/enter from here

Iuchi Rinzuki steps into the large cabin, her eyes taking in the curtains that divide the area into two seperate sleeping sections as well as the common area between them. As she notices the berths along the wall, she laughs softly for a moment before politely covering her mouth.

"This is certainly more cozy than I had expected."

"... yer first 'ere, so ye kin choose. 'tis clear which err free and which erent," Happy provides helpfully, watching their reactions with a certain curiosity. He pauses and adds with a nod, "Lady's side is yonder."

Qulan went towards the ladies side of the area. "Which would you like, Iuchi-san?" She carefully examined the area, deep in thought of which one she actually wanted. "I'm not quite sure."

"Thank you," Rinzuki says as she retrieves her travel papers, orders, and recomendation letter from her satchel. She hands the bundle over to the ashigaru with the utmost care, allowing her fingers to just briefly brush against his own as he takes them. "I trust that you will ensure that the captain receives these at his earliest convenience?"


At Qulan's question, Rinzuki glances over her shoulder towards the female quarters. "I usually prefer to be on top, but if you have a preference of your own, I am perfectly fine with resting below you."

"Uuhh..." he manages as he takes the papers. The young man flushes as his mind makes a quick and gleeful run for Yume-do. "Hai, Iuchi-sama."

Happy glances towards the Shinjo, unable to even look her in the eye as he waits for her papers. They said Unicorn women were different, but this really took the mochi.

The Shinjo thought about it for a short moment before replying with a nod. "If you want to be on top, I'm fine with that." She looked over towards Happy and started to dig out her own travel papers and whatnot. "Ummm, if you wouldn't mind to deliver my own as well, Happy? I'd be much obliged."

"Err, 'course," he murmurs and carefully took the papers from the woman. Happy shifted a little uncomfortably and bowed before making a hasty exit. Kami, he couldn't wait to find O-washi...

/flee... err exit!

Rinzuki turns towards Qulan and regards her with a pleasant smile. Her brown eyes meet the other woman's and linger there as she speaks in a quiet tone.

"Since we will be sharing a footlocker, it may be wise to discuss the matter of our shared belongings." She pats her fashionable scroll satchel with hand. "I have a few books and writing supplies with me, and I would appreciate it if they were to remain private, especially my journal. However, I have a number of pillow books with me that you may peruse at your leisure..."

Rinzuki grins playfully.

"...so long as you do not drop them over the edge of the ship."

Qulan gave her perfect eye contact. Not turning away (like she secretly wanted to), just calmly and confidently standing there. I don't even want to know about what she has... Might be scary or something.

"I would never pry, Iuchi-san. Your things are safe around me... And as for your pillow books..." The Shinjo girl paused. "I won't toss them to the sharks. Now, you might not find my things too... Amazing. I don't really have anything private with me, either."

"I did not wish to imply that you would," Rinzuki replies with the slightest of head bobs. "Truthfully, it is nothing that you would probably care to read in the first place. I try to keep a log of my dreams, as most of them are quiet interesting, but quickly forgotten upon waking. As such, some of them are rather..."

Her voice trails off as she gives Qulan a knowing look.

"Besides," she adds with a soft laugh, "the pillow books are much better written than anything I have ever put to paper."

A blink. "Well, I didn't say that you were implying that I would, I was merely trying to assure you that I wouldn't try and peek." A long awkward pause later. "At your journal, I mean."

That sounded... Odd. I must be tired from all the travel lately.

Rinzuki places her hands on her hips and regards Qulan with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you plan on peeking at other things, then?" she asks in a teasing tone.

Qulan's brows furrowed in confusion. "What would I peek--- Oh." The poor Shinjo's cheeks flushed. "I didn't mean... I wouldn't... "

She wasn't used to being teased, it seems.

Rinzuki covers her mouth in a vain attempt to keep from laughing.

"My apologies," she says after regaining her composure. "I am sure that it was merely a slip of Shinjo-sama's tongue."

"I guess I didn't think that through..." She scratched the back of her head in some attempt to not be embarrassed anymore. To say the least, it wasn't working so well. "First day and I've already made myself look like a fool... I'm sorry, Iuchi-san."

"Our secret," Rinzuki says as she taps her lips with a finger. "One cannot expect a bushi to defend their words as they defend our homeland, can we? That is the duty of courtiers with far sharper tongues than either of us."

She watched Rinzuki tap her lips with a somewhat blank stare before looking up with a slight nod. "I guess you are right. And thank you... I appreciate you keeping that secret. Though I'll probably make a fool out of myself several times over. I tend to blurt things out..."

Rinzuki watches Qulan for a long moment, her expression one of mild amusement.

"It's not fair for me to keep one of your secrets without offering you one of my own in trade, wouldn't you agree?"

And one of Qulan's brows raised in interest. "Oh, what would that be, Iuchi-san?"

I wonder if it's an embarrassing secret? Oh, but mine wasn't too embarrassing... Hmmm... What is she gonna do?

The shugenja taps a finger to her lip one more time before stepping closer to Qulan, moving just slow enough for her movements to remain non-startling. She leans forward and whispers a few quick words into the other woman's ear before stepping back to her original position.

Then, Rinzuki winks at her and taps her lip a third time.