[Day 5, Morning] Tears in the Rain

[Shiba Nozomi]

"You w-were at one of the t-towers?" Nozomi was mentally running through the various places that an air tensai might be drawn to, and one of those great arching spires seemed more likely than anything else.

"Isawa-gunzo... I... I'll try and f-find her..." She hated the idea of having to walk amongst the filthy crowded streets... but she hated the thought of leaving one of her shipmates alone, and possibly in danger in them even more.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"You owed her a clean death if nothing else. You could have gone to the Embassy. You could have surrendered to let them dole out punishment where it belonged instead of to a poor woman who's only misfortune was to be there when you were. They're barbarians...they've probably beaten and raped her a dozen times while you lay on the deck weeping like a child."

More waves crashed upon the ship's railing, spray falling to land on all of them. The ship rocked in it's mooring and alarmed cries rose from the people on the docks around them, reacting to the sudden unnatural violence of the sea.

"It's not my place to decide what becomes of you, but the Captain's. Get your sorry ass below deck. I don't want some mob that's looking for you to see you here and take the whole ship because you're on it. Don't so much as think of calling the kami until I hear back what's to be done."

His gaze, now so bright and fearsome a blue that the pupils couldn't be seen, fell on the poor Shiba.

"Mouse, the offer is a kind one but it's too late by now, one way or another. I have another duty for you. Watch him. You're a shugenja but you're still a Shiba and so this duty falls to you, though you can share it if you feel the need. If he so much as twitches a hand toward his scrolls, you have my express permission to execute him like you would any other traitor."

[Isawa Junpei]

Junpei rose to his feet, taking the satchel from his shoulder. Passing it to the Shiba he left the deck without a word. There were no more words left in him. The amount of shame and pain he felt had completely sapped what little fight he had in him to start.

/exit

[Shiba Nozomi]

Nozomi handles the satchel like the precious and potentially dangerous object it is. Her words come out crystal clear. "As you say, Isawa-gunzo."

She turns to go below-decks, and glances up at the Isawa from the scroll satchel in her hands. "Fortunes favor you and h-hasten your footsteps, Isawa-g-gunzo..."


Frowning, she disappears below, following after her new Isawa charge.

/exit

[Isawa O-Washi]

O-washi stood still for several minutes after the others went below, forcing himself to calm. Slowly, the crash of water slowed, then returned to the normal ebb and flow of the tide, not his rage. Only then did he trust himself enough to descend for writing materials, returning to the deck in short order with a tightly-wrapped message.

Minutes later, the mighty Sensuifu was aloft, winging toward the one he knew as 'the green man who likes to eat maki with you', message held tight in his great talons.

O-washi watched him go, then moved toward the mainmast to climb to the Nest to wait patiently for a reply.

/scene