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

[Suzume Rin]

"Yeah. Sure." Hirame nodded agreeably. "I mean, as long as you have what you need, right? It's deeds that are important!" Although he did appreciate that his sharkskin jacket made him look good while he accomplished deeds...

Tilting his head, he regarded her with a crooked smile. "We sure do. I've been to every city up and down the coast. And all sorts visit Gotei city. And we do sometimes go even beyond that." There was a bit of an eyebrow waggle at that.

Rin peers at his eyebrow, slowly parsing the code
"Even...beyond? That's a long way indeed. Does that mean...uh, if it's not offensive to be asking, but I mean.."
Lowering her voice
"Does it mean you've seen a gaijin?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"I have." Hirame said in a low voice, smiling. "Quite a few times, actually."

Suddenly, he frowned. "Wait, though. It was all above board, I assure you. No lawbreaking involved." Earnestly, he nodded.

[Suzume Rin]

"I have." Hirame said in a low voice, smiling. "Quite a few times, actually."

Suddenly, he frowned. "Wait, though. It was all above board, I assure you. No lawbreaking involved." Earnestly, he nodded.

"Sure, absolutely, that's possible."
She nods

"What are they like? I've heard they smell quite terrible, but that seems a rather cruel thing to say about a lot of people."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Different." Hirame shrugged. "And they smell different. I don't know about terrible, but some of them make this stuff with animal milk, and then they put it in pretty much everything they eat. You can definitely smell it."

Shaking his head, he went on. "Otherwise... I don't know. Different clothes, different customs, different languages. And they're different from each other, too! The ones we get spice from are completely different from the ones we get silver from."

[Suzume Rin]

"Different." Hirame shrugged. "And they smell different. I don't know about terrible, but some of them make this stuff with animal milk, and then they put it in pretty much everything they eat. You can definitely smell it."

Shaking his head, he went on. "Otherwise... I don't know. Different clothes, different customs, different languages. And they're different from each other, too! The ones we get spice from are completely different from the ones we get silver from."

"I hadn't realised there were so many different types."
Well, at least two!

"Do they have different stories? I wonder what tales someone who has never come to the empire would tell?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame shook his head. "That I couldn't tell you. I mean, they come from very different places, so they must have different stories, even more than you and I would. But what sorts they tell..." He shrugged.

"I can speak a little, but not much." He added. "Hello, goodbye, how much, that sort of thing." Oh right, other clans didn't like talking about money. But then how did they buy things? Hirame cleared his throat. "You know, really basic stuff."

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame shook his head. "That I couldn't tell you. I mean, they come from very different places, so they must have different stories, even more than you and I would. But what sorts they tell..." He shrugged.

"I can speak a little, but not much." He added. "Hello, goodbye, how much, that sort of thing." Oh right, other clans didn't like talking about money. But then how did they buy things? Hirame cleared his throat. "You know, really basic stuff."

Rin certainly doesn't seem to pick up on it.
"That's still a lot more than I can. I mean, I wouldn't even know where to begin. The most exotic thing back home is the odd lion that's wandered over. Uh, the animal, not the samurai. We get them too but that's much rarer and a big deal when it happens."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Yeah..." Hirame sighed. "I mean, I love sailing. Getting to visit new places, travel to places other people only get to hear about... I hope to captain my own ship someday, you know." He said. "A proper Mantis sailing vessel with a proper crew."

He looked at Rin, smiling gently. "It's not for everyone though, you know. Even a lot of Mantis don't take to it. It's dangerous, stressful, and you're almost always either wet or salty or both." He took a deep breath. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Then he chuckled. "Right. Isn't that a joke. What's the plural of Lion? A pride. What's the plural of pride? An invasion!" He looked at Rin, lips twitching just a little.

[Suzume Rin]

"Yeah..." Hirame sighed. "I mean, I love sailing. Getting to visit new places, travel to places other people only get to hear about... I hope to captain my own ship someday, you know." He said. "A proper Mantis sailing vessel with a proper crew."

