Yer Welcome! (Mantis Clan Island Paradise Trip)

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Already in the water, Kokyou looks up to the boat. "Swim aft me. Why would ye? I challenged all o' ye t' swim ahead, if ye can."

Cackling in a laugh, Kokyou swims toward the natural torii on backstrokes.

He glared at the Mantis. "I can swim. I don't need to prove it you know." He moved to the shore to build sand castles.

[Togashi Dao]

From a nearby sailor's hammock Dao calls out. "How's the water?"

Being from the mountains, anything larger than a small lake both intrigued and terrified him at once.

[Kokyou]

Wordlessly he cuts through the water towards their destination.

Kokyou turns himself over to swim faster than before. The race is fierce and it is not clear who arrived first.

He glared at the Mantis. "I can swim. I don't need to prove it you know." He moved to the shore to build sand castles.

Kokyou looks at Kaiden trying to move from the boat into the shores. He either swims, or rows the boat. Kobunes do not land on the shores.

From a nearby sailor's hammock Dao calls out. "How's the water?"

"Th' water be great. It says it has cabin fer more scallywags t' join up."

[Otomo Nobuko]

Nobuko enjoyed the relative privacy of the Captain's cabin in the evening, but was not immediately prepared for a swim come the morning. She unfortunately had to go back and change after Kokyou's announcement and daring dive into the sea. But change she did! When she was dressed for a more active day, she took the side of the ship and dived in with a form that showed she'd had some practice - though no where near as good as any Mantis.

She also showed she'd been working on her own athletiscism by swimming conifdently through the rock arch and to the shore. Her own muscles having some light definition as she exited the sea and looked around.

Then she called out, "Kokyou-san? Will the men be bringing drying cloths or robes over from the ship? An umbrella or two, perhaps? And some cushions? We can have a nice breakfast on the beach and not sully ourselves too much."

Or get too much more sun. She had a very fair complexion she needed to maintain.

[Moto Ichiro]

Nobuko enjoyed the relative privacy of the Captain's cabin in the evening, but was not immediately prepared for a swim come the morning. She unfortunately had to go back and change after Kokyou's announcement and daring dive into the sea. But change she did! When she was dressed for a more active day, she took the side of the ship and dived in with a form that showed she'd had some practice - though no where near as good as any Mantis.

She also showed she'd been working on her own athletiscism by swimming conifdently through the rock arch and to the shore. Her own muscles having some light definition as she exited the sea and looked around.

Then she called out, "Kokyou-san? Will the men be bringing drying cloths or robes over from the ship? An umbrella or two, perhaps? And some cushions? We can have a nice breakfast on the beach and not sully ourselves too much."

Or get too much more sun. She had a very fair complexion she needed to maintain.

"Youve been working out Nobu-chan" came a deep voice from behind her as Ichiri approached. Still bare from the waist up the water trickled down his body and dripped off his beard and braids. "Breakfast on the beach is a great idea."

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Kokyou may have not noted the stealthy Scorpion boy had already gotten to shore via boat. He does know how to swim but what is a Scorpion with out hitching a ride.

[Otomo Nobuko]

"Youve been working out Nobu-chan" came a deep voice from behind her as Ichiri approached. Still bare from the waist up the water trickled down his body and dripped off his beard and braids. "Breakfast on the beach is a great idea."

She turned around to look at him and had to turn away, letting her eyes fall on the natural beauty of the island and not the natural beauty of the Moto while fanning herself with a hand, "There's that sun again! So warm! I don't know that I'll ever get used to the isles! I suppose one must be born here to so."

A moment or more of distracting herself with other sights and then she was giving a coy shrug, "Oh, you said something about my training, didn't you? Yes. I have been 'working out'. I asked my Sensei at the Academy to allow me to stretch and do some of the exercises with those students dedicated to the art of the dance. I am no where near as skilled as any who have studied for so many years, but the exertion has been most exhilarating."

[Moto Ichiro]

"Is everything alright? You barely spoke to me when I arrived and now you seem unable to look at me." Ichiro asked with mild concern in his voice "is it the beard? Its the beard I forgot Rokugani dont like them as much."

