(D2, EM, Upper Decks (Stern) Balancing on Water

[Isawa Natsuko]

(expecting)

Natsuko had initially stood to look out at the water as they moved farther from shore. But a complete lack of experience sailing had her first feeling a fit unsettled, then actively queasy, then hurrying for the side to toss her breakfast to the fish below. At least the food would not go to waste, as the Crane would no doubt eventually see those fish on their tables.

Finding an out of the way spot to sit, back against the...whatever you called the walls of the boat...she rummages through her satchel, first for the mint tincture she knows she shoved in the medicine kit to clear the taste from her mouth, and then her pipe. Carefully packing herbs into the bowl, she looks out at all the shouting and ropes. There are patterns here, perhaps.

[Kitsu Masaru]

The lion boy walked along the deck of the ship with middling success, he was no sailor and had rarely been on anything but small river ships. His footsteps weren't certain but he was putting one foot in front of the other. As he moved he lost balance and stumbled catching himself on the wall of the ship almost falling into someone sitting there.

he pulled up quickly and bowed deeply, and mostly without wobbling "Apologies" a quick look "Isawa-san if I remember correctly. I should watch my step more closely." he rose from the bow.

He was wearing a few layers of kimono blues transitioning from light and dark blue with some white here and there giving a impression of the sea and waves though a lion mon was still on the outermost layer over his heart and he had a shamisen strapped to his back. he gave her a friendly smile "How are you finding the ship so far?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

Oddly, Natsuko does not flinch from the near collision, not even looking up at first--a huddled shape of orange and gold silk, face hidden beneath a wide orange hood. The worn satchel rests beside her hip. Her hands do freeze for a long moment; pipe held in a whole hand, a last pinch of herbs held between finger and thumb of a hand that looks as if the the last two fingers and everything below were sliced clean away.

The hood nods; Natsuko not daring yet to rise for a bow. "Watching your steps means never seeing where you're going. I do not recommend it," she says faintly, looking up and letting the orange hood slip back from her dark hair a bit. Bright blue eyes take in the ensemble of blues and whites, red hair, lacquered wood, amber eyes.

"I find it unsettling, Kitsu-san. I would like to walk or swim, not roll about in between the two." There's a deep breath as her hands resume moving once more, finger and thumb rubbing the herbs between them to sprinkle toward the pipe bowl as she says something cracklingly unintelligible. The dry bits glowing like embers as they fall now, and the pipe beginning to smoke.

"And you? Your feet may be unsettled, but you do not look it otherwise, even clothed to match the sea." There is little inflection to her low voice, though it's gained some strength since those first words. She draws on the pipe, pulling air through to feed the smoldering in the bowl and leaving space for an answer

****************
roll for a bit of summoned fire

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru chuckles a little as he maneuvers to her side "Well I suppose I am just lucky I am not feeling seasickness, I believe it is called, I am not very experienced with ships and do find the motion a bit unsettling as well." though not half as much as you Isawa

He looks at his sleeve and smiles again "Well I have no particular love of the sea but when I heard we would be competing on a boat I thought the outfit would be fitting for today. I like drawing inspiration from nature and the activities of the day when deciding what to wear." He said pleasantly his warm amber eyes meeting her bright blue ones. If the display of magic surprised the young man it did not show on his face.

"May I sit with you Isawa-san?" He asked looking down to her.

[Isawa Natsuko]

Another nod. "You may sit, Kitsu-san." After a pause to pull on the pipe and breath out a plume of sweet-scented smoke, she adds. "Seasickness? But..it is not the sea inciting..? Maybe? Off-balance water when so accustomed to the land? Maybe." The analysis is quiet, more to herself than otherwise, but certainly spoken aloud.

Blinking out of that train of thought, she looks to his sleeve. "Hmm...that seems complicated when the day could go different directions. When pirates attack the tournament before the test and the boat is burned, it will be out of place." She brings the pipe to her lips once again, before pausing. "But that did not happen in this moment."

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru shrugged a little and smiled softly as the Phoenix postulated the appropriateness of the name for her condition a small chuckle held internally.

He did chuckle a bit when she commented about the possible change in their circumstances "Well yes, I suppose them it would be quite in appropriate." He thought for a moment "something more in your clans colors would be more fitting for a burning boat, a base of browns but building layers of oranges, reds maybe a few yellows. Though one could see that as a combination of Phienix and Lion colors as far as schemes go." He talking was a bit rambling like hers but felt maybe more present, more pointed? The exact intentions were elusive.

