[Moon 7 Afternoon: Sick Bay] Familiar (open)

[Shiba Nozomi]

"Hai."

The glance she gives him at his second question is a mix of skeptical and confused. "No... they're... um." Never having had to explain what a jellyfish was before, she is a little lost for how to begin.

"They're like fish. In the ocean? But... not. Like little bubbles? Ano..." Her small brow wrinkles into a frown and she scratches the side of her cheek slightly. "You've... never seen one?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Yes, yes I know what a Jellyfish is." he nodded, smiling. "I was talking about the sting, and the ways to treat it..."

He hoped she got the hint.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Thinking he must be joking, a ghost of a smile crosses her lips before disappearing as quickly as it came. "You ask it nicely to go away, of course."

I wonder if all Unicorn have such a sense of humor...

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

*blink*

"Pardon?" Iuchi was flabbergasted. He had met strange people before. Even a gaijin or two. But this little girl... was strange. But, she didn't seem mean, nor particularly malicious, so within his mind, the shugenja tucked her to the mental locker holding one crazy Mantis sailor he had met few years before.

[Shiba Nozomi]

It was her turn to blink. Maybe he wasn't joking. Or maybe he was joking *now*? The Shiba was now unsure of herself.

"Eto... haven't you ever... done it before?" She glances off to the side. What kind of healer doesn't know these things?

"It... it's like with m..most things, Iuchi-sama,"she begins to stammer,"Y..you ask ni..nicely."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"....It?" He was confused. "Erm..."

"Ask nicely?"

[Shiba Nozomi]

Looking somehow smaller than she did before, which all things considered was rather a feat, the little Phoenix seems rather miserable.

"H...hai?" She rubs the tips of her two index fingers together rapidly. "I m-mean... I know most Is-Isawa are a b-bit more commanding... bu-but they're k-kami. You sh-sh-should be polite." The volume of her voice has dropped to nearly a whisper by the next part.

"Or d-do the U-U-Unicorn d-do th-things... dif-differently?" Who knows? They were Unicorn. They could use obscene Gaijin magics to heal for all she knew.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Slowly the understanding dawned on his face. And now it was Xiao Hua's turn to feel himself like an idiot. Shuffling his feet, he spoke. "Oh, no.. even among us, well, that depends... on the priest.. and the kami in question, but..."

"Erm.." tilting his head to the side, the man nodded. "I assumed... a more mundane cure?"

Right, Chibi... Shiba-san is priestess as well.. Hasty mental note, was taken.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"Oh. Um. You could... try a seaweed poultice... with some lemon juice?" She wasn't about to mention that the best... well... easiest way to cure it involved peeing on the part that had the sting. Such things really weren't what you'd mention to someone upon first... or even second... meetings.

"But... lemon's hard to come by sometimes out at sea." She peers up at him curiously, the tightness in her chest subsiding somewhat. "You've never been a ship's medic before, have you?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hmm, I see." he nodded, smiling.

"Ah, no, no I haven't." the shugenja readily admitted. "My duties have lain... elsewhere."

[Shiba Nozomi]

"Oh?" For a split second, wild images of the Iuchi astride a monstrous steed single-handedly sacking Toshi Ranbo run rampant through her head. They are quickly, and firmly, dispelled.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"I hail from a family of merchant patrons. " The man explained, wincing. "We oversee some necessary, but distasteful matters related to trading."

Most of the Rokugani treated commerce with distaste for a good reason. Money was filthy, as everyone knew.

A far as his duties went, his were few, his life thus far having had him journeying across the country and beyond with his father. At least until now. He had decided to marry him off, without asking Xiao Hua. And while the young man understood that this was the way of the world, in his heart, he could not yet quite forgive his father.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Seemingly unfazed by the admission, she nods. So the guy was probably richer than most people she'd met, save a few Mantis.

"I'm sure your duties here will bring honor to your family. Mine are all sailors or portsmen, so..." She shrugs, as if that information would answer some unasked question.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

As rich as the man was.. all the koku in the world could not buy the thing he most wanted.

"Well, I certainly hope so." he nodded. Xiao Hua was not sure he'd father would agree. He had not been exactly happy when he had told him about his plans.

"So, Shiba-san will be bringing honour to her family as well." the Unicorn told the girl, smiling disarmingly.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"Yes." The singular word was just about the most assured thing that had come out of her mouth. Unfortunately, it didn't last. "Well... I hope so." A flicker of uncertainty crosses her face before being carefully wiped away.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Well, they do not admit anyone to the Imperial Legions, do they?" He tried to reassure her.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"I... suppose not." Shrugging, she looks uncomfortably at the door. "I should get out of your way, Iuchi-san... -sama! L-let you get your bearings in peace..."

Before he can properly respond, her tiny feet are already shuffling towards the door, as if he'd long since agreed.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Erm.. right.." the man bobbed his head, moving politely aside to let the girl pass.

"You were not on my way... or you were, but not only in the literal sense, not is the metaphorical..." He continued, sounding apologetic.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Having no clue what he's going on about, but sensing that it had something to do with her and being in the way, she squeaks a soft, unintelligible reply and quickly flees through the doorway.

If he thinks about it for any length of time, it sounded vaguely like an apology. Maybe.

/exit

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Having been left alone, the Iuchi turned to look around, taking notes of the items stacked.

/scene