[Map Room, Moon 7 Afternoon] The Lay of the Land - OPEN

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

Rinzuki carefully steps into the map room, her eyes taking in the various maps and charts with the interest of one who had not yet come to regard such things as mere tools. She wanders to the nearest map, her slender fingers tracing the outline of some unknown blob of color.

[Volsung]

Yoritomo Soyoke stepped through the door from the captain's quarters and into the map room. "I don't believe it should be an issue at all. Four ships should be more than en-" Spotting the Iuchi in the map room he suddenly stopped talking and offered the woman a polite head nod. He watched her for a moment or two more before saying "Iuchi-san. Getting accustomed to the ship?"

The Yoritomo took a step to the side, to let the person he had been talking to into the room.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"It's the numbers Soyoke-san," came the reasonable reply. Uminushi didn't look up as he shuffled the papers and stepped through the door after the other Mantis. He frowns down at whatever he's reading, missing the fact that there was a Unicorn in his map room. "I don't see why they couldn't have spared Hayate-san as well."

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

Rinzuki flashes the first man a sultry smile as she turns to face him and his companion. "Merely taking in the scenery, Yoritomo-sama."

Her gaze slips sideways towards the second man, as if awaiting his attention before introducing herself properly.

[Volsung]

Soyoke looked back to Uminushi, definitely keeping his eyes off of the woman who is already trying to flirt. "Yoritomo-sama. We have company."

He left the question given to him by his commander unanswered for now, not wanting to discuss higher matters with a private around.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

The Captain made his way to the table and set the sheath of papers on top before looking up at the voice. A friendly smile flashed across his face as he quirked a brow in question, "Good afternoon Iuchi-san."

It was obvious that he wanted to know why the woman was in his map room, but was good enough to observe all those little social niceties.

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

"Iuchi Rinzuki, of the Baraunghar," she says, holding her hand out to him in the manner of a Unicorn greeting. "I apologize if I am in your way, Yoritomo-sama. I was somewhat taken by the beauty of your maps."

[Volsung]

Soyoko frowned at the offered hand, but said nothing. Already having a pretty good idea of how the commander of the fleet was going to react to that. "I am Yoritomo Soyoko, Captain of the Rampant Ray."

The captain kept it short and formal, most notably keeping his eyes off of the Iuchi and finding the maps to be much more interesting for now.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Ah, yes. The one Naran-san sent. A pleasure. I'm Yoritomo Uminushi, Captain of the Half Moon," he replies easily as he reaches out to clasp her forearm in firm greeting. Uminushi studied the Unicorn with professional interest before releasing her arm, "How is my brother...? Well?"

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

"He sends his best wishes," Rinzuki replies with a warm smile. "He has found little time for conversation since the recent war against the barbarians, but in the few he has stolen away for himself, he often speaks of retirement and his wishes for a life of quiet peace."

She pushes an invisible strand of hair back behind her ear.

"However, I do not think that he will cut his hair. His love of the Unicorn is too great, and he knows that the Clan would be less for his absence."

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Good. Good," he grins before dropping his voice to a stage whisper and leaning forward. Humor glitters in his eyes as he glances at the ever patient, ever stoic Soyoko, "Though I think if I had an advisor like you, I wouldn't wish to retire yet either."

Uminushi gives the woman a wink before straightening, "I'm glad the Admiralty's looking into the whole business of integrating some of the tactics you Barraghuar have developed for the Navy. Of course, I can't show you any favoritism and you'll be put through the same training as the rest of the recruits."

[Volsung]

Soyoko turned his attention to the maps, measuring out coordinates, examining likely waypoints and how good they would be defensively. The fellow Yoritomo seemed more than happy to let the two chat by themselves for the moment. He pointedly ignored the stage whisper, though he may have rolled his eyes some.

"Is there something wrong with your current second officer, Yoritomo-sama?" The other Yoritomo looked up at Umi, a slight smile playing on his face for a moment as he referenced the terrifying Moshi.

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

"You flatter me," Rinzuki says with a playful laugh and an 'oh stop' gesture. "And with my fan tucked away in the crew quarters. How embarrassing!"

Her mood becomes a bit more subdued, though the laughter never quite seems to leave her eyes. "I doubt that I will be able to teleport your ships across the ocean, but I hope that Yoritomo-sama will be able to find a use for my talents regardless."

"As for the matter of training..." Rinzuki tilts her head slightly to the side as her eyes flicker down Uminushi's body for the briefest of moments. "...I am willing to undertake whatever trials or duties you feel necessary, Yoritomo-sama."

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Ah! You wound me, Soyoko-san," he clasps as hand over his chest dramatically before giving his Chui a hang-dog look, "Besides, you know I think Kaimenko-san is a jewel of a woman... she just hits really hard and I'm delicate."

Uminushi chuckles and sweeps Rinzuki an elaborate bow, "I'm glad Iuchi-san finds this old fool entertaining," he gazes at her through his bangs and smiles wolfishly, "Though, it's hard to say what one is capable of before we're tested... won't you agree?"

The Mantis straightens and gestures towards the table, tapping the map. "I suppose we might as well start now, yes? What do you know of navigation?"

[Volsung]

"She can't hit harder than a certain other woman in your life, Uminushi-san." Soyoko states simply, then looked between his commander and the woman. He took considerable more interest in the prospect of seeing what the new recruits had to offer than how much they would flirt with their captain and stepped back from the maps.

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

"I had the pleasure of meeting Moshi-sama this morning. She seems a very...endearing woman." Her confidence waves the slightest bit at her poor choice of words, but she soon recovers with another warm smile.

"I see no old fools within this room, Yoritomo-sama. And I would be quite disappointed if you did not try to feel me out." Her eyes sparkle playfully. "How else would you know what I have to offer you?"


She holds his gaze for a moment longer before turning to the table, leaning forward over it in a manner that causes her hair to hair to fall across the far side of her neck, revealing the smooth, pale flesh beneath. "Unfortunately, very little. I know from which direction the sun rises each morning, and a rough sense of where the lands of each Clan lie within the borders of the Empire."

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Yes, she grows on you," comes the agreeable reply. If he takes insult on his subordinate's behalf it doesn't show. His eyes flick towards Soyoko as he flaps his hand, "Pah! That's different, those were love punches!"

Just as curious as the chui, he turns to watch the Unicorn bend over the table. A smiles tugs at his lips as he rubs his chin, perhaps in memory or perhaps for the view he's getting. "Can you locate where we are and where we're going? Or did the Vice Admiral not inform you...?"

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

"We are here right now," she says, tapping a point on the map with a delicately manicured finger. "But I only know that because my orders included a map."

She turns her head sideways to look at the two men. "As for where we're going, I was told that it was to the Ivory Kingdoms. But I could no more find that on a map than I could Tengoku or Yomi."

[Volsung]

"Hai, like a mussel on the underside of a boat." Mutters the other Yoritomo in response to talk of Uminushi's Chui. The idea of 'love punches' he leaves alone.

He doesn't make any comments on the matter of the maps though, still, it's not hard to tell he's not entirely impressed by her mapping skills. But she must be here for something other than the fact that she flirts contagiously.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"The Coral Islands," he supplies helpfully. When that doesn't elicit a response he moves to the table and taps an archipelago far to the south. "We'll need to sail around the Shadowlands before we hit the coast again. I take it this will be your first time on sea..?"