(Evening Day 6) Trying to forget (Open)

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"On the ship, off the ship. We're still crew. Although I have heard some of the other longer serving crew mention 'going fishing'. I'm sure they were placing another connotation on the phrase than catching fish for the galley."

Another pause.

"There has to be a relief of pressure somewhere."

[Kaiu Seiko]

"I wish I knew of one, Agasha-san," Seiko said softly. "For both our sakes."

She was looking away when she said that, thinking of someone else, the smallest of frowns on her face.

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

He mouthed the words 'both our sakes' and looked at her.

"I thought you were speaking hypothetically or even about my own situation. I apologise if I have caused offense."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko shook her head.

"Iie, it is I who should apologize, Agasha-san. You are not the only one who... wishes things were different." She gave him a smile. "Or, at least, wishes there was a way to release the pressure."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

Another sigh.

"Some have a different opinion on where and how they can release the pressure."

[Kaiu Seiko]

"I take it you accept only the most strict of definitions?"

As a Crab, pragmatism sometimes meant that the realities of the situation allowed for a more... liberal... interpretation.

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"To be perfectly honest I had not even considered someone would break the rules."

Images of Kaimenko's demeanour and behaviour ran through his mind.

"Moshi-sama proves to be an efficient taskmaster."

[Kaiu Seiko]

"I'm not talking about breaking the rules. I'm talking about interpretations of the rule."

The image of Moshi Kaimenko flashed into Seiko's mind.

"Although your point about being safe with the most strict of interpretations is well taken..."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

He blinked.

"You are either obeying the rule or you are not. I doubt Moshi-sama would debate the semantics of whether you were obeying the spirit of the rule or not."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Right. What might be forgivable to some would not be forgivable to others.

Like Qian-Fan and Kaimenko.

"Iie," she said at last. "She would not."

And that was the reality of it. If Seiko was gunso, she might forgive a crewmate for going ashore and having a little fun to blow away steam. The Crab were known for that kind of thing from time to time. But Seiko wasn't gunso, nor would she ever become gunso in the likely future. And one small act would probably be enough to make Moshi-sama very, very, very irate.

"So... what do you intend on doing?" she asked, more to distract herself from those gloomy thoughts than anything else.

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"What do I intend doing? Nothing Kaiu-san. I won't act on my thoughts and I am certainly not going to run to Moshi-sama and tell her everything that happened like an upset child. I will take my suffering as penance for my Desire."

Back to his own gloomy thoughts. Perhaps this hadn't been as successful as he had hoped.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Telling Kaimenko was NOT what Seiko was thinking.

But sitting around being miserable wasn't much better.

"Well, at least you're not thinking about being stuck in a gaijin port now," she offered.

Not the best return, was that now?

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"True."

Another sigh.

"Damn Crane. Always win out in this kind of thing."

[Kaiu Seiko]

That definitely hit a little too close to home.

"Keep it up, Agasha-san," Seiko said with a small smirk, "And I'll have to break out my bottle of shochu and have the two of us get very drunk."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

Qian-Fan made a face at that.

"I do so dislike sake and shochu. Such awful taste."

Another sigh.

"I suppose we don't have any umeshu on board?"

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko shook her head.

"Not to my knowledge," she replied. "Although you could always ask around."

She sighed.

"What I wouldn't give for a good storm right about now..."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

Not the right thing to say to a Phoenix at present.

"I would very much appreciate good calm weather for a while. No repetition of storms summoned by misguided magic."

The possibility of a natural storm had obviously passed him by.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko had been hearing rumors about yesterday's storm being unnatural for most of the day and a good chunk of yesterday as well. She didn't get that there was a possible connection Junpei and the storm. At least, not yet.

"Well, I like storms. Always have." She shrugged.

Sometimes seems off with him and that comment...

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"You won't like storms triggered by kami being butchered into kansen by a gaijin oni."

He sounded bitter now.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Blink.

"That... sounds awfully particular." What else to say to that, what else to say to that? "Do you know if that is common around here?"