He smiled again "Well at any rate one can't plan for what they do not know and can only use the knowledge they have. Not like we can see the future." He paused "Well at least I cannot."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Not yet." She says after exhaling another plume of smoke. "Sometimes there are glimpses of other nows to be seen." It's said matter-of-factly, with little inflection--the base state of her conversational voice, it seems. "More common in dreams though."

"So many colors to keep track of, and meanings. Are you an artist?"

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru shook his head gently "Well if something like that is in my future I've shown no ability for it up to this point. Unlike most Kitsu I am not so spiritually attuned as the rest of my family." He said with his own sort of friendly matter of fact tone.

"But nor am I an artist truly, I mean musically one could say that I guess but I don't paint or do anything like that. The colors and clothing are just....fun." He said nodding and smiling as if confirming his words for himself "it's boring to me to dress in the same colors all the time and well I was trained by storytellers so why not have my appearance tell a story of its own ya know?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"A hobby may also be art. Many things are connected. All things by void, but some in more obvious ways as well." Her even-toned voice leaves ample space for interpretation...simple statement of fact? Chiding someone who downplays their talent? A debate in the making?

The pipe is held in her good hand, so when she reaches toward him, it is with the other. Almost, but not quite, touching the fabric, she traces along the swirl of one color shifting to the next with two fingers. "Borders, edges, where one thing seems to become another. Sky against sea, children becoming adults..." Stopping abruptly to pull her hand back, her eyes shift back to his, reflecting the sky, pupils shrunken in the glare. "Isn't storytelling also an art? What story are you thinking of this morning?"

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru nodded what she said made a certain kind of sense even if it was a bit too esoteric for him to fully appreciate her words.

He watched the hand come near him and he did not shy away or really react at all to it really he just watched as it drew near and swirled in the air.

"Well there are many stories out there, and many more that involve the ocean and water. Possibly one about river spirits or the Ningyo people who dwell in the depths." His smile brightened a touch "is there a certain kind of story you wish to hear Isawa-san?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

Her eyes widen a bit before looking down and away. "I did not mean to...that is, I wish for very little, Kitsu-san. I should not impose." After a moment though, she asks quietly, "Are there still Ningyo beneath us? Or are those just stories of times before?"

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru shook his head gently still smile on his lips "no imposition at all Isawa-san. It is a poor Bard that does not enjoy performing, though I dare say my style is a bit more....understated than the Ikoma of legend."

A hand comes to his chin gently rubbing it in pensive thought "Well no one can be sure if the Ningyo are still beneath the rolling waves. The sea is wide and vast and deeper than we know. They have not been seen for many generations and some truly wonder if they ever really existed to begin with." His voice pitched low a tone that invited the listener to draw near "but I believe they are real. I believe they still live underneath these rolling waves choosing not to deal with us any longer." He nodded confidently.

"But it makes one wonder what they really see at night when there is a flicker of motion in the waves. A shape just beneath the water. Surely just a large fish, right?" He looked out to the sea, a pause for dramatic effect. It was not too long to lose momentum but long enough for the listener to ponder before he spoke again "Or perhaps the Ningyo, much like us have their own rebellious children, some who come up to the surface to see us some who wonder if the tales their elders tell of the strange creatures who walk on two feet are true." He looks back to her warm amber eyes again meeting cool blue ones "a mystery to be sure and one we may never solve." He said with a tone of finality

[Isawa Natsuko]

Despite the level and unwavering calm of her demeanor, and the lingering queasiness from the waves, his tale does find her leaning closer--and pulling back to politely not blow her smoke in his eyes, though her pulls on the pipe grow less frequent though the telling. She even glances toward the water she can't possibly see through the wood she's huddled against. "Understated in comparison, maybe, but Ikoma entertains in Yomi, and it is nice not watching someone weave all over this unsteady stage," she says after a long pause that makes it quite clear the story has no surprise encore coming.

"I believe in them. I have dreamed of one who keeps looking for someone at the shore. Maybe one of those rebellious children?" There's a bit more ease to her posture, distraction and the pipe relieving a good deal of the wretched sickness.

"I always thought I would like to spend some time at the coast, see if the dreams meant anything, but..." There's no real shift in her tone, but the pause as she gestures vaguely with the pipe offers space for the seasickness, her poor performance here, and any other lingering hint that she wasn't meant for the ocean.