[Otomo Nobuko]

"It is simply the heat, Ichiro-kun," she attempted to reassure him without turning to face him, the heat of her blush far warmer on her cheeks than the sun at the moment. "I assure you, I have no issue with your beard. It is unusually thick and long compared those I have seen worn in the courts, but it is yours and I so I do not find it distasteful."

The leather clothes he had arrived in, on the other hand... well, at least he had removed those... perhaps leaving them on would have been better, though. Since she felt herself already far too red at the sight of him with so little clothing on, no matter how socially acceptable it currently was.

"I think I must really find some shade. Surely that will help."

[Moto Ichiro]

Ichiro frowned but shrugged and went to help unload a row boat that had beach stuff on it like umbrellas and stuff. He had trouble understanding Rokugani and apparently imperials even more so. It wasn't even that hot out today.

[Otomo Nobuko]

It was absolutely scorching if one were to judge by how much Nobuko kept fanning herself any time her eyes strayed anywhere near where Ichiro stood. Particularly when he was engaged with helping to construct their picnic area and generally flexing his muscles with use.

She demurely sat herself in the shade of an umbrella once it was put up and continued to keep herself cooled while glancing his direction and then away. Often making idle conversation with whoever was closest or finding an excuse to ask one of the shipmen, like finding her a pretty shell. Anything to keep herself distracted from the walking distraction.

[Togashi Dao]

Dao lazily crawled out of the hammock and moved to the side of the boat, hanging his legs over the side and kicking his feet in the water happily as he watched the others splashing around.

He watched critically, the construction of the sandcastles, formulating plans to lay siege to them...

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Dao would note that the castle looks like a pile of sand with a face. Kaidan is not the Kaiu engineer to make a very structural building.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji enjoyed the water, it was pleasantly cool compared to the blessing sun that shone throughout the day. However, he enjoyed that the water was so clear, not that the rivers in Tsuma were dirty, but it was a difference to bathe in a river bath or in an ocean.

He swam through the water and dived down every now and then to look for shells or other curiosities, something that would remind him of this trip later.

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Kaidan finished his castle He placed the shovel on top as a flag. Now he decided to go in the water to clean up all the sand.

[Togashi Dao]

As the boat drifted a little closer to the shore, Dao cast an appraising eye over the sandcastle again and nodded in satisfaction. It was adequate, but would be ravaged by the army of the crushing waves.

So fearlessly, if clumsily, he dove into the water and surfaced near the sandy beach. Stalking the castle that was his prey, he began to dig a moat out around it to help protect it from its eternal foe.

[Iuchi Prashant]

The Iuchi had never been at sea before, and as far from home and as alien and unexpected as the experience might be for him, Iuchi weren't known for turning away from new experiences - and neither was Prash.

He spent most of the journey so far on the deck outside, often talking to his colleagues and friends from Hirosaka, but even more often just looking at the sea, the odd movement in the water and sky while they travelled, trying to spot animals, other boats or anything of interest.

This was very different from home indeed... And yet the feeling of going from location to location with the wind on his face was somehow oddly similar to what he felt on the plains close to home.

As they got to the Torii, he had an impulse to just jump into the water and swim to the shore, then remembered he wouldn't like to ruin his clothes, so he took the time to change appropriately before going to the water, and then to the shore.

Maybe he could find something to remind him of the trip - or even something appropriate to house a spirit.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji dived down repeatedly until he went back to the beach with his prey. In his hands he held some shells he had picked up from the sea floor. The price for his prey, however, was an adherent salt film that would slowly dry on his skin in the sun and the fact that the salt made his eyes red.

He greeted Prashant rather informally as he stood beside him and simply addressed him, "Iuchi-san! Glad you made it out! The water is wonderful," Kenji said with a carefree smile.

[Kokyou]

Kokyou disappeared for a moment after he crossed the torii. After everyone if assembled back on the beach, he appears once again. Now, on top of the arch itself. He shouts to them, asking, "Who do ye reckon we shall put a statue o' here?"

[Iuchi Prashant]

He greeted Prashant rather informally as he stood beside him and simply addressed him, "Iuchi-san! Glad you made it out! The water is wonderful," Kenji said with a carefree smile.

The Unicorn nods to him, slightly more formally but not so much. "It is, isn't it, Kakita-san?", he says, excited. "Have you found anything interesting while diving?"