Lanterns lit the Half Moon and the gathered faces on the deck. It was a little crowded with all the people and the small tables scattered 'round with cushions. Uminushi felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he looked at their expectant faces. It wasn't often that his ship looked like a Crane pleasure boat.

"Right," he said, voice cutting across the dozen or so soft conversations as he stood, taking his cup of sake with him. "Welcome abord the Half Moon. I'm your Captain. That lovely lady trying to set my head on fire with her eyes is Kaimenko-san and the small mountain over there is O-washi-san."

The smile broke in to a grin as Kaimenko made a rude gesture. He bowed gallantly in the young woman's direction and turned back to his audience, "We'll be your erstwhile instructors as we take a jaunt to the Coral Islands to check on some of the Empire's interests. Now, before any of you get your fundoshi in a bunch, it's a routine trip and a smooth one if Suitengu-no-kami looks kindly upon us."

Subtly, his hand moved to tip some of the sake in his cup on to the deck. It was always a bad idea to tempt the Fortunes.

"But don't get it in your heads that this will be easy," he warned casually, knowing they wouldn't really heed his words... yet, "That, however, is for tomorrow. Tonight, enjoy your dinner and make some new friends. You won't be eating like this again until we get back."

"Strong winds and clear waters," he added almost as an after thought and tossed the sake back. Uminushi was never really one for speeches and he made an impatient gesture for the festivities to commence.

Jishaku raised his sake cup and joined the Captain in his toast.

"Strong winds and clear waters, aye Captain. Kanpei!"

Although the boat was mostly full of Mantis and Unicorn this was a Legionnaire crew so there was probably someone he could talk to without 1000 ancestors turning in their graves. With a wry smile the young Akodo looked around for someone to talk to.

Iuchi Rinzuki sips at her sake with all the delicate care of an experienced courtier. She had changed into her best kimono for the occassion, and no doubt seemed more than a little out of place because of it. The purple and fuschia silks clung to her body in a way that hinted at custom alterations, but without being gauche or gaudy.

While she made no move to speak with the other members of the crew, her body language was open and approachable.

"May Suitengu treat us gently," Naomi chimed in to the toast with a beaming smile on her face, before sipping from the cup. She wore a soft peach-colored irotomesode. While not of the finest quality, it was still respectable for the occassion, and no doubt it would be the last time she could wear it for a while as it wasn't suitable to wear out on the open sea.
Not that the gentle stirrings of the boat had been a problem to her today, but she knew that not all had the experience to sway properly with Suitengu's little waves that made boats even in their ports rock and dip ever so slightly.

For the short moment the Akodo looked in her direction, she merely bowed her head, treating him as a superior.

After the toast, Qulan kept largely quiet as she looked around to evaluate the crew. So many different people from different Clans. It was quite fascinating to her, to be allies with so many people. It got her excited. She looked over the officers of the ship, and made some mental notes.

The Captain seems nice. I'd have to talk to him personally to get a good mind of what he's like. Ah, O-Washi was pretty nice to me, seems to have a good sense of humor, reminds me of uncle Jurobei. And... Moshi-sama is a bit intimidating. She seems like the type that would ride your ass over any little thing. Best not make her mad.

Well at least this journey will be easy on the eyes. The young Akodo blinked as his eyes passed over the Iuchi. Easy indeed. Returning the Shiba's nod he poured another cup of sake. Swirling the sake around in the cup he gave her his full attention.

The return of a nod was a sign of... initating conversation.

"Akodo-sama," the cheery but subdued voice greeted him. "Is this your first time on a boat?" Her smile was warm and friendly as she broke the ice with a novel topic starter for their situation.

"Shiba Naomi, Akodo-sama. It's an honor." She bobbed her head in deference again.
"Hai, I'm a new recruit, as most of us seem to be, but it's hardly my first time on a boat. Already I look forward to being rocked to sleep by the sea," Naomi allowed herself a small giggle at this.

"Glad to hear it Shiba-san. It is an exciting prospect to be headed off on an adventure as a Legionnaire, so I doubt I'll sleep much the first few nights." He smiles and sips his sake. "The Half Moon is quite the vessel neh? Much bigger than any of those I have sailed with my Clan."

