[Afternoon 14 - Island] The Call of Thunder

[Amaya]

Amaya felt the rough sand underneath her sandals and looked around, saluting those of station that she met on her way towards what seemed to be a long series of stones embedded into the crunchy volcanic floor. She frowned, causing the scar on her face to pucker nastily and looked at the kanji. She was unable to read a single one of them, though she knew wards when she saw them. They were around sacred places all over. Up ahead was a magnificent and tall spire of basalt shooting its way towards the heavens, the base of which had a barely visible shrine.

Her frown deepened as she reached the point of the stones and scratched her head, looking around for a ladel before glancing back and trudging to the waters to wash her mouth and hands out. It was salt water, but it would have to do. Spitting it out into the sea, she glanced around. Other than them, there was no life here, but the place was buzzing like something real and active was present. It was like some fiery and angered earth kami had roared up to split the seas and rage its way from the depths. It was hard to not feel like one was being watched, judged, weighed every moment that they stood on the small island. If she'd had Jade, she would have been clutching it right now. Bowing, she stepped between the stones and started heading towards the shrine up ahead. No point waiting. They had more places to go, after all.

[Isawa O-Washi]

The chance to thank the Fortune who had, by his count, saved his hide at least three times directly not to mention uncounted times when falling in icy seas should have killed him, wasn't to be missed. Cold and foreboding the terrain might be but it was blessedly untainted and the relief of it had somewhat restored O-washi's good spirits, though the memories he held were too fresh to let him truly relax while surrounded by what he considered the bilge of Jigoku.

Spotting the new heimen, he lengthened his stride to catch up to her. He'd yet to really speak with her and doubted the other officers had either and someone needed to figure out where to place her.

[Amaya]

She blinked as one of the officers caught up with her and saluted. She looked more than a bit unsure if this was a place for talking or not, and seemed to wait to see if he wanted to finish performing prayers... or if he was just in a hurry to get past her. Best to wait a moment and be certain first.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Want some help with your offering?" He was a priest, after all, and it seemed a kindness he could offer before he started grilling her. "I wanted to ask you a bit about your training and how you think you should be utilized but prayer comes first."

[Amaya]

She swallowed and nodded. Well, that was inevitable, now wasn't it. Wonder if that thing's gonna come up or no....duh, when not if, when. Why do you think they shipped you all the way up to an Imperial galley, Amaya? Your winning personality?

"Prayers first, of course, -sama. I'd be glad for yer help, thank ya," she said, bobbing her head and following along just behind him. It was clear that she intended to follow in the priest's wake on this one and do as he bid in the process of making a proper offering to Osano Wo. In truth, she didn't have much more than prayers to work with, since she'd just had what she carried with her to this place, but prayers never hurt when you were a dirt poor peasant.

[Isawa O-Washi]

Imperial provisions, it seemed, improved incense enough even for heimen because O-washi passed her a stick of it after he lit it with a sparker (and some cursing). The prayers were simple enough for her to follow, ones common enough for sailors though tinged by the big man's Phoenix upbringing.

When it was done and the closing claps offered, the big man pushed up and stepped several feet away so that the shrine was free for any other petitioners, turning his swirling blue gaze on her. "So. You showed yesterday you know your way about the rigging which is all to the good and I've seen you rigging sails and so on so you're clearly experienced on a ship. Why don't you tell me what all you've done on them before."

[Amaya]

She rose and clapped her hands, stepping off and away so that others could pray. When asked the question, she nodded and reached up to scratch her chin. "Been servin'n Sampan most'f my life," the girl said. In truth, her youth would be hard to notice unless someone looked carefully. She was nearly as tanned and leathered as the veterans with as much time as she spent out in the sun. The numerous scars also made her look like a woman of much greater years experience. "Most'f the time, its sails, rigging, rope-makin, repairin sails. Sampan's always gettin tears what need patchin. An while they're castin nets, there's some other kindsa fish just off th'coast ya can't catch'n a net but the locals like."

"Gotta admit though, ya gotta b'patient underwater an fast t'catch a mako off guard. Those thing's tear a hunk outta ya if y'er not careful, an I'm never makin the mistake of not lookin up when hitting the surface round those bloated purple jellyfish. Kami damned things." Something about the things she said would strike a certain chord with anyone familiar with sailing and particularly fishing.

