Day 0 [EM] Enter the Adult World (Closed/Expecting)

[Suzume Rin]

"Look at it Ishi, Tsuma!"
Rin's horse briefly turns his head to regard his companion before seeming to shrug and bend down once more to continue munching the roadside grass.

"Tsss, well I suppose it's not as big a moment for you, you're not expected to compete."
Sparrow and sparrow-mount were idling near the town gate watching as all sorts of impressive and exotic samurai arrived. Some of them were even part of larger retinue or came with guards and servants of their own.

"That must be a unicorn, oh and the one with a tattoo like that must be a dragon; that or a sailor I suppose."
For now the two seemed to be working up the courage to finally enter Tsuma proper.

[Funegao no Hirame]

Technically, it wasn't the first time Hirame had entered the city. He'd come in via sea, of course. But there'd been a bit of a mixup, and he'd had to go out, and come back in. Couldn't he just paddle out a bit, and come back, he'd argued? No, had been the stern answer. Hirame sighed. Was this normal, an accident, or because he was a Mantis? As always, it was hard to say for sure. Especially with landlubbers, who so rarely seemed to be direct.

Stuck behind a large retinue, Hirame certainly stood out. There was the tattoo, sure, but there was also the fine sharkskin leather jacket he wore. There was no denying that it was fine, even if there was some denying it was fashionable. Probably a lot of that.

Samurai talking to themselves also stood out. Or talking to their horses. "Hello there! Sparrow-san!" Hirame waved, smiling. "How's it going?"

[Suzume Rin]

Technically, it wasn't the first time Hirame had entered the city. He'd come in via sea, of course. But there'd been a bit of a mixup, and he'd had to go out, and come back in. Couldn't he just paddle out a bit, and come back, he'd argued? No, had been the stern answer. Hirame sighed. Was this normal, an accident, or because he was a Mantis? As always, it was hard to say for sure. Especially with landlubbers, who so rarely seemed to be direct.

Stuck behind a large retinue, Hirame certainly stood out. There was the tattoo, sure, but there was also the fine sharkskin leather jacket he wore. There was no denying that it was fine, even if there was some denying it was fashionable. Probably a lot of that.

Samurai talking to themselves also stood out. Or talking to their horses. "Hello there! Sparrow-san!" Hirame waved, smiling. "How's it going?"

Rin jumps slightly, the horse seems unperturbed

"Oh, hello Samura-sama!"
She cautiously waves back with one hand half raised.

"I'm-we're just resting before we venture into Tsuma proper. It's so busy right now."
She swallows slightly at the crowd of people who would hardly be out of place in a town of any reasonable size.

Rin peers at Hirame's-mon for a moment and seems to mouth some lyrics before her expression brightens
"You are a Mantis!"

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame was pretty exclusively on either crowded ships or major cities. Well, and the occasional fishing village. But he certainly knew what busy looked like. "This?" Smiling, he jerked a thumb at the line. "Ah, this isn't so bad. Just wait until midday, when more travelers really start showing up. I mean, the Topaz is kinda like a festival, and festival days are always busy, you know."

At the exclamation, Hirame blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah, I'm a Mantis. You're a Sparrow!" He flashed her a grin. "Am I your first Mantis? If ye want, I can be doin' the accent." He shifted from flat Rokugani to a more regional version fairly readily.

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame was pretty exclusively on either crowded ships or major cities. Well, and the occasional fishing village. But he certainly knew what busy looked like. "This?" Smiling, he jerked a thumb at the line. "Ah, this isn't so bad. Just wait until midday, when more travelers really start showing up. I mean, the Topaz is kinda like a festival, and festival days are always busy, you know."

At the exclamation, Hirame blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah, I'm a Mantis. You're a Sparrow!" He flashed her a grin. "Am I your first Mantis? If ye want, I can be doin' the accent." He shifted from flat Rokugani to a more regional version fairly readily.

"Oh yes, not many of your Clan come to our lands...well, visitors of any kind are rare." with excitement "We have stories though! Is it true Mantis Kuge eat off plates of solid gold? Have you ever ridden an orochi? Is your jacket made of orochi skin?"
Looking around and then saying slightly more quietly
"And can you keep doing the accent? I need to hear it a few times so I can get it right when I tell the story."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame laughed, easily and openly. "I mean, I can try. I don't really have it myself. But some of the older sailors, they'll throw out an avast, there be a Sparrow as easy as you please." Even if he didn't really have it himself, he didn't seem to have any trouble doing it.

He shrugged. "As for the other stuff... well, I've never met anyone who eats off of gold plates. But I've heard that too." He grinned. "Maybe I should be upset. I've got an Imperial ancestor, and no one's ever offered me a golden plate."

He laughed again, patting the jacket. "And this is sharkskin. It's nice, but it's not Orochi. Maybe if I get a chance to ride one, I can ask it for a scale, or something."

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame laughed, easily and openly. "I mean, I can try. I don't really have it myself. But some of the older sailors, they'll throw out an avast, there be a Sparrow as easy as you please." Even if he didn't really have it himself, he didn't seem to have any trouble doing it.

