[Moon 11:Morning-Map Room, Open] Little Things

[Shiba Nozomi]

Carrying something folded within a slip of cloth, Nozomi makes her way to the map room. Taking a small breath, she glances around, and places one hand on the door.

In as clear a voice as will be summoned at the moment, she calls out softly,"Ojamash-shimasu*..." then enters the room.

Standing in the doorway, she glances about it's finely decorated expanse, wondering if there was anyone present to be disturbed.



((* in essence, an announcement of one's presence: "I am politely disturbing you"))

[elonweis]

The room was empty, not a thing out of place. Or at least, it was hard to tell if that were so. A map was set out on the table (or more accurately in the recessed table top), weighted down with small bags of sand. A hanging on the wall stirs from some source of wind, movement could be heard from the other room.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Thankful there was nobody around, she spies what she had come looking for. She'd been most other places on the ship, and knew it had to be around somewhere... Moving to the fore of the shrine to Suitengu, she bows deeply, then pulls something from the folded slip of cloth and tucks it with intense care under the base of the statue. Afterwards, she kneels and begins a prayer.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Confound it, where did I put that ..."

Uminushi stepped in to the map room in nothing but his fundoshi as he dried his hair with a towel. There were light, shallow scars scattered across his wiry build, knife cuts. He didn't notice Nozomi at first, casting around for the papers he was looking for. But it was hard to NOT see someone in such a confined space and the Mantis paused, blinking a bit and cocking his head to the side at the girl's presence.

"..."

[Shiba Nozomi]

Someone coming in causes her to pause in her prayers. The Captain coming in causes her to rise from her position. The Captain in his fundoshi? Even with her tan, she turns a deep shade of crimson. Kowtowing seemed a good idea... to get the mostly naked man out of her frame of vision, and convey her deep deep sense of apology.

So that's what she did, causing a slight thumping noise her hands and knees hit the deck so quickly. There is a simultaneous squeak from her that sounds a great deal like profuse apology tinged with embarrassment.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

The man hangs his towel around his neck and absently scratches his chest with blunt tipped fingers, "Please, Nozomi-san, don't let me interrupt your devotions."

He looks slightly amused by the girl's reaction but was otherwise unfazed by the situation. Uminushi was a hard man to embarrass.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Rising slightly from her bow, she keeps her eyes decidedly fixed to the tips of his toes.

"H... H... H..." She gives up trying to say anything and just nods. Taking a moment to take a deep breath, she turns back to the shrine.

"I... I an-anoun-announced mu-myself... b-but... nswered. .. d-d-didn't mean... intrude." Small legs are tucked contentiously underneath her as she returns to her position of prayer.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"I'm sure you did," he reassures the girl with a hint of a chuckle in his voice. The man pads casually back to his sleeping quarters and absently pats the head of the tanuki before finding a shirt and pants. Uminushi pauses and looks thoughtful, before calling through the tapestry, "Stay a while when you're finished."

[Shiba Nozomi]

"H-hai, Yo-Yoritimo-Captain."

It was here somewhere, just hard to find sometimes... that inner calm that was best for prayers. She intentionally slows her breathing and hopes that her heart hadn't hammered itself halfway out her chest already. The attempt to banish her thoughts, brings room for more random associations, and various things float through her head before settling down to silence in the face of the waves whisper.

She sits like this for some small time, the only thoughts in her head those of prayer.

Once the prayers have worked themselves through, he can hear a soft clap. Gently, she kisses the base of the statue.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

He finished dressing, pouring himself a cup of barley water before heading back in to the map room. Uminushi sips the cold drink and gives the Shiba a friendly smile, "Feel better...?"

[Shiba Nozomi]

Nodding, she manages the word that refused to be said earlier. "Hai, Y-yoritomo-Captain."
Turning around to face him fully, a small additional thanks gets given to the sea kami that the Captain is wearing clothes now.

The Shiba tilts her head somewhat, regarding him curiously with clouded eyes. "Ano... you w-wanted to s-speak wi-with me?"

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Yes, I wanted to see how you were doing now that we're on our way," he replies with a wink. Uminushi seems unaffected by her odd eyes, making no overt gestures to ward away evil.

[Shiba Nozomi]

A finger gets placed against her lips as she thinks. Aside from the apparent barbarians that seemed to be prowling the ship, and the general talk of unpleasant things that came up so often, she beginning to get her bearings again and not feel quite as anxious. "W-well... it's comf-forting to kn-know that training ex-exercises are p-pretty much the sa-same ev-everywhere."

Her expression brightens as she adds,"An-and O-Wa-washi-sama said he might teach m-me to he-help him w-with the mu-medicinal distillery."

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Shh, don't tell Kaimenko-san that... it'll break her heart," he grins, sharing a joke with the miniature Phoenix, "But I'm glad that you get along with O-washi-san, he's a good sort."

[Shiba Nozomi]

She nods, mumbling a bit too quickly,"H-he's wonderfully di-different from h-his family."

Surprised at how sincerely she meant the statement, she shifts topic slightly, asking, "W-would it be p-prying to as-ask how he j-joined you?"

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"I asked for a second gunso to help me manage the trainees since the last retired," he supplies easily, "That was sometime in the summer of last year. You'll find he's more like a member of my Family than an Isawa..."

Uminushi adds the last with a smile, finishing the contents of his cup.

[Shiba Nozomi]

Remembering O-Washi's comment, Nozomi is filled with hopeful anticipation as she asks, "Oh? I-Is your f-family very big?"

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Four children," he replies with a wide smile, "I'm hoping for a fifth to balance out the numbers, two daughters and two sons right now. Kintaro-kun's already started a formal apprenticeship and he looks to be a deft hand at navigation, has a real feel for how the currents and winds change. I can't be happier with the boy. Hana-chan and Umiko-chan take after their mother... who's a pearl amongst women, by the by. They're the sweetest little things, though Umiko-chan's likely to be more of a heartbreaker then her older sister."

Uminushi looked every inch the proud papa, though it was hard to imagine the man with children dangling off each arm. "Yuu-kun's a bit wee still to have really grown in to a personality, but he has a strong grip and whacked me a good one with his spoon before I left.

[Shiba Nozomi]

The descriptions of his family cause her face to light up. "They sound w-wonderful. D-do they all look just l-like you? And t-talent at n-navigation...you s-should be p-proud." She is clearly impressed with that one.

She holds up two slender fingers. "I've got t-two brothers. Josu-ku... er, T-Tomomochi-sama, looks j-just like mother, su-serene regardless of wh-what he's doing... and Masasugu-sa-sama takes after f-father. I th-think he'll be p-p-portmaster before too l-long..."

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Funny you should ask... I actually have a few sketches of them. Sachimi-chan likes the draw and always has a few for me when I go home," he grins boyishly. There was a gleam in the man's eye as he spoke of his family and it was obvious that he cared deeply for them. Uminushi was one of those lucky few who found love in their marriages.

"If you like, you can take a look..."