He looked at Rin, smiling gently. "It's not for everyone though, you know. Even a lot of Mantis don't take to it. It's dangerous, stressful, and you're almost always either wet or salty or both." He took a deep breath. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Then he chuckled. "Right. Isn't that a joke. What's the plural of Lion? A pride. What's the plural of pride? An invasion!" He looked at Rin, lips twitching just a little.

"I can imagine! I've never been on a boat but being wet and salty probably isn't much fun. I'd still like to try though, if only just the once."
She has a slightly dream look as she pictures sailing the seas until she hears the joke.

"An inva-...Oh! Ha! That's very witty Hirame-sama."
Rin raises a sleeve to cover he mouth as she laughs

"Don't let any of them hear you talking like that."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"You should do it sometime, then." Hirame said, as though it were decided. "I mean, I've got a little boat I could take you out on. At least let you feel what it's like a bit. But a boat and a ship aren't the same thing, of course."

Hirame grinned. "Hey, don't worry. I know there's a time and a place for things. Although sometimes..." He frowned a moment, thinking. "Well, my captain said that some things just need to be done, and you can worry about the other things later." He grinned again, his face very expressive. "Now, I don't think the fate of the Empire is going to turn on me telling a joke about the Lion, but you never know."

[Suzume Rin]

"You should do it sometime, then." Hirame said, as though it were decided. "I mean, I've got a little boat I could take you out on. At least let you feel what it's like a bit. But a boat and a ship aren't the same thing, of course."

Hirame grinned. "Hey, don't worry. I know there's a time and a place for things. Although sometimes..." He frowned a moment, thinking. "Well, my captain said that some things just need to be done, and you can worry about the other things later." He grinned again, his face very expressive. "Now, I don't think the fate of the Empire is going to turn on me telling a joke about the Lion, but you never know."

"Oh wow, you got your own little boat and you serve on a bigger boat? I guess that makes sense."
Presumably there were boat hierarchies.

Hirame's good humour certainly seemed infectious as Rin found herself very nearly matching his grin.
"Your captain seems a real wise samurai. I feel the exact same most of the time. You just gotta be honest and straight with folks and if they're an honourable samurai they'll be straight with you too. I'm sure if you had to you'd tell that joke straight every time."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame shrugged. "I mean, I'm not gonna go out of my way to tell it to a Lion. But if they ask me if I know any Lion jokes, well..." He shrugged again. "And hey, if they don't like it, we can punch each other until we come to an agreement."

He gave her an approving nod. "But yeah! Sounds like we're in agreement. You're a good sort, Suzume-san. Is that way of dealing with people a Sparrow thing? Because if it is, I like it."

[Suzume Rin]

Hirame shrugged. "I mean, I'm not gonna go out of my way to tell it to a Lion. But if they ask me if I know any Lion jokes, well..." He shrugged again. "And hey, if they don't like it, we can punch each other until we come to an agreement."

He gave her an approving nod. "But yeah! Sounds like we're in agreement. You're a good sort, Suzume-san. Is that way of dealing with people a Sparrow thing? Because if it is, I like it."

"Please don't punch eachother, if you do you might get thrown out? Then who would I go fishing with?"
From her tone it sounds more like a joke then a reprimand.

"Sparrow thing? Um, I suppose so? I think we're honest. But everyone thinks they're honest...except maybe the Scorpion? Though they'd probably explain how they were actually the most honest because lies are truth or something. I think we just try to do the right thing. Can I ask the question back at you? Are most Mantis kinda direct like?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Oh? Might get thrown out?" Hirame frowned. "But that's how a lot of problems are solved in the Mantis. We even make sure to clear them some space so that no one gets thrown overboard or anything."

He nodded. "But yeah. Mantis are pretty direct. I mean, when there's a storm on, and something needs getting done, you've gotta be as direct as possible. You, go there, you, hold this, that sort of thing. Because if you can only hear one word in there, that one word better be a good one." A momentary grin, and then Hirame's expression turned serious. "And a mistake at sea can mean the loss of a whole ship."

