[D2, LE] Pounding Hot (Invitation Only)

[Otomo Gusai]

"Not the worst such incident I've had, though," Gusai continues. "Not long after I first shipped out on the Venture, being a green hand and all, I was assigned to bring in and stow one of the nets we use to sling cargo and supplement our rations with fresh fish. Never at the same time, mind. But, of course, I was a green hand, and even with both eyes, I couldn't figure out what I was doing and didn't see the swell that popped the ship right amidships."

He chuckles. "Took two hands a solid hour to untangle me and the lines. Old Urimoto had me stoning the deck for a week!"

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Not the worst such incident I've had, though," Gusai continues. "Not long after I first shipped out on the Venture, being a green hand and all, I was assigned to bring in and stow one of the nets we use to sling cargo and supplement our rations with fresh fish. Never at the same time, mind. But, of course, I was a green hand, and even with both eyes, I couldn't figure out what I was doing and didn't see the swell that popped the ship right amidships."

He chuckles. "Took two hands a solid hour to untangle me and the lines. Old Urimoto had me stoning the deck for a week!"

"As a sailor, you must've seen many things on distant shores," Chizu said encouragingly. "What's the most remarkable thing you've seen in your travels?"

[Otomo Gusai]

"As a sailor, you must've seen many things on distant shores," Chizu said encouragingly. "What's the most remarkable thing you've seen in your travels?"

"Oh, that's a hard one!" Gusai replies. "Sailing the seas makes every day a wonder. The sunrises and sunsets away from shore are spectacular, and the crashing spray casts rainbow colors in all directions in a decent light. Even the storms are raw beauty--when a body can look on them and not on the rope clutched in hand or the sheets gathering in.

"And the people! A crew becomes much like a family, whether the hands are akin or not--and they often are, truth be told; old Urimoto took me on because I was a cousin's kid. But even aside from that, calling in at so many different ports, you meet all kinds of different people, and every one of them has something new to teach--as well as some interesting practice!

"But I've also got to say," and here, he turns his eye fully on Chizu, "that this stop has been quite edifying."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Oh, that's a hard one!" Gusai replies. "Sailing the seas makes every day a wonder. The sunrises and sunsets away from shore are spectacular, and the crashing spray casts rainbow colors in all directions in a decent light. Even the storms are raw beauty--when a body can look on them and not on the rope clutched in hand or the sheets gathering in.

"That must be something to see," Chizu said thoughtfully. "I've been on a river boat, but never a ship on the ocean. It must be strange, to have water extend all the way to the horizon."

"But I've also got to say," and here, he turns his eye fully on Chizu, "that this stop has been quite edifying."

"Flatterer," Chizu accused while grinning and splashing water at him. She didn't seem particularly upset.

Genji smiled his nice boy smile, still enjoying the soak.

"What about you, Hantei-sama?" she asked, turning to look at Genji. "What's the most marvelous thing you've seen on your travels?"

[Otomo Gusai]

snip

Gusai had been about to answer, of course, but Chizu's question to the young lord forestalls him.

So he takes the chance to let his eye linger on Chizu for a moment...before it pivots to Sagara.

[Hantei Genji]

Genji's fingers drummed on the side of the spring. "Most of my travels were in our clan's lands, though I did visit the Nezumi once." He hesitated how to continue, recalling the enmity between the ratlings and the Crab.

"There were some marvels there. And some giant ogres."

[Anjing Sagara]

"Giant ogres" repeated Sagara in awe, "that must have been some sight." The memories of ogres at her young age, already large and brutal could bring nightmares to Sagara even at her age, giant ogres would mean monstrous creatures. "But I see that you have survived, so it was a successful encounter."

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen serves everyone again, but the bottle empties. She hiccups and apologizes with a nod. The Lady if the Stag doesn't say much for now, but is greatly enjoying her lack of sobriety.

[Otomo Gusai]

"Do tell, young lord," Gusai puts in.

He adjusts his eyepatch, muttering something.