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

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Dang! She was right!
"...You'd need a land magistrate partner. Between the two of you no-one could get away...unless they climbed a mountain or something."

"Just have t'make sure the landward partner stayed 'tween them an' th'mountain."

[Suzume Rin]

"Just have t'make sure the landward partner stayed 'tween them an' th'mountain."

Nodding approvingly
"Yeah! That makes sense! Bet that's how magistrates do it. When samurai work together there's nothing they can't achieve, whether it's land, boat or mountain!"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Nodding approvingly
"Yeah! That makes sense! Bet that's how magistrates do it. When samurai work together there's nothing they can't achieve, whether it's land, boat or mountain!"

The Mantis winked.

"So. When y'get th'job, look me up, eh?"

[Suzume Rin]

The Mantis winked.

"So. When y'get th'job, look me up, eh?"

Blink blink, hurried look down at the water
"Well...ain't likely I'd make it. But if I do...then it would be nice to have some backup on the water. Between you and Hirame-sama I'd never be lacking for boats."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Blink blink, hurried look down at the water
"Well...ain't likely I'd make it. But if I do...then it would be nice to have some backup on the water. Between you and Hirame-sama I'd never be lacking for boats."

"No rivers or anything in Sparrow lands?"

[Suzume Rin]

"No rivers or anything in Sparrow lands?"

"We got a swamp? And we're close to a big river? Swamp and hills are our two defining characteristics."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"We got a swamp? And we're close to a big river? Swamp and hills are our two defining characteristics."

"Well. Startin' a bit late, but I reckon we could make a sialor of ya if y'asked..."

[Suzume Rin]

"Well. Startin' a bit late, but I reckon we could make a sialor of ya if y'asked..."

"Oh no...no I mean, I appreciate the offer and all. But boats...they rock side to side so much, have trouble just finding my feet. I dunno how you lot manage it. I look like a baby horse trying to get around."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh no...no I mean, I appreciate the offer and all. But boats...they rock side to side so much, have trouble just finding my feet. I dunno how you lot manage it. I look like a baby horse trying to get around."

"Eh, y'just need t'learn t'feel th'waves an' move with 'em. It maybe don't look it, but it's best t'sorta keep on th'bounce."

[Suzume Rin]

"Eh, y'just need t'learn t'feel th'waves an' move with 'em. It maybe don't look it, but it's best t'sorta keep on th'bounce."

"Bounce? ....Oh, so you sort of jump when a wave comes in? That makes sense. I just kinda...staggered, must have looked pretty silly."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Bounce? ....Oh, so you sort of jump when a wave comes in? That makes sense. I just kinda...staggered, must have looked pretty silly."

"Well, not s'much a jump, more of a bounce. Like if you're workin' forms, standing on th' balls'a your feet?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Well, not s'much a jump, more of a bounce. Like if you're workin' forms, standing on th' balls'a your feet?"

That, Rin can relate to.
"Ohhh! Gosh, wish someone had told me that before the event! Must be tiring on the legs all day, but if it stops you falling over all the time..."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

That, Rin can relate to.
"Ohhh! Gosh, wish someone had told me that before the event! Must be tiring on the legs all day, but if it stops you falling over all the time..."

"It's not quite so, er, pr'nounced, but y'get used to it."

She looked back out across the river.

"S'all 'bout balance."

[Suzume Rin]

"It's not quite so, er, pr'nounced, but y'get used to it."

She looked back out across the river.

"S'all 'bout balance."

"Right...hey, you ever noticed most things are about balance? Walking on a boat, bushido, your stances during kata. Everyone always points out how important balance is."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Right...hey, you ever noticed most things are about balance? Walking on a boat, bushido, your stances during kata. Everyone always points out how important balance is."

"Well, yeah! Without it, stuff tips over. An' that makes a hell of a mess!"

[Suzume Rin]

"Well, yeah! Without it, stuff tips over. An' that makes a hell of a mess!"

'Course! Even boats need balance too! I'd completely forgotten."
Rin is clearly impressed by this universal theory of balance

"Seems easier to balance something like that then a person though."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

'Course! Even boats need balance too! I'd completely forgotten."
Rin is clearly impressed by this universal theory of balance

"Seems easier to balance something like that then a person though."

"We do tend t'move more, but we can also try'n balance ourselves, yeah?"

[Suzume Rin]

"We do tend t'move more, but we can also try'n balance ourselves, yeah?"

"Yeah!...Moving, but staying balanced....like walking across a boat!"
Mind.Blown. It all comes full circle.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Yeah!...Moving, but staying balanced....like walking across a boat!"
Mind.Blown. It all comes full circle.

"An' that's why the only one who c'n fuss a Mantis is a Mantis."

She delivered it with a straight face, then started to crack up.

[Suzume Rin]

"An' that's why the only one who c'n fuss a Mantis is a Mantis."

She delivered it with a straight face, then started to crack up.

Rin chuckles brightly

"Well, now I think it all makes sense to me. Takes a Mantis to balance a Mantis I reckon."