A true home (moon 8, rigging, afternoon, open)

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Clever," she said with a smirk. "So yer married, huh? How does that treat ye?"

[Hida Sayuri]

Her grin fell so quickly, it should have been audible shattering on the deck below.

Sayuri holds a bit tighter to the ropes, hauling herself up from the spar to begin climbing higher once more. "Not married anymore, Hujokuko bless 'im now." The last mumbled out with the sound of an oft-repeated rote.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"..." Himiko looked down towards the decks. "My apologies. I was out of line."

[Hida Sayuri]

She shrugs, letting the horizon fill her eyes. "Nah, y'couldn't know. Was damn good while it lasted. Just wasn't that long ago it stopped lastin' neh? Couldn't even manage one little terror like you must've been. So I'm somewhere else now, where duty just means a strong arm an' sealegs, y'know?"

One meaty fist grinds at her eyes as surreptitiously as possible when it's the size of a small melon. "But what about you? Wedded yet or still negotiatin'," she calls down the rigging with a tone that's at least attempting to be cheery.

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Neither," she said calmly, "or at least, if there are negotiations, my dearest parents have carefully neglected to tell me."

[Hida Sayuri]

"Oh, are they usually like that? Heard of more'n a few like that." Sayuri rests, clinging to the ropes comfortably. "I was lucky enough, I guess. Yuuichi and I were sweet from way back, no arranging for some stranger."

She shrugs, looks up at the Crow's nest, then back down at the Yasuki, a grin growing. "I want to see how far out you can see from up there. Come on up here...I'll race you!"

[Yasuki Himiko]

"Doubt I'll be so lucky." She chuckled. But then... the challenge was laid down. "Oh, yer on!" She effortlessly begins climbing to where the Hida is, looking totally prepped to make the Hida look silly.

[Ichiro Yakusoku]

As the two Crab raced overhead, Yakusoku wanders over the deck, looking up into the rigging. This was certainly the biggest ship she'd spent time on and she fully intended to explore every inch of it, up and down. For now though, she just wanted to get used to the rocking of the new boat. It was taking a bit of time, the Badger able to keep her footing but ultimately unused to walking the new vessel. Looking up into the rigging she focuses on the Crab samurai-ko, muttering about the size of the boat under her breath.

[Hida Sayuri]

Once Himiko reaches the same general height in the rigging, Sayuri joins her in the climb. Arms bulge as she seems to fling herself, hand over hand, upward. Her laughter echoes across the ship. "See you from the nest, lass!"

It's over in only a few moments, the pair of them matched for speed...but Sayuri's height proves the deciding factor as she slaps one broad hand against the crow's nest before Himiko can reach it. She hangs there a moment before climbing in. "Shoulda wagered a duty shift on that."

[Yasuki Himiko]

Our resident Carp puts on a good showing, but damn that Hida is tall. It is only by a slim margin that Sayuri beats Himiko up to the Crow's nest, though the smaller crab puts a good face on for it. "Yer fast for a big girl. Next time we can get that wager, and I'll kick yer ass then."

[Hida Sayuri]

As she starts to clamber onto the small platform, she says, "I'll try harder next time then. You're good on the ropes for someone as wasn't stationed to a ship before."

She pauses, hands upon the platform. "Look at all the carvings. Lot of work there...Oh there's the kami, and look at the wee leaping fish. You can even tell what sort they are." The large Crab hangs there between sky and deck, feet gripping rope and hands pressed to the wood, admiring the sailors' artistry.

[Rixy]

Seeing a large human on the nest, it was only natural that Sensuifu, who was only as smart as any eagle after all despite his vast size, would think it was his human.

With a call that only experience would tell a person was friendly, the large eagle left off it's place on the top of the foremast and, with a beating of massive wings, descended for a landing on the ledge, peering over at Sayuri with great golden eyes. His talons, easily large enough to make arrowheads with, were spread and left scores in the underside of the planking not a handsbreadth from the Hida's own hands.

[Hida Sayuri]

Staring at the surprise visitor, Sayuri carefully takes her hands from the platform and reclaims her hold on the rigging, dangling there below the sharp-clawed predator. "Well, you're a bit more impressive than the gulls, aren't you?"

She pulls herself a bit farther up the rope. It just feels a bit less exposed to bring her eyes level to the birds own, rather than level with those talons. "So long as you're not thinking I'm food or an enemy...I think we're fine then."

[Rixy]

The bird clacked it's beak at her and then it's head dipped forward, the great sharp beak...





...taking up a piece of Sayuri's hair, apparently intent on ensuring it had been properly preened.

[Hida Sayuri]

She ducks to the side as the bird comes for her, setting the rope to swinging in its very limited circuit. It's not enough to keep the ever unruly strands of hair from the creature. "Ow! Are you *eating* that? That's not what it's for, bird."

[Rixy]

Sensuifu only blinked at her and continued his work, leaving the strand coated in...something...that would probably be very good at keeping off the water and which smelled rather unfortunately of fish.

[Hida Sayuri]

"Oh, ugh..." Nose wrinkled, Sayuri starts to climb higher, hoping to get out of range. "No you don't, I'm not wastin' good water cleanin' that stink out of my hair. I'll thank some fortune later that you wanted my hair instead of an eye; hope you'll understand bird-san."

"Watch your hair, round that one!" she calls to the Yasuki. "Seabird spit reeks of fish."

[Yasuki Himiko]

Himiko nodded lightly, but otherwise was far too busy holding her face to keep from laughing openly at her cousin. After a moment, she managed to calm herself. "I'll try to remember that."

[Hida Sayuri]

"Some help you are! Give 'im a nudge... maybe he'll head off hunting dinner instead'a hair."

[Yasuki Himiko]

"But he likes you so much! Surely you appreciate 'im showin' his appreciation fer yer gorgeous locks!" She snickered a bit before moving carefully closer to the bird. "Come on, Birdy, Hida-san don't like ye playin' with her hair."