[Day 1, Early evening Open] Stars

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Huddling in the crows nest as his watch was nearing its end, Iuchi Xiao Hua leaned to the mast, and sighed contentedly. The day had been fine, the foul had been left behind, the memories of the horrors slowly fading as exhaustion overtook the man.

He had wrapped a simple rope around his waist, to make sure that he wouldn't fall below-decks if the ship lurched. Thus secured, he leaned his head backwards, gazing at the stars above.

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

Kiyo nimbly clambers her way up in the rigging to enjoy the first evening free from the Sea of Shadows. She was just straddling a beam and settling herself for a sip of sake to celebrate a beautiful day when she noticed a shade leaning against the mast.

"Konbanwa! ... Iuchi-san, right?" she guesses with a little help from the duty roster.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Shaken for his reverie, the startled man turned to the direction of the voice. "Ah, yes. Good evening... um..." The man was little embarrassed, he couldn't recall talking to the woman before, nor he could be sure of her Clan. She had been either Mantis or Minor. Then again, those two were almost the same thing.

Luckily, the dark dusk his his blush.

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

"Um works, but I prefer Tsuruchi Kiyo," she introduces herself with a laugh as she makes her way closer to the mast, seemingly unconcerned with the height, or safety for that matter, "I don't think we've talked before. I only guessed your name because of the roster and you don't look like a Dragon and you don't have Isawa-sama's posture."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Tsuruschi, right. Mental note was taken.

"Ah, good evening then, Tsuruchi-san." he corrected himself, nodding to the woman. "Well, Dragon I am indeed not... But what do you mean by posture of the Isawa?" he asked, curious as she made her way towards the mast he was leaning to.

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

"Oh simply that he's a bit wider in the shoulders," she lets go of a line to indicate with her hands, the corked bottle of sake still in the other, "It's the kind of thing you can still use to keep people apart in this light," she settles down straddling the spar again and gives her bottle a dubious look, "I guess you're still on duty?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Ah, You meant Isawa-gunso." he nodded. "Of course." He had been a little confused. The way she had referred to the gunso had sounded overtly friendly, and thus he had assumed that she had referred to Fulmar. The cocky bastard.

Sigh, Even cocky bastards have a place in this world. So sayeth the Tao.

"Ah yeah, still on duty, so you'll have to drink alone." he chuckled. "I have a bottle of my own waiting at my locker, though."

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

"Hai Isawa-sama or Isawa-gunso if you prefer," she nods in agreement, "Who did you think I was talking about?"

"I don't mind sharing but I don't want to get you into trouble either. I got a spare tucked away myself, but I'd like this one to last me a while, not sure when I get a chance to buy a fresh one," she uncorks the bottle and pours a small cup she's produced from a pocket. With some careful balancing the cork is returned to the bottle and she raises the cup to the setting sun, "That the rest of our journey may be like today."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"It's not a question of preference, but what's proper." he chuckled. Watching her to pour herself, he lifted his arm to join her toast, albeit without a cup of his own. "Aye. Like today." he nodded.

"So, what brought you up on this hour? Are the crew quarters too stuffy for you as well?"

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

She gives him a confused look at his correction and shrugs, "Sort off, why would I want to be cooped up down there when I can be up here with the smell of the sea in my nose, the wind against my skin and sight of the ocean all around me?" taking a sip from her sake, "Besides the weather is nice today, tomorrow we might hit a storm."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Indeed. The wind here is nice. it's almost like riding a horse." " he chuckled. "So I take that you've spent time on ships before this?" the man asked her, the scent of her sake invading his nostrils. The perfume the man had applied in the morning was mostly gone, the smell of sandal wood having been replaced by the smells of sweat and sea water.

Ships weren't clean places, after all.

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

"Oh? Is it? I've never ridden a horse," she asks curiously, "I grew up on the Isles of Silk and Spice so I've been sailing since ... I guess since forever," she says with a bashful grin, "But this is the biggest ship I've sailed on so far."

"I never expected so many Unicorn to set sail with us. Why did you trade your clans sea of grass for a proper sea of water?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Yes. The breeze feels almost the same, barring the smell of the sea. Though, the ship is in a way, more stable. " He explained, accidentally making a horrible pun. "Hee, I have been there few times. We escorted some of our heimin merchants there." he nodded. "Really nice, even if bit too hot for my tastes." The man smiled to her.

"Hmm, let's say I wanted to see if I could be something else." he huffed silently, rising his gaze to the stars. "Fortunes favours the bold, say."

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

"Hai, they are beautiful but so is the mainland, at least the bits I've seen of it. The islands are cooler there in winter, but then you'll have to deal with the endless rain," she giggles and takes a sip, "So it does, so how is your bold decision suiting you so far?"

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Today, fine? Two days ago, less than so." he chuckled. "You seem like you were at home here."

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

A laugh escapes her lips, "Hai, I hope we steer clear of the Sea of Shadows for the rest of our trip. I love the sea, I love to swim in it and to sail across its waves but I don't think you'll ever find a sailor who looks forward to crossing the Sea of Shadows."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Some of the less sane Crab might disagree with you." he told her, smiling. "One of the Hida on board had sailed it before. He spoke something about turtle ships. He spoke of giant men-lobsters. I am not entirely sure if that means he enjoyed the trip."

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

"Hai Hida-sans told us about these Turtle ships, but these lobstermen are new. I think Ram-san enjoys his duty as much as any samurai but I doubt he will go out of his way to sail through the Sea if he can avoid it," she shrugs, "But you never know with them."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Indeed. The Yasuki told me a story how she had slain a some kind on shape-shifting beast with a table. A rather strange story, that began from the creature's death, ending to the moment they started drink at the place they later saw the beast." Another story of the Crab lunacy was told.

"And well, Ram seemed to find pleasure in rather simple things. Who knows what he likes..."

[Tsuruchi Kiyo]

Kiyo smiles as she listens and occassionally sips her sake, "The Crab always have the most colorful stories," she grins, "I think Usagi-san has been watching this Yasuki. This morning he arrived to training brandishing an oar."

"I can't blame him. I love my pleasures simple as best," she laughs and raises her cup for a sip.