[Day 8, Early Evening] Goshi on the Rocks... Er, Docks (expecting)

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh, relationship stuff?"

Now, Rin didn't know much about that kind of thing. But she knew a whole lot more after the past week then she did before.
"That can be hard. Gosh, if it's complicated for you I'd never be able to manage it."

Smiling self-consciously
"Umm, all the advice I got is just to treat folks right, don't wait but don't rush, and find time to talk...supposing that sorta basic stuff won't do the trick here though?"

Kasumi's tone was drier than the Burning Sands.

"He's engaged to someone else."

[Suzume Rin]

Kasumi's tone was drier than the Burning Sands.

"He's engaged to someone else."

A few long moments pass until Rin cottons on

"....Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...oh no! Oh gosh! Oh Kasumi-san, I'm real sorry."
The Sparrow genuinely doesn't know what to say for a few moments.

"Pretty much every story ever told agrees that situation is 'bout as sore as it can be. Have you had someone you can talk to about all this? It's a lot for one person."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

A few long moments pass until Rin cottons on

"....Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...oh no! Oh gosh! Oh Kasumi-san, I'm real sorry."
The Sparrow genuinely doesn't know what to say for a few moments.

"Pretty much every story ever told agrees that situation is 'bout as sore as it can be. Have you had someone you can talk to about all this? It's a lot for one person."

"Oh, a couple folks know. But... what's there for anyone t'say t'me? 'Don't do it, it's a terrible idea''? Reckon I know that part. Anyway. S'just a crush."

She let her breath hiss out between her teeth.

"But it has not helped my mental situation one damned bit."

[Suzume Rin]

"Oh, a couple folks know. But... what's there for anyone t'say t'me? 'Don't do it, it's a terrible idea''? Reckon I know that part. Anyway. S'just a crush."

She let her breath hiss out between her teeth.

"But it has not helped my mental situation one damned bit."

"I bet it ain't, how could it?"
Rin puts a hand over her heart.

"We gotta do something then!...I mean, we can absolutely stay on the docks if you like. But is there something fun you'd rather be doing? Sometimes I just don't let my mind worry itself, I just force it to be busy."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I bet it ain't, how could it?"
Rin puts a hand over her heart.

"We gotta do something then!...I mean, we can absolutely stay on the docks if you like. But is there something fun you'd rather be doing? Sometimes I just don't let my mind worry itself, I just force it to be busy."

Kasumi chuckled.

"I don't have 'nough of a mind t'keep busy, ask anyone. And fun, well... I helped kakita Ahiru-san prank Hirame-san, an' that was fun. But... puttin' aside odds'n ends..."

Another sigh.

"Even singin' isn't s'much fun for me here. Gotta worry about who's gonna hear what lyrics. An' no masts t'climb that're, well, allowed..."

[Suzume Rin]

Kasumi chuckled.

"I don't have 'nough of a mind t'keep busy, ask anyone. And fun, well... I helped kakita Ahiru-san prank Hirame-san, an' that was fun. But... puttin' aside odds'n ends..."

Another sigh.

"Even singin' isn't s'much fun for me here. Gotta worry about who's gonna hear what lyrics. An' no masts t'climb that're, well, allowed..."

"Singing... we can do singing! I can accompany you...but if you don't want people to hear."
Rin looks around curiously

"Well...we could always climb a mast...that um...you know, had not specifically stated it ain't for climbing. Figure it might be more daring that way...so long as nobody gets hurt."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Singing... we can do singing! I can accompany you...but if you don't want people to hear."
Rin looks around curiously

"Well...we could always climb a mast...that um...you know, had not specifically stated it ain't for climbing. Figure it might be more daring that way...so long as nobody gets hurt."

"Oh, I don' mind SOME people hearin', but... I sing somethin' like th'Octopus Song 'round here, it might, uh... make a scene."

[Suzume Rin]

"Oh, I don' mind SOME people hearin', but... I sing somethin' like th'Octopus Song 'round here, it might, uh... make a scene."