"Oh, it is by far the biggest vessel I have had the opportunity to be on, as my clan's ships cannot compare to the Imperial ships."
She seemed to interested in the conversation to drink anymore of her sake. Or she was simply nursing that cup...
"I am guessing that Akodo-sama have served with the Lion clan's naval forces before coming here?"

"Then you are a good guesser Shiba-san. Yes, I have. Though I never made it as far as the Deathless sadly." He looks genuinely disappointed at that and looks away as he downs his sake. "Well, congratulations to us on our new posting. Have you met many of the crew yet? There appear to be rather a lot of Unicorn don't you think?"

"Oh, I have heard stories of the Deathless and its great captain, Akodo-sama. They have reached as far as even my humble home."

As he continued, the warmth and shine in her eyes faded, but the smile remained, though perhaps it lost some of its spirit.
"Indeed, there does seem to be quite many from the Unicorn. To be honest, I had not expected seafaring to be to the liking of a clan renowned for horsemanship."

Coming aboveboard, Nozomi is unpleasantly surprised by the large number of people that seem to be milling about. She had completely missed the announcement and the Captain's little pep-talk, and quietly tries to find a place to sit. Preferrably somewhere not surrounded by random strangers.

As she moves, she keeps her gaze cast to the floor, her long bangs all but obscuring her eyes.

The tallest Phoenix . . . oh ya O-Washi . . . the second tallest Phoenix was also present, giving the cup of sake the same look most Crane give to venemous snakes suddenly found in their underwear drawer. The Captain's toast was amde though, so manners made him take a sip. After which he gave the cup the look most Crane give to venemous snakes they just found in the underwear they were wearing. Perhaps circulating and finding someone to talk to would be best . . .

Shiba Naomi wrote:"Oh, I have heard stories of the Deathless and its great captain, Akodo-sama. They have reached as far as even my humble home."

As he continued, the warmth and shine in her eyes faded, but the smile remained, though perhaps it lost some of its spirit.
"Indeed, there does seem to be quite many from the Unicorn. To be honest, I had not expected seafaring to be to the liking of a clan renowned for horsemanship."

"The Deathless has been an inspiration to me, so I am glad the tales reached your lands as well Shiba-san." He notes the change in her experession but doesn't pry. "Neither did I, but then one should always be careful with their preconceptions. I'm sure Akodo-no-kami or Sun Tao wrote something about that." His smile is infectious, if unexpected on a Lion.

Blessed Kami, they're about as sociable as a gaggle of new-made courtiers at their first Court. No way around it old man, you'll just have to lead by example.

He tosses back another cup of sake before making his way in to the crowd. Friendly smiles and nods were given to all those around him, light glinting on the earring hanging from his right ear. After a bit of general circulating, the Mantis plants himself in the path of the tiniest of his crew; one Shiba Nozomi. He clears his throat so the child? girl? doesn't run in to him.

"Shiba-san, have you had a chance to explore the boat?"

Her eyes immediately fly open wide as the Captain places himself squarely in her way and addresses her. Immediately wondering if she could melt into the floor, she responds in a surprised squeak.

Coughing slightly, she tries again. "H..hai, Yoritomo-taisa." A pause. "She's beautiful."

"Captain," he corrects mildly and with good-humor. Uminushi leans forward and confides with wink, "Only people who care I'm a taisa are heading their own ships.

The Mantis straightens, smiling kindly at the Phoenix, "My reports tell me that you'll be joining my ship on a more permanent basis, yes?"

"Ah, hai, Yoritomo-Captain, I believe that's to be the case..." She studies his feet rather intently, noting that a thread seems to be coming slightly loose from his footwear.

"Ano... I was not informed of the specifics of my duties aboard your ship. I suspected that it might have something to do with my healing abilities, but I didn't want to assume and be incorrect. Is there a particular role that you would have me fulfill on the Half Moon?" It was just about the clearest, and longest, collection of things she'd said all day.