[D1EA] Welcome to the Dock

[Funegao no Hirame]

The docks weren't the place for a proper samurai. But a Mantis, well, that was something else!

Hirame strolled around the area, his rolling stride identifying him as a sailor as much as his casual garb. It took a bit more of study, noting the colors he wore, and the occasional symbol, to identify him as a Mantis.

Stopping on a dock, Hirame looked out over the water. Hands on his hips, he took a deep breath, taking in the sea air.

[Isawa Kiriko]

Someone stepped up beside him, a short young girl who looked like she might blow away in the next strong breeze. Watching him for a moment, she then took a deep breath herself, trying out what he was doing. "Hm... That is nice, isn't it?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame turned, smiling as he saw the youth standing next to him. "It is nice." Hirame said. "Sea air is good for you, you know."

He gave a brief bow, graceful but unpolished. "My name's Hirame. Funegao no Hirame." He frowned, looking around. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be here, miss? Docks can get a little rough, in my experience."

[Isawa Kiriko]

She bowed in return. "I'm Isawa Kiriko. Pleased to meet you." At his description, she glanced around the docks. "Are they? That's good to know. I've never been to docks before. I'm sure I'm here for a reason, though. Of the many possibilities, I ended up here, after all."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"The... possibilities?" Hirame took a closer look at her. "You know, you're the second Phoenix that I've met. And she talked kinda like that, too. Is that a Phoenix thing, or something?" It was direct, but his smile was good-natured.

[Isawa Kiriko]

"Oh, if it was Isawa Natsuko-san, it might be that we went to the same school," she said, looking back up at him with a perfectly content expression. "I could have wandered lots of places, but I ended up here."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"It was." Hirame said, chuckling. "Well, that explains it. Even different Mantis ships have their own way of talking."

He looked out over the ocean. "Wherever the wind and tide take you, eh? That's how some people walk. Others..." He waved a hand, "well, they're different." He looked at her again. "Are you just exploring the city?" He asked.

[Isawa Kiriko]

"Hai, something like that. Move without thought and the world takes you where it needs you to be," she nodded. "Hai. It's the first time I've been away from my dojo. I'm enjoying seeing so many new things."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Is it?" Hirame considered her for a few moment.

Then he gave her a gentle nod and a smile. "What brings you to Tsuma? Are you here for the Topaz?" His brow creased thoughtfully. "You're not taking part, are you? Or am I guessing your age wrong?" She certainly looked young.

[Isawa Kiriko]

"I am taking part. But it's hard to answer your question without knowing what you're guessing my age to be," she responded with a tilt of her head.

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame studied her a few moments, then shrugged, making a face. "My honest answer would be fourteen." He said "But while I like to think that I have many talents, guessing the age of young women is not one of them."

"I'm seventeen." He put in; it seemed like the polite thing to do.

[Isawa Kiriko]

"I'm sixteen," she replied with a nod. "... Hmm, now I can't guess because it will be influenced by already knowing. Now I look and go, 'Oh, sure, Funegao no Hirame-san looks 17.'"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Yeah." Hirame said, tossing his hair back with a grin. "I guess that makes sense. And it's not like my age is a matter of opinion, or something you might know just as well as me, or anything like that."

He nodded towards the ocean. "First time seeing the ocean? I know the Phoenix have some ships, but not that many, I've heard."