"Right...'cause octopusses are....bad?"
They were meant to be real tasty though...maybe the song was about eating a bad octopus

"There's gotta be songs that people don't mind though, right? Like...Mado Kara Mieru? That's a sweet one."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Right...'cause octopusses are....bad?"
They were meant to be real tasty though...maybe the song was about eating a bad octopus

"Oh, the uh... Octopus Song, is, ah..."

The Mantis actually blushed.

"Not about octopuses bein' bad. As such."

"There's gotta be songs that people don't mind though, right? Like...Mado Kara Mieru? That's a sweet one."

"I... dunno that one?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Oh, the uh... Octopus Song, is, ah..."

The Mantis actually blushed.

"Not about octopuses bein' bad. As such."

"I... dunno that one?"

"Oh, so it's about octopusses being... good? I guess that makes sense, folks get jealous if you're singing about how good octopus tastes when they don't have any. You're thoughtful of others Kasumi-san!"

As for the song

"Oh it's an old one...I mean, I kinda like it because it's a story. It's a bunch of haikus, and if you want to do it real proper you need a bunch of people to sing it, but one'll do if you aren't performing in court or something."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi let the matter of the Octopus Song drift... no sense burdening poor Rin with the salacious details.

"Oh it's an old one...I mean, I kinda like it because it's a story. It's a bunch of haikus, and if you want to do it real proper you need a bunch of people to sing it, but one'll do if you aren't performing in court or something."

"Huh... couldja give it a go?"

[Suzume Rin]

Kasumi let the matter of the Octopus Song drift... no sense burdening poor Rin with the salacious details.


"Huh... couldja give it a go?"

"Umm...well, can't very well not after talking about it so much I suppose...it's not gonna be very good but the jist of it sorta is:"

FLUFF ROLL

Day 8, singing a song | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2


"Through the window I see
one shining plum blossom
that warmth of
one blossom

through the window I see
radiant greenery for the eyes
a mountain cuckoo
ah, the first bonito

through the window I see
the refreshing autumn wind
churns in the mountains
and that over there- a bell's voice

my remaining days
how much more is there to live
how much more is there to live
the night is brief
life is short
my remaining days
how much more is there to live

through the window I see
cold snow all around the house
in bed I think
only of this

through the window I see
through the window I see
through the window I see
through the window I see
through the window I see
through the window I see
through the window I see
through the window I see

through the window I see
this wonderful iris
a lone, white flower
in this springtime dusk
there is hope
the evening is sad
and life is short

that what you see through the window
in the house of frozen snow
I think sleep
it really looks like to sleep

that what you see through the window
a happy start
exposure of branch
this spring at dusk"

((And for what it sounds like properly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Pw3wPSF9Q ))

As she finishes, Rin smiles at the memory
"When we sing it at home the little ones always fight over having to sing the child parts. You know you're all grown up when they let you be an adult...then dad complains about having to be the old men."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

As she finishes, Rin smiles at the memory
"When we sing it at home the little ones always fight over having to sing the child parts. You know you're all grown up when they let you be an adult...then dad complains about having to be the old men."

"Huh..."

Kasumi cocked her head to the side.

"S'nice. For ship-songs, we don't tend t'parcel out parts that way. At most we do a bit'a call an' response, with one leader singin' a line an' th'crew singing' back with the proper response."

[Suzume Rin]

"Huh..."

Kasumi cocked her head to the side.

"S'nice. For ship-songs, we don't tend t'parcel out parts that way. At most we do a bit'a call an' response, with one leader singin' a line an' th'crew singing' back with the proper response."

"Oh, can we do one of them? I've never sung a Mantis song. I can be the crew and you can be the captain?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh, can we do one of them? I've never sung a Mantis song. I can be the crew and you can be the captain?"

"Awright, ah..."

Kasumi racked her brain for something... appropriate.

"Okay, so, when I point with m'right hand, your phrase is 'yo ho, blow th'man down.' When I point with m'left, it's 'gimme some time t'blow th'man down.' Don' sweat it if it comes tricky, I'm gonna be joinin' in th' first couple times..."

She took a deep breath, and because passions in this game require a roll, actually used one of her worst rings for this one.

