[Day 6 – Early Afternoon] Local Fishing

[Bayushi Hoshi]

She gave the other woman a glance before turning her attention to the line to check if any fish caught it. Perhaps the harbour wasn't a good place for that with so much activity to scare off the fish. "-Ah, then. If it's so common, I should have it figured out easily...Mm, I'm not an avid reader but I do consider myself a critique of stories in the times that I do."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko was silent for a moment.

"I was trained by the Yasuki."

She said no more. Hoshi would be able to figure it out
Or not.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

So this isn’t about books? That’s unfortunate. Hoshi glanced to Seiko for a moment before turning her attention back to the waters. “Mm.” Was all she said in response, merely a sound to show that she heard her with a neutral opinion.

[Kaiu Seiko]

"I do read them," Seiko said, almost defensively. "It is just that I have been trained to look at things with a different set of values."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"You speak as if you think I would find something wrong with that Kaiu-san...I've said earlier that there are those who read for all sorts of reasons. Myself, only when I find himself in a corner with too much spare time, and that happens rarely. A scholar might read, not out of enjoyment but commitment to take in knowledge. Reading for duty, is not unusual at all."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko nodded after a moment.

"Gomen, Bayushi-san," she said. "I guess I am a bit used to other samurai being uncomfortable around someone who looks at a work of art and her first thought is 'how many koku could I get for it?'"

She paused, then smiled.

"Although it might be a bit of a stretch to call some of those pillow books 'art'."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

“Most will overlook the reasons for your actions, and only see your actions. In your case, they’ll only see an avid reader.” Hoshi let out a small breath. “But I’d be careful about saying something like that Kaiu-san. Luckily it’s only me here otherwise...you could have very well made yourself a thousand enemies with that statement alone...”

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko nodded, then paused.

"Which one do you mean?" she asked. "I would not be surprised if each one earned me an enemy or two."

Apparently, now it was time for Crab bluntness.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"I find it hard to believe anyone would find offence over your view of books, offence enough to become your enemy. Unless they were a competitor. You aren't likely to find a shortage even in that anywhere. -Ah but...I was talking about the latter really. To some pillow books is a serious lifestyle."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko smiled.

"That is easy enough to handle," she said, putting a light tone to her reply. "If the samurai who takes offense is a Mantis, I will tell them I was talking about certain pillow books written by a Phoenix. If the samurai is a Phoenix, I will say the trouble lies with a certain Mantis. If Lion, I say Unicorn. If Unicorn, Lion."

She paused.

"And if Crab, I tell them to put down the pillow and get back to the Wall where you belong."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Until the last part, some may say that you're thinking like an Otomo Kaiu-san. But at least you have an escape plan, even if some of those 'conflicts' are outdated. A Lion could still argue the fact that they're defending the honour of a respected former enemy, after their differences were settled by both Champions."

[Kaiu Seiko]

To Seiko, it seemed that Hoshi was suggesting that there were samurai out there who would believe and defend every pillow book as a work of art. It came across as a notion preposterous to the Crab... but utterly believable. There were samurai out there whose priorities were completely impractical to typical Crab mentality.

Or at least what Seiko hoped was typical Crab mentality. In fact, she knew that there were Crab who would consider her impractical.

Better change the subject.

"Still no bites," she asked, looking at Hoshi's fishing rod.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi smirked when she returned her attention on her line again, "I suppose not Kaiu-san. Still a long way to go before I'm an expert sailor, and from there, a master fisher. I do wish it could be the other way around, but slacking in duty is a sin. As mentioned before, I have much in patience. It would be a shame if I walked out of here with nothing though. I was hoping to bring home a souvenir. And the ocean isn't a store that lets you pick."

[Kaiu Seiko]

"Cheer up, Bayushi-san!" Seiko smiled, even though Hoshi had not sounded depressed in the least. "I am sure that fishing doubles as meditation!"

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"-Ah?" Hoshi said in confusion when she was encouraged to cheer up, she knew she wasn't being that gloomy. "I would hope so. I was never good at meditation as a child but in a round about way...this was how I was taught it..."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko lifted an eyebrow in question.

"Really? Did you have an ancestor who became a monk and loved to fish?"

It was the best explanation she could think of.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi gave her a blink and shook her head. "-Ah...Not exactly the case. Especially with my ancestors Kaiu-san, to my knowledge. Iie, it was just something small I've picked up from my visits to Hotei Seido. Not all meditations are done conventionally but sometimes in appreciation in the finer details of life, or art."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko nodded.

"I believe I understand. It is not fishing I like and relaxes me, but watching the ocean and the waves. Simple things in life."

There was a strange grin that came to her face.

"Like storms..."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi took on a content look with her eyes and she gave a sound nod, "You have the spirit of it Kaiu-san, not all relaxation comes in internal stillness, or so I was taught. Storms are maybe...an acquired taste though. Mm. I don't think you missed the big one a few days ago ne?"

[Kaiu Seiko]

If anything, the smile got bigger.

"Oh, iie. That one, I did not."

Definitely something about storms made her a bit happy.