He shrugged. "As for the other stuff... well, I've never met anyone who eats off of gold plates. But I've heard that too." He grinned. "Maybe I should be upset. I've got an Imperial ancestor, and no one's ever offered me a golden plate."

He laughed again, patting the jacket. "And this is sharkskin. It's nice, but it's not Orochi. Maybe if I get a chance to ride one, I can ask it for a scale, or something."

Trying it out "Av-hast yee Sparrow....avarst yeh Sparrow....Avast, there be a Sparrow. I was walking through the gates of Tsuma when a voice stopped me 'Avast! There be a sparrow!' I turned and there he was, a handsome man wearing a sharkskin jacket."
Beaming
"I think it will make a good tale, um. That is if you are comfortable with the telling Mantis-sama. A thousand apologies, in my eagerness I had momentarily forgotten your illustrious heritage." Maybe that was why he had the jacket?

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame frowned as he considered the Sparrow's words. He hadn't actually said that... but on the other hand, he was handsome. And he definitely was wearing a sharkskin jacket. "Yeah, that sounds about right." He agreed, nodding.

Shaking his head, Hirame waved a hand in negation. "Nah, not many people have heard of me. Yet." He flashed her another quick grin. "So, what brings you here? Just looking for new stories? Or I'd wager you're here for the Topaz, eh?"

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame frowned as he considered the Sparrow's words. He hadn't actually said that... but on the other hand, he was handsome. And he definitely was wearing a sharkskin jacket. "Yeah, that sounds about right." He agreed, nodding.

Shaking his head, Hirame waved a hand in negation. "Nah, not many people have heard of me. Yet." He flashed her another quick grin. "So, what brings you here? Just looking for new stories? Or I'd wager you're here for the Topaz, eh?"

He sure liked to smile a lot. Rin does her best to soften her On and give a friendly nod.
“Well, I would never turn down a new story. But you are absolutely correct, I was invited to compete in the Topaz. I am Rin of the Suzume.”

She bows very politely

“If I might be so bold. That must be why you are here too? Not the stories, the Topaz. It must have been a long trip, but if you win that will make the story all the greater.”

[Funegao no Hirame]

Indeed, the young Mantis did seem to be rather unrestrained with his facial expressions. "Pleased to meet you, Suzume-san." Hirame said cheerfully. "And I'm Hirame of the kobune Funegao. A fine ship, if I do say so myself." Indeed, there was a hint of pride in the (still unrestrained) smile.

He shrugged easily, shoulders rising and falling beneath the sharkskin jacket. "Oh, well, I'm just here to do my best." Hirame said modestly. Somewhat modestly. He tried, anyway. "It was far, but not so long, if you know what I mean, eh? The Funegao is a fast ship." Another flash of a grin. "I think there'll be story enough if the Fortunes favor me with victory." He chuckled. "My ship could use some new stories. I've heard the one about old Ichiro and the octopus more times than I can count."

[Suzume Rin]

Indeed, the young Mantis did seem to be rather unrestrained with his facial expressions. "Pleased to meet you, Suzume-san." Hirame said cheerfully. "And I'm Hirame of the kobune Funegao. A fine ship, if I do say so myself." Indeed, there was a hint of pride in the (still unrestrained) smile.

He shrugged easily, shoulders rising and falling beneath the sharkskin jacket. "Oh, well, I'm just here to do my best." Hirame said modestly. Somewhat modestly. He tried, anyway. "It was far, but not so long, if you know what I mean, eh? The Funegao is a fast ship." Another flash of a grin. "I think there'll be story enough if the Fortunes favor me with victory." He chuckled. "My ship could use some new stories. I've heard the one about old Ichiro and the octopus more times than I can count."

Rin visibly resists the urge to ask him about the octopus story.

"Of course, your family is a ship...or you family is on a ship? Your family's land is the ship? We don't have many ships so please forgive my ignorance. I'm glad it's fast though, is there a part of it you hang off during a storm and yell things like 'belay the sails!' and 'batten down the hatches'?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Well, I don't, at least not usually." Hirame frowned suddenly, then chuckled, shaking his head. "And you don't belay sails. You can do a lot of things with them, but not belay them. Now, if I get an officer posting, and it's my watch, I'll be yelling all sorts of things." It was a good thing his voice had gotten deeper, and only cracked sometimes.

He shrugged. "Anyway, we take our names for our ships, if we have them. I mean, that's what we're on most of the time. Month after month with the same people." He smiled, gaze going into the middle distance. "You really bond with them. I guess it is like family, including the part where you sometimes want to strangle each other."

[Suzume Rin]

"Well, I don't, at least not usually." Hirame frowned suddenly, then chuckled, shaking his head. "And you don't belay sails. You can do a lot of things with them, but not belay them. Now, if I get an officer posting, and it's my watch, I'll be yelling all sorts of things." It was a good thing his voice had gotten deeper, and only cracked sometimes.

