It should be time to sleep. But Seiko couldn't sleep. Her eyes saw things there were not there as she looked out over the railing.

But she wasn't seeing the faces in the sea that haunted all the shugenja. Instead, the Kaiu was lost in her own thoughts and daydreams.

Even the Sea of Sorrows couldn't touch those. Not yet, at any rate.

Qulan, too, couldn't get to sleep. Of course, for entirely different reasons than those of Seiko. She was a bit upset, to say the least.

Of course, when she saw the Crab, she bowed. "Good evening..." At least the Crab wouldn't be mean, she hoped.

Seiko turned to see who spoke. For a moment, her eyes couldn't focus on Qulan.

"Ah. Good evening."

She didn't seem to be quite there.

After a moment, she blinked.

"Shinjo-sama."

"Are you alright? You seem a bit distracted." Qulan asked with a tinge of concern.

"I live. Every second we get closer to leaving the sea that should not be. How are you?"

She still did not seem to be fully aware of Qulan, her eyes slightly unfocused as if looking through the Unicorn.

"Tired, but I can't sleep." Qulan sighed. "How rude of me, I am Shinjo Qulan." She gave a respectful bow.

"No ruder than I," Seiko replied, automatically returning the bow. "I forgot to introduce myself too. Again."

She tilted her head.

"Would that be an Imbalance of Air, do you think?" Then she shrugged, unconcerned. "This one is Kaiu Seiko. What do you here?"

"I'm a new recruit, if that is what you are asking." Qulan replied in a friendly tone. "If you are asking why I am here on the Aftdeck, well, it's because I needed a bit of air."

For a long moment, Seiko didn't say anything. She just looked at the Shinjo, quietly thinking.

Then she turned her attention back to the sea.

"I like you."

That... came out of nowhere.

"Ummm... Thank you." Qulan wasn't entirely sure where that came from. But at least it was positive. "I like you, too."

Seiko was quiet again as she looked out at the sea.

"It is easier this way, isn't it?"

"Hmmm?" Qulan turned her head to the sea, and then back to Seiko. "What's easier?"

Seiko glanced back at Qulan.

"Talking like this. Abandoning those games. There is no place for politics on a ship. Speak as a Crab."

She continued to look out over the sea.

"Ahhh! Yes. Same view as the Unicorn." Qulan smiled at the girl. "I don't quite get the subtle innuendo often used by courtiers. Goes over my head as they laugh at me for saying something that could be considered something else."

"Ah." She nodded. "That explains why I like you. You are sensible."

Seiko got the subtle words that courtiers used, but... she didn't like it.

"Do you like it on board this ship?"

"Surprisingly, yes. My father told me I'd be puking my guts out everywhere due to seasickness. Hasn't happened once. And I'm actually pretty good with this stuff. Well, for a Unicorn." Qulan, too, looked out into the ocean. "I might miss the plains, but I can see out for miles upon miles on this boat, letting the wind blow through my hair."

"That is good. The sea likes you. And it seems you like it back."

She frowned out at the sea.

"Not this sea. It is the sea that should not be."

It seemed as if the Kaiu was almost personally offended by this fact.

"That's good, I don't like this sea either." Qulan frowned as she, too, looked down at the sea.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"If you forget about the sea that should not be... yes. I always do." There is a kind of dreamy smile on her face now. "The best time was when we had the storm."

Seiko actually gave a happy sigh.

What.

Qulan smiled in return. "That's interesting. Not many people like storms. Especially while on a ship."