[Suzume Rin]

"Oh? Might get thrown out?" Hirame frowned. "But that's how a lot of problems are solved in the Mantis. We even make sure to clear them some space so that no one gets thrown overboard or anything."

He nodded. "But yeah. Mantis are pretty direct. I mean, when there's a storm on, and something needs getting done, you've gotta be as direct as possible. You, go there, you, hold this, that sort of thing. Because if you can only hear one word in there, that one word better be a good one." A momentary grin, and then Hirame's expression turned serious. "And a mistake at sea can mean the loss of a whole ship."

Rin makes a mental note, the story version of Hirame gets some added 'no-nonsense'

"But if you start a fight here it might cause a diplomatic incident, which is kinda like throwing a bunch of people overboard. And the Crane don't take kindly to brawls at their big events."
With considerable big sister energy
"If you get into a fight with someone you should tell me and I'll sort it out so nobody gets into trouble. You can always go wrestle 'em after the Topaz if you really want to."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Huh..." Hirame crossed his arms over his chest. "That's... okay, I guess." He frowned. "It seems like if two people want to work out their differences, that should be between them..." He sighed. "But I'm not among the Mantis now. And I do want to make a good impression."

He grinned, shoulders relaxing. "Aww, thanks Rin-san! That's great of you. And if there's anything I can help you with... like, if you need someone wrestled after the Topaz, just let me know."

His smile went crooked. "All the same, I'll try not to need your help in those regards. I'll just put my best foot forward, eh?"

[Suzume Rin]

"Huh..." Hirame crossed his arms over his chest. "That's... okay, I guess." He frowned. "It seems like if two people want to work out their differences, that should be between them..." He sighed. "But I'm not among the Mantis now. And I do want to make a good impression."

He grinned, shoulders relaxing. "Aww, thanks Rin-san! That's great of you. And if there's anything I can help you with... like, if you need someone wrestled after the Topaz, just let me know."

His smile went crooked. "All the same, I'll try not to need your help in those regards. I'll just put my best foot forward, eh?"

On first name terms already! The tip of Rin's nose turns slightly pink. She guessed that at sea shouting someone's full name and honorific was probably inconvenient.

"Just glad you're not gonna go put a Matsu Governor's kid in a headlock. But if you're offering maybe you could come by my place and wrestle each of my brothers until they're blue in the face? They're getting a bit big now for me to just toss over my shoulder."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Not unless I have to." Hirame promised with a grin. After all, what if the Matsu governor's kid was a jerk?

Grinning again, Hirame rolled his shoulders. "Sure! I'm still bigger than them, huh? I don't know if I could take them all at the same time, but maybe two at once." He looked at her, giving another craftily crooked smile. "What you need to do is pit them against each other. Then, you just need to wrestle the winner!" He nodded. "Good officer technique."

[Suzume Rin]

"Not unless I have to." Hirame promised with a grin. After all, what if the Matsu governor's kid was a jerk?

Grinning again, Hirame rolled his shoulders. "Sure! I'm still bigger than them, huh? I don't know if I could take them all at the same time, but maybe two at once." He looked at her, giving another craftily crooked smile. "What you need to do is pit them against each other. Then, you just need to wrestle the winner!" He nodded. "Good officer technique."

"Right!...Wait, what?"
Cocked head
"I can't be doing that. Family of my size the destruction would take out the house. What you gotta do is make them remember that while they're wrestling someone else is eating the rice. Then nobody wants to fight."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame laughed. "Maybe you should build your house more like one of our ships!" Still chuckling, he shook his head. "Still, that's a good maneuver. I'll have to remember that one for managing junior officers."

Up ahead, the line finally began to thin out. Hirame gave Rin a curious look. "You're a good sort, Rin-san. I hope you do well in the tournament."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(using Passion: Generosity! "You can always identify a proper gift for a particular person that does not risk giving offense or slighting them publicly.")