[Isawa O-Washi]

O-washi, as a fairly powerful priest, had spent enough time in assorted animal's forms to know that 'patience' and 'sharks' meant something peculiar was afoot. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he reached up to rub his goatee with one broad hand. "You're no shugenja...is it a monk's training that lets you do it, then?"

[Amaya]

She blinked and her face went literally ash white. She furtively looked around. "Errr... well... ya mean... yeah, that'd be what ya mean. Nope. I jus do't. Umm, I'm not quite sure how t'explain other than, here please I'd rather jus whisper it," she said, motioning towards him to draw closer and mouthing something silent, in case anyone was listening. It wasn't exactly like she hadn't expected him to have an idea... but seriously, the last time this had come up, she'd been terrified she'd end up cut down for it.

[Isawa O-Washi]

Happily, O-washi was a Phoenix...when he encountered something interesting, it was his inclination to study it, not destroy it out of hand. "Fascinating...I can think of a few ways that could happen, all of them fantastical but possible..."

Without ceremony, he plopped down to a seat on the nearest outcrop of rock. "How long can you manage for? Are we talking hours....days...what?"

[Amaya]

"Hours... hurts like hell't first too. Can't do't as long as I like, but long 'nuff for sailin. The guy what last saw me hunt what was samurai was th'one who put me on a horse n sent me up to you guys," she said, nodding and seating herself as well so long as he permitted it, shrugging a bit. "Not entirely sure how't works, honest."

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko, after the harrowing experience of the skiff ride to shore, leaped to land with all the power his legs would lend him.

He then spent a bit of time attempting to hug the island, although his arms wouldn't quite reach enough. Hahahahaha its not moving. Its Not MOVING!!! He laughs a little, thankful for this break from the terror of the past week at sea.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Hours... hurts like hell't first too. Can't do't as long as I like, but long 'nuff for sailin. The guy what last saw me hunt what was samurai was th'one who put me on a horse n sent me up to you guys," she said, nodding and seating herself as well so long as he permitted it, shrugging a bit. "Not entirely sure how't works, honest."

"What Clan was the man from?"

I wonder if he sent notes with the file....

[Amaya]

"Crane village. Only folks what weren't Crane that came by ever were imperial tax collectors n the occasional tortoise. Ya see, they stopped by so's they could taught us," she said, her lips splitting in a bit of a smirk. "B'this one was a Crane like th'rest of my masters. Had a miya with'm."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Duly noted."

After one less intense look, he let his gaze drift off again. "Have you met your fellows? Are you having any trouble fitting in?"

[Amaya]

"Haven't had too much time w'the marines, but th'support crew plenty," she said, nodding. "I'd say I'm fittin in bout as well as a heimin can, though it's takin time t'get used to how peasants get treated on th'boat. Talked with more samurai last week than i did last five years."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"You're from the lands of the Crane?" He nodded, slowly. "I can see that, then. This is an Imperial ship, yes, but Captain runs it like a Mantis boat. The Mantis are a lot nicer with their peasants than the Crane or so I understand...if you do a good job the first time you're asked, you'll just be crew, status or no status, while on the boat."

A smirk spread over the Isawa's face. "Off the boat...well, it's best to still behave properly. You seem alright with that, just don't let that Dageki teach you bad habits."

[Amaya]

"No bad habits like that f'me, -sama," she agreed, her tone of voice a loud mutter. "Jus talkin w'samurai's awkward for me, but soon's I hit port an such I assume most of these folks'll keep me underfoot like I'm used to. Assumin it changes on shore too jus cause I'm on this boat's a good way to lose my head, an I like my head, -sama. So... I think I'll remember that bout his habits, thanks."

[Isawa O-Washi]

Nodding, the gunso's gaze slid back at her again. 'Any of the samurai giving you the sense they couldn't work with you if need be?"

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko looked up a bit. Shrine here too...I shouldn't forget that. Now where.... He looks about curiously, attempting to locate any auspicious locations for such shrines to be at. He didn't stop hugging the island though.