"Come all y'young fellas who follow th'sea," she pointed with her right hand and joined in on "yo ho, blow th'man down," before continuing, "Now turn a fond ear, an' you listen to me," then pointed with her left for "gimme some time t'blow th'man down."

And then she was off!

"I'm a deep water sailor just in from Gotei,"
right!
"Y'best buy me a drink an' I'll show ya fair play,"
left!

"There's coasters, an' fishers, an' stonebound and all,"
right!
"They all ship for sailors when they get th'call,"
left!

"You'll see those poor bastards, how they'll all run,"
right
"An' get a good kickin' if th work ain't right done,"
left!

"It's starboard an' portside, on deck they'll all land,"
right
"For bein' less use than ballastweight sand,"
left!

"Lay aft now, ya lubbers, lay aft now I say,"
right
"I'll none of yer dodges on my ship today"
left!

"So I'll give you fair warning before we belay,"
right
Don't ever take heed of what landsmen might say
left!"

She trailed off and grinned.

"It goes on like that. Sometimes they'll whip a new verse on th'spot."


Air plus performance, fluffy singing | TN: ? | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


Passion indulged, -3 strife, for a net loss of 1

[Suzume Rin]

It takes Rin a few rotations and a few mistimed yoho gimme sometime man blows but soon enough she gets into the swing of it, the call and answer format clearly appealing to her.

"I bet that makes time fly by at sea. Everyone singing back and forth, people making up new verses and tripping folk up...Hirame-sama and I were right, our clans have a lot in common!...I mean, a lot different too. But I think the important stuff is the same."
Cocking her head

"You seem to enjoy singing a fair bit? Least, I hope you do, on account of me just making you sing a lot."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi nodded.

"We can't look down on our heimin like they ain't there- ship needs a crew, an' th' sea don't care who's doin' a job. S'far as th' singin' goes... somethin' m'Dad taught me. He became stonebound pretty early in m'life, an' that meant I spent a lotta my youngest years with him. Bein' a harbor pilot, he had some downtime in th' off seasons. An' if he was pilotin' in a Mantis ship, I got t'go with 'im."

She smiled at the fond memory.

"So yeah, it's a thing I enjoy."

[Suzume Rin]

Kasumi nodded.

"We can't look down on our heimin like they ain't there- ship needs a crew, an' th' sea don't care who's doin' a job. S'far as th' singin' goes... somethin' m'Dad taught me. He became stonebound pretty early in m'life, an' that meant I spent a lotta my youngest years with him. Bein' a harbor pilot, he had some downtime in th' off seasons. An' if he was pilotin' in a Mantis ship, I got t'go with 'im."

She smiled at the fond memory.

"So yeah, it's a thing I enjoy."

"Sounds like memories worth saving. My dad loves a song too, but he's usually pretty knackered at the end of the day. That and coordinating everyone..well we can be a bit off-tune."
Raising an eyebrow

"Stonebound mean he can't..leave the land? Does that happen a lot to Mantis?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Sounds like memories worth saving. My dad loves a song too, but he's usually pretty knackered at the end of the day. That and coordinating everyone..well we can be a bit off-tune."
Raising an eyebrow

"Stonebound mean he can't..leave the land? Does that happen a lot to Mantis?"

"Stonebound's what a fair few Fleet sailors call anyone who spends their time never gettin' outta sight of land. Dad was Fleet until he got hurt, then he became stonebound. If y'live long enough, I s'pose everyone's stonebound, but many don't get th'chance."

[Suzume Rin]

"Stonebound's what a fair few Fleet sailors call anyone who spends their time never gettin' outta sight of land. Dad was Fleet until he got hurt, then he became stonebound. If y'live long enough, I s'pose everyone's stonebound, but many don't get th'chance."

"I see!..I'm uh, sorry, really. I think boating is great and I wouldn't want to take it away from anyone. Hiramee-sama's been showing me a little of how it's done."

Brightening
"Glad you got to spend that time with your dad though. But it sounds like you don't want to be harbour pilot-"
Some special kind of Mantis samurai?
"-Till your older? So, captain then?"