Mmm, foods... (Moon 10, Crow's Nest, Early Afternoon)

[Shiba Nozomi]

She blanches at the thought. Prior to her clansmate's approach, she'd been about to say something to the Crab, but it got quickly silenced in their exchange.

Nozomi had a slight suspicion she knew what the Hida had meant, but really didn't feel like it was her place to try and stand in as interpreter. So instead she simply bows from her seat. It was possible that even the Hida might notice the sudden uptick in her anxiety level. And she'd just started to relax a bit, too.

"I-Isawa-sss-sama. Eto... I m-meant to give you th-this y-yes-yesterday..." A tiny shaking hand pulls a paper sachet out from her robes and holds it out to the other Phoenix.

[Isawa Junpei]

Closing the distance he reached out a hand to pluck the packet from her hand. Canting his head and examining the small bundle he wondered whatever it could be.

[Shiba Nozomi]

In tiny careful script that could only have originated from one place it has a tag written on it that says:
Drink with water or tea in event of stomach ailments. 1 Dose

It seems to be a mixture similar to what he had the other day.

Disturbingly milky eyes manage to look just about anywhere but at the other Phoenix. "J..j-just in c-case..."

[Isawa Junpei]

Junpei's lips pressed into a thin line. His irritation at the sudden reminder was kept to a minimum, and after that brief moment he smiled a polite smile and nodded his head, "Arigato, Shiba-san, I wanted to thank you for your assistance yesterday. Part of the reason I came up here. The other part, of course, being the wonderful breeze. So much better than down on the deck."

[Shiba Nozomi]

Trying to ensure that his disapproval doesn't last long, she gives a hasty nod. "H-hai. B-best vi..." She swallows, trying to compose herself.

"Best... view... too."

[Isawa Junpei]

"Most definitely. If I'm lucky I might get assigned somewhere this nice for my duty. Fortunes, can you only imagine, the freedom to be up and away from that orderly chaos below, here where you can see for miles in every direction." He turned slowly in place, his robes following him slowly.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"Oh. Ah... h-hai."

She fiddles a bit, twirling the stem of the apple around and around... until it comes off and the apple drops to her lap, leaving only a tiny twig in her hand.

There's a soft exclamation of surprise, quickly followed by her hoping nobody really noticed.

"Ano... so... I d-don't remem-ember you on any of t-th-the Ph-phoenix ships, Isawa-sama." They didn't have many, and she knew the names and crew of most of them.

[Isawa Junpei]

"I suppose you wouldn't. I've never been part of the Phoenix fleet. In fact this is my very first assignment out of Phoenix lands. Oh, don't get me wrong, I've been on a fishing boat or two offering blessings at my family shrine, but nothing like this. Up till now it's been study study study. Honestly a life in the Imperial Legions was the only way I was going to get out of that life. As much as I relish my bond with the kami that comes from my being a tensai, there is a lot of expectation. After finishing my study under one of the senior sensei I was going to become one myself to train the younger tensai. That was going to be my life...like the life of most other tensai. Teach, study, teach, study. It is gratifying, but I want more than to just sit around waiting, hoping that the Master of Air picks me as his protege." He shook his head.

[Hida Musasha]

The Hida cuts in, "so what's his name? Were ya on H, J, er K, I lost count."

[Isawa Junpei]

It was like the Hida was speaking in code or something, but that didn't stop it from sound insulting. Still, it was Junpei that had forgotten his manners, "Gomen, Isawa Junpei, acolyte of the kaze-kami turned seadog."

[Shiba Nozomi]

A tensai... Nozomi sighs internally. New to the sea, too...

She decides the best thing she can do is try not to deal with anything on an empty stomach and lifts the apple back up for another bite.

[Hida Musasha]

Musashi mumbles, "Must be only Crab children that play that game..." He turns to the Isawa, "Hida Musasha. Been sailin' fer two years on the Jade Fortress."

[Isawa Junpei]

"Then another experienced sailor. Thankfully it seems were a clear split right down the middle, with half of them like me, without a day on a true ship, and the other half like the two of you, experience sailors with at least one commission under their belts. Honestly, out of my group I wonder some days why we were picked. Don't get me wrong I'm grateful that we were, but it's definitely not the most logical step to take...admitting inexperienced new recruits."

[Hida Musasha]

He shrugs, "The Emperor doesn't make mistakes." It was the end of that particular conversation for him, apparently, as he stuffed half a carrot in his mouth. "Want one?"

[Isawa Junpei]

"No thanks," he took the comment in stride, "and I'm not questioning the rightness of our appointment. I'm just wondering what the commanders of the Ninth saw in each of us that made us worthy to be picked."

[Shiba Nozomi]

"W-we're a tr-training ship. Ev-everyone has s-so-something they could l-learn." Seemed like the most obvious reason to her.

[Isawa Junpei]

"So we are simply the most trainable then," he chortled good-heartedly and folded his hands into his sleeves. "Thank goodness dogs don't have thumbs or else we might all have been replaced."

[Shiba Nozomi]

"I-If Isa-Isawa-sama would l-like to b-bel-believe so..." she mumbles. Sea Dog was another term for sailor, come to think of it...

[Isawa Junpei]

"Oh Fortunes Shiba-san, enjoy a little levity in your life. It was only a joke," he shook his head.

[Hida Musasha]

The Hida blinks, silently.