakfast. A small bowl of rice, fresh fish, onion, and daikon. Simple and home-like. A pot of tea, enough for a few more, sits on the small table in front of the Crane.

[Amaya]

the only other person eating at the moment was one of the peasants. She gave a sharp salute to him as he entered and looked over at the kakita with a small amount of curiosity. One of the former masters, if she remembered her colors right. She hadn't actually spent much time talking to them since coming to the ship. She chewed thoughtfully after the mouthed "O-Samurai-sama" and another bite of rice, seeming to consider whether it was wise to approach him or not.

Cranes could be ... touchy.

[Kakita Sugita]

Sugita isn't angry from the heimin piping up. Just confused. "Hai. What is it?" He says as he looks up between sips. For all he knew, his hair could be on backwards.

[Amaya]

"Eh?" she said, clearly confused. "Oh? Good mornin O-Samurai-sama. Ya need anythin?" She had a sort of expression that said that she didn't think she'd made a request of him in the process. She didn't frown, just waiting to see if the Crane needed something.

[Kakita Sugita]

"No. I don't believe so." ... How odd. Sugita doesn't remember calling for a servant. And isn't this the Ashigaru from the boat? "Aren't you part of the crew?" He asks incredulously.

[Amaya]

She had taken another bite, chewed and swallowed by the time he spoke again and nodded. "One'f th'tailors on th'ship. Got dispensation t'come on board from O-Isawa-Sama. Helpin'n landside. Was out tourin w'O-Shiba-sama yesterday. Probably escortin'r later t'the tea house."

[Kakita Sugita]

"There's a tea house here?" He looks surprised.

[Amaya]

"O-shiba-sama mentioned there bein somethin like'ne round here. Might've heard her wrong. Kinda like most things, what they call'a tea house could be smethin else, ya never know till ya know," she said, shaking her head. Her tone had the same sort of disbelief his did, the woman defintiely not sure yet.

[Kakita Sugita]

"I don't know whether to be astounded or frightened." Sugita shakes his head.

"What're your duties on ship?" He asks, changing subjects.

[Amaya]

"Ropes, sails, tailor'in work mostly, an whatever special arrangements they need'f me," she said, shrugging a bit. "Rigth now, I'm lookin round, bein all scarred an an escort fer some'f th'folks when they travel about."

[Kakita Sugita]

"So you're just on a different shift. Same jobs as me." The Samurai doesn't mention that he's better at it and fights, because everyone should already know that.

[Amaya]

"Eh? Knots mentioned there was another guy helpin out there. Good t'hear it O-samurai-sama," she said, not seeming to notice or even think about who was better at a peasant's trade. "O-Bayushi Usan-sama's in my shift too. Helps out there as well."

[Kakita Sugita]

"Usan...?" Sugita's eyes flick while he takes a bite of rice. Must think. "No. Don't think I met 'im." He says without finishing chewing.

[Amaya]

"Not sure I'd be able t'pin him out of a crowd, O-Samurai-sama," she said in a tone that sounded apologetic, even as it left the faint implication of 'you samurai all look alike to me.' She took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, glancing over at the man and shrugging a bit to herself. He was, at the least, much like she was accustomed to dealing with. The normalcy of it helped.

[Kakita Sugita]

"ah..." Sugita isn't much worried about it. Scorpion like not being seen or known. This isn't anything special. "... wait. Knots?"

[Amaya]

"Knots's th'guy who was here 'fore me. He's th'senior peasant craftsman fer th'ropes n tailorin," she said, tapping at her chin. She supposed it shouldn't have surprised her that he wouldn't have known of knots. It was another of those moments where the fact that a samurai wouldn't notice the peasants that served them came more into focus. "I forget'f anyone else's workin th'ropes these days."

[Kakita Sugita]

"But his name is Knots... and he works with rope..."

[Amaya]

"Knots's what most folks call'm. His proper name's Nuime-san, O-Samurai-sama. O-Moshi-sama's said there's usually a nickname that gets added t'most folks after a bit. Specially th'peasants," she replied in something of an uncomfortable tone. It was hard to tell if he actually cared and wanted to know about Nuime or not.

[Kakita Sugita]

"I suppose that makes it easy to remember what he does! Haha. I can hear it now though. 'Someone tie knots in that rope!' And him flailing going 'No! Not again! Don't tie me up!' I mean. That name is classic. Cheesy, but oh so delightfully flexible." Hehe. Flexible. Get it? Like rope.

[Amaya]

Amaya blinked and her head cocked, looking at the man like he had lobsters crawling out of his ears. She coughed and put a hand to her face and he could hear a faint snort, something close to a giggle there that she was stifling. Did Samurai... much less Crane joke? It was hard to tell. "Yeah...," she said a bit lamely, keeping her smirk hidden. "He'd have kittens."