[Day 5, Early Afternoon] - It's not at sea, but still...

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko climbed eagerly into the Crow's Nest as the storm picked up. Sheltered in the harbor, the Half Moon wasn't about to be tossed about on any real waves, but the intensity of the storm was no less "weighing" on the Kaiu's mind. Her grin, as she made her way up to the top, was just shy of manic.

[Kakita Sugita]

"Daredevil, eh?!" Kakita Sugita yells upward. He's braving the storm, only from the deck. Soaked already. It's a way of life.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko looked down at the deck. For some reason, the grin got even bigger as she saw Sugita.

"Kakita-kun!"

Did... did she actually call him that?

"Come on up! You can't enjoy a storm properly from done there!"

Yeah... something was just a touch wrong with that Crab.

[Kakita Sugita]

Must have been the wind and rain muffling the noise. Yeah, that's it. "Alright!"

At the maiden's behest, Kakita Sugita climbs up the ropes. In the middle of the storm. This isn't on heavy waves though, so it's a piece of cake. His head peaks up over the floor of the nest.

"Having fun?" One hand brushes water from his eyes. Then water goes flying as he shakes his head wildly. Lot of good it does in a downpour.

[Kaiu Seiko]

The grin Seiko gave Sugita was probably a bit more on the unhinged side than comfortable for most people. But what mos people? It was only the two of them.

"Osano-Wo and Suitengu meet and do have fun! Why shouldn't we appreciate it!"

She... she definitely looked like she was having fun.

"Come on up! All the way!" She stood over the Kakita and offered her hand if he wanted it. "You can't appreciate a storm until you are dancing in its midst!"

The movement of the platform in the storm only seemed to make the Kaiu laugh all the more.

[Kakita Sugita]

Must be Suitengu's bride or something. The enthusiasm is contagious. "Nothing like it at all." Not one to stand on pride, Sugita takes the offered hand and uses it to hop up onto the platform. "On the waves this would as terrifying as it is fun! ... Same thing really!"

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko smiled with open approval as Sugita hopped up onto the platform.

"Nothing's better! Nothing!" she called over the sound of rain and wind.

It looked like she might say more, but changed her mind. For a moment she just looked at the Kakita with a expression of delight, as if thrilled to find someone as enthusiastic about storms as she was. Then she threw her head back and laughed.

[Kakita Sugita]

Waiting... She's staring... !!!?!?!!! Sugita almost backpedals a step right off the platform. "E-heh. Heh... eh-heheh..."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko tilted her head to look at Sugita with a bit of concern.

"Easy there, Kakita-kun!" She grinned again, that slightly manic grin. "It is a long way down and much better to jump into the water than fall from the crow's nest!"

She turned around to look at that possibility.

"I might just do that! A little walk, a small jump..." she called out, a little louder now because her back was turned towards him. "What about you? Wouldn't it be something to dive into the waters during a storm?"

[Kakita Sugita]

She did say that. I didn't mishear. Wait... I completely missed the rest of that. "Eh...?"

"Oh, diving. Yeah. I like diving." If she had looked back, she'd see a stunned and confused Kakita who barely knows what is going on.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko looked back at Sugita. She was still grinning.

"You want to go first? Go ahead and dive into the water from here and I'll toss you the rope to pull you out?"

Her voice carried, despite the wind, her excitement... suddenly diminished as she frowned.

"Hmm... I'm not all that strong, actually." Pause. "Well, that is no good. It isn't fair for me to jump into the water and have you pull me out if I might not be able to pull you out."

[Kakita Sugita]

Now for a prideful grin. "No problem. If you put the rope down and hold it, I can climb it." Sugita won't be judging many women by their strength.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko matched him, grin for grin.

"Gomen, Kakita-kun!" she called over the sound of the wind and rain. "I should let you decide who goes first! So I must crave your forgiveness if I simply rush ahead!"

With that, the Kaiu raced along the spar arm, despite the rain, and dived. The movement was simply, fluid, and graceful as she became momentarily one with the storm. And then she slipped into the water and was momentarily gone from sight.

((OOC: Went with TN 25, as per what was mentioned in the Pre-Game.))

[Kakita Sugita]

Sugita leans over the edge to watch the dive. "Very nice." After the woman hit the waves, Sugita gathers the rope to throw down. Coming back over, he still does not see her. A small pang of worry strikes his stomach, but it hasn't been that long yet... Maybe...

[Kaiu Seiko]

It took a bit for Seiko to surface. The experience had left the woman a touch... out of it.

For a moment... I was one with the storm, in the air, in the sea.

The shock of hitting the water was not physical, and it lingered in her mind.

It took a lot out of her to focus, to swim, to make her way up to the surface. Somehow, she managed to grasp Sugita's rope and cling to it. And... just cling. Her eyes stared off into space as her fist tightened on the strands.

[Kakita Sugita]

She did say she wasn't strong enough... Alrighty. Sugita starts hauling the Crab woman aboard, wrapping the rope around some rigging to keep it steady. "That was a nice dive!!"

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko stared off into space for a moment longer. Then she blinked, her eyes focusing on Sugita. A great big smile came to her face.

"Arigato, Kakita-kun!" she exclaimed, the excitement of the dive still with her.

[Kakita Sugita]

Wonder if any of the other Crab know this girl well. I could ask that big fella'. "No problem," he says with a strained voice. He pulls until Seiko is level with the deck, then holds it there.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko scrambles onto deck as soon as she was able. Drenched from rain and dive, her clothing stuck to her, but the Crab didn't mind. Her chest wraps were white, but she had enough so as not to be improper. At least, for being on a ship.

"Arigato, again!" She beamed at Sugita. "Now it is your turn! Do you want to take a dive off the spar arm, or are you just going to jump in from here?"

[Kakita Sugita]

Sugita scoffs jokingly. "The higher the better. One minute." He runs and jumps up the first few feet of rope, and scrambles to the nest. "This is only my second time from this high. Let's see what I can do!"

At the edge of the spar, Sugita cartwheels, launching off with his hands rather than his feet. He flips head over heels once, then drops hands first into the water. The splash won't win any Gold Medals. Still, it was fun. Ten seconds later, Sugita shoots up out of the water, smiling broadly.

"Whooo! Felt like I'd hit the bottom there!"