[Day 7, Early Evening] Rumours

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi grimaced. "I didn't mind it in the least, though your reaction was much the same as my Father's." He shrugged. "and I don't know about brothels, O-washi-kun. I've never been all that interested in women. Perhaps we could just go down to the beach and ravish each other."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"You should try one before you decide...and there're taikomochi, too, you know." The big man grinned impishly. "You might learn something I couldn't teach you from one, who knows?"

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi blushed. It had never occurred to him that there would be men who served as oiran. "Oh." An embarrassed smile. "Ah, I suppose that wouldn't be so bad...maybe."

[Isawa O-Washi]

O-washi just laughed a bit more. "Oh, it wouldn't be. You should try it, get yourself seasoned in the ways of more folks. If you've a mind to one thing or another, they're good at teaching." Now wearing an expression of sheer wickedness, the big Phoenix added, "Some of them even have shunga you can use to pick what sort of thing you'd like."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

[Note: Image searches are dangerous things.]]

If it were possible, the Crane's blush deepened. "If...if I..." he hanged his head as he desperately tried to overcome the fit of giggles that he knew would only lead to mood-rending coughing. "If there was...something." A deep breath. "Something that you'd...that you'd like me to learn..."

[Isawa O-Washi]

That wickedness grew. "We could go together, I suppose, share a few rounds. Maybe they'd give us a discount, eh?"

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi's eyes widened several sizes. "They'd let that happen?"

[Isawa O-Washi]

He couldn't help it and roared in laughter, the bass sound rumbling through the space. "Fuichi-kun, for good koku they'll let you do just about anything so long as you don't do any damage to their people and pay up your debts. Having a house lad spitted betwixt us is a very small thing, all things being equal."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi's jaw dropped as the image flashed through his head. "A small thing?" eep! "What on earth would consitute a big deal, then?" He isn't sure that he's ready for the answer.

[Isawa O-Washi]

This, O-washi considered for almost a minute. "Mmm...I know that houses that cater to more...extreme...enjoyment cost more. I'm not interested in such matters, so I can't say exactly how much more but I think I can safely say that getting some poor lad kitted out in a captives chains and locked down for 'questioning' is a larger thing."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi, now thoroughly scandalized, frowns. "I agree, that seems a little much." He shakes his head. "This is not a conversation that I ever expected to have. Of course, I would never have expected to have travelled this far, either. The world is full of wonders."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"I'll warn you to get used to it if you're going to be hanging about me for long. I've been friends with Crab and Mantis far too long, they've quite thoroughly corrupted me to plain and scandalous speaking."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"You might want to work on your cousins, then, as I think I quite scandalized them earlier. Apparently, making off-color jokes isn't something that Phoenix normally share between friends." A thought occurs to him. "Or we're not friends..." Crestfallen Daidoji is crestfallen.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Mmm. Junpei or Agasha-san? I warn you now, the latter is unlikely to ever soften." O-washi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "He considers you a rival."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi inclined his head. "I thought as much after his reaction to our indiscretion. Those sorts of the things take time."

He shook his head. "I am fairly certain they were both scandalized, though. The Speaker of Saraswati who is training Junpei-san was telling us about their cosmology, and it so happens that their moon god is married to all eight of their constellations." He shrugged. "She thought it was funny, at least. It is a sad day when a gaijin can see the humor in her religion and a Rokugani cannot."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Junpei's touchy and no wonder after what happened with him." O-washi was still angry and his fists clenched slightly despite the pain that caused. "You would think he'd be grateful that these people are merciful, or ignorant. Still, being disquieted is not out of place for some time after such a thing."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi raised an eyebrow. "Yes, feeling guilty about one's actions is quite normal. I am uncertain why some crew members want to reinforce that with ill-concealed hostility. It doesn't make sense to make a state of isolation permanent in our current situation."

He shrugged. "And anyway, his current state should only serve to prove that his action was entirely unintentional. He was a fool, but not a malicious one. To treat him as a criminal in addition to his self-inflicted suffering seems cruel."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"He did caused the death of the kami and rebirth into the cursed state of kansen. Those of us who are priests find that hard to forgive." One brow rose. "I'm surprised you do not see it that way. Your ability to feel mercy for others is admirable but it might be a problem one day."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"Oh, but I do see it that way. I also see that he will never forgive himself for it. That much regret, even if justified, secures him a place in Meido." He bowed his head. "In a sense, he is already there. What need have I to make it worse?"

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Well, that's a point." O-washi sighed. "I'm trying to avoid him until my anger cools. I very nearly struck him down when he told me, you know. Only my Duty to the Captain stilled my hand."