He shrugged. "Anyway, we take our names for our ships, if we have them. I mean, that's what we're on most of the time. Month after month with the same people." He smiled, gaze going into the middle distance. "You really bond with them. I guess it is like family, including the part where you sometimes want to strangle each other."

Now that Rin understood
“And you can’t escape ‘em no matter how much you want to, and you’d definitely strangle them if deep down they weren’t your kin and decent? I got a big family on my end so I reckon it can’t be too different.”

Her horse looks up with a very ‘you better have never wanted to strangle me’ look before returning to munching.


“Did any of them come with you to the tournament? Are there gonna be a whole bunch of Mantis not belaying sails?”

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame grinned. "Yeah! You get it." He chuckled openly, still smiling. "You want to strangle them, but at the same time, you've got their back, no matter what. But also... grrr!" He raised his hands, as though pretending to throttle someone in front of him.

He shook his head. "Nah. Just me. That's okay. The Funegao has important stuff to do. I'll tell them all about it later." He looked at her. "What about you? And just how big of a family are we talking?"

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame grinned. "Yeah! You get it." He chuckled openly, still smiling. "You want to strangle them, but at the same time, you've got their back, no matter what. But also... grrr!" He raised his hands, as though pretending to throttle someone in front of him.

He shook his head. "Nah. Just me. That's okay. The Funegao has important stuff to do. I'll tell them all about it later." He looked at her. "What about you? And just how big of a family are we talking?"

Rin had half gone to mimic the strangling motion before awkwardly opening her hands.
"Oh, it's just me here. Which can be a good thing I guess, I might only have to share a room with one or two people." personal space, glorious personal space

"It's a pretty big family since I have the five sisters and the six brothers. My parents always say that means we're truly blessed but mainly it means we're truly scr- uh, truly busy all the time. Real blessed. I'm the eldest though so I'm kinda third in command I guess."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Five sisters and six brothers? Wow." Hirame boggled, shaking his head. "That's almost a ship's crew by itself. A smaller ship, or maybe just one watch of a bigger one but still. Wow."

He shook his head again. "That's way bigger than mine. It's just me and..." A shadow crossed his face. "Just me." He swallowed, then smiled again. "But like I said, your crew is like your family, in a way. Just not in every way."

Another moment, and he gave her a smirk. "If you're third in command, it's like your an officer for your family, eh?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Five sisters and six brothers? Wow." Hirame boggled, shaking his head. "That's almost a ship's crew by itself. A smaller ship, or maybe just one watch of a bigger one but still. Wow."

He shook his head again. "That's way bigger than mine. It's just me and..." A shadow crossed his face. "Just me." He swallowed, then smiled again. "But like I said, your crew is like your family, in a way. Just not in every way."

Another moment, and he gave her a smirk. "If you're third in command, it's like your an officer for your family, eh?"

Rin stifles a laugh
"Yeah, something like that. Family Gunso. Like a diaper changing gunso."
She half opens her mouth to ask Hirame what being a single child was like but something about that expression...it would probably be like that.

" 'Course they only listen to me half the time, and then only when I get real mad. But half is good enough I think."
Twigging something
"Does this mean we'll be staying at the same place? They told me there was a little spot for all the non-Great Clans, but I'm not sure where. It's by a chuckling fish or something."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame snorted. "Yeah, just like that."

Listening, he shrugged. "Well, I guess that's the challenge of any officer. I know sometimes they only listen to me because if they don't, the captain will have them thrashed." He shrugged again. "But I'm working on that. And hey, I guess that probably doesn't help with brothers and sisters."

"The Laughing Carp, yeah." Hirame nodded. "I wonder if that was a Yasuki thing once? Anyway, we'll be close, but not the same building. The Mantis get their own section." Yet another shrug, this one perhaps the tiniest bit smug. "I mean, it kinda makes sense."

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame snorted. "Yeah, just like that."

Listening, he shrugged. "Well, I guess that's the challenge of any officer. I know sometimes they only listen to me because if they don't, the captain will have them thrashed." He shrugged again. "But I'm working on that. And hey, I guess that probably doesn't help with brothers and sisters."

"The Laughing Carp, yeah." Hirame nodded. "I wonder if that was a Yasuki thing once? Anyway, we'll be close, but not the same building. The Mantis get their own section." Yet another shrug, this one perhaps the tiniest bit smug. "I mean, it kinda makes sense."

"Right....oh, because your Clan is very...uh..blessed."
Rin imagines a room built from exotic wood with inexplicable jungle fog where all the eating utensils were made of silver
"I hope it isn't lonely there if you are just the one Mantis all alone. Then again, maybe you'd have more room for activities?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Something like that." Hirame said, waving a hand casually. Really, he couldn't explain the particulars, it just seemed right to him.

"Hmmm..." Hirame frowned as he considered that. "I mean, I guess so. Although it'd be nice to have a room by myself." He shook his head. "But it doesn't matter, I heard there's another Mantis, anyway."

He gave her a friendly nod of the head. "Do you know if there are any Sparrow? I guess if they're putting all the minor Clans together, you could have all sorts of company!"