[Moon15: Morning-Sickbay,Open] Squeaky Clean

[Shiba Nozomi]

A bag made of skin... The disgust that flicks across her face is quickly smothered, but she fails to hide the shudder that passes through her small frame.

"I'm fine."

I bet he even eats red meat... Her stomach sours a bit at the thought.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hmm, as you say, Shiba-san." he nodded meekly, before taking a pinchful from every container laid on the crate before him.

"Thank you again." he nodded to her.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"... I apologize f-for earlier... it... it was unc-called for." Nozomi begins to wipe down the jars and boxes around her with a clean cloth, pulling out her calligraphy set to relabel one or two whose nametags are fading.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Erm... it's alright." he nodded. "I wasn't... exactly polite either." he smiled faintly to the woman with strange eyes. "We all have our beliefs, stemming from one book." he added, tilting his head.

I wonder... if she's touched. And if yes, by what... Maybe some strange spirit... The man took a mental note to perform the correct rites to ward off evil when he had the chance. Just in case.

"So you are helping Isawa-gunso then?" the man recalled the medicine lesson she had given. "I know something about medicine myself too, but I am happy that there are people on board who are better versed in the art than I am."

[Shiba Nozomi]

As if it were the most obvious thing in the world, she says simply, "He's Isawa."

Everything gets placed back where it was... or in some cases, where it was supposed to be, but wasn't.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

The man only nodded. He wasn't sure he understood, but something told him that he'd be better off without further questions on the topic at hand.

"Beyond... this... he waved his hand. Before we got here, how has the life on the ship been to you?"

[Shiba Nozomi]

"S-settling in. Some o-of the other sa-sailors are very n-nice.... So is th-the Captain..." The tips of her ears turn the slightest bit pink, but she doesn't seem to notice.

"And you?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Doing so-and-so." he chuckled silently. "I am not used to climbing. Or fighting." Whatever happened to her ears went unnoticed, as his gaze was focused on her milky eyes. They were truly peculiar. Maybe because of the medicine, little by little, the colour was retuning to Iuchi's face.

"Crew is indeed nice." the man smiled to her. "Though I haven't yet had the chance to talk with the captain. What kind of man he is?" he added, curious.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"H-he cares about his cr-crew. Is p-perceptive... and a g-good storyteller... un-understanding..." The description sort of peters out and her ears turn a little pinker. She turns the topic back to the newbie testing exercises rather abruptly.

"The f-f-fighting you can avoid, b-but the cl-climbing you sh-should really start g-getting used to." The rustle of soft cotton arises as she shifts in her seat. "M-maybe you could ask Hi-Hida Musasha-san for h-help? He's v-very adept."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Oh, that's good then." he nodded, referring to her description of their captain. "From what I have heard, we could be off worse." The colour change of her ears remains unnoticed, the man engrossed in the discussion.

"Ah, Hida-san. I talked to him few days ago. Somewhat morose, but good man. He had some peculiar ideas, but beyond that, a good fellow. We even discussed climbing, briefly." he continued, telling her about his brief meeting with the man.

[Shiba Nozomi]

She nods, shifting again. "He knows n-nothing but f-fighting... but h-he makes a v-va-valiant effort at trying t-to be an ac-acceptable part of s-society... I l-like him."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hee, he did talk about happiness as well. And life on a ship. And how it was his duty to ensure that we didn't need to face that." The man waved at the ever-wailing sea. "Good man." He nodded.

If somewhat brutish

[Shiba Nozomi]

Mulling this over, she adjusts the position of one of the jars along the shelf, adding a piece of securing twine to keep it from falling if the ship took any major jolts. "Happiness... I c-can't imagine his re-requirements are very s-specific... then again, h-h-he's more likely to at-attain it that w-way..."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"His... specifics... were not overtly complicated. " the man nodded, not wishing to tell her what the man had said. "And yes, it seemed to be something one might attain by visiting a single... house." Now it was his turn to blush. She was polite company after all.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Her face brightens, "He's g-got a special s-someone? H-how sweet! I b-bet she's a good f-fighter..."

Obviously, she hadn't understood the implications, and already her brain was imagining what sort of woman Musasha would be in love with. Obviously she was a good fighter... it seemed like the best way to get that (or any) Crab's attention was to literally knock them off their feet...

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Erm... several special someone's." the man winced.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Her mouth opens and closes a few times while processing that one out. "Ano..."

Then her eyes get a little wider."Oh."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"They aren't that picky on the wall, I gather." he blushed. "They go for any comfort they can get." the man added, stepping a half a step away from the Shiba, just in case he'd be misunderstood.

"If it's how he described it..." the man added, staring at his feet.

[Shiba Nozomi]

"I really d-didn't need that m-much detail, I-Iuchi-san," she says in the hope that he would not continue in that vein of conversation.

She coughs politely. Speaking of uncomfortable..."How is your c-cousin?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Of course, Shiba-san." he nodded. "My cousin... I haven't had the chance to talk with her yet. How so?" the man looked up, watching her curiously.