[D10 EE Baths] Cleanliness is Next to Kaminess

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe smiled back and nodded "words of encouragement are readily accepted! I hope also hope you find what you're looking for."

Then the big Otter shrugged a bit "Not sure, apparently the Deer say it's normal for thing time of year? Seems strange to me but makes as much sense as anything else. Not sure what else it could be really." He rubbed his chin briefly with a hand "but I dont know shit about spirits or supernatural things that would do stuff like this."

[Bayushi Luixian]

She casually waved off his own words of encouragement for herself. "Don't need much hope to be married off to someone random during a miai."

As he spoke about the rain she shifted in her spot having gotten uncomfortable in the last one. "I don't know about it either. Seems odd but I'm used to different weather. You must feel at home with all of this water though?"

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe chuckled "Well I guess you could say that but we find rain to be just as annoying as anyone else. We are used to dealing with water underfoot, when it falls from the sky less we can do to avoid it." He said smiling as he looked to her.

"Weather wise though we deal with all kinds of it as we move up and down the river. Some places wetter, some drier. We go all over the Empire after all. If there are rivers wide enough for us then we travel there." He said with small smile "it is a interesting life for sure."

[Bayushi Luixian]

"No thick waterproof coats like your named animal huh?" She joked faintly. "Though tell me more about your clan if you wouldn't mind. I can't say I know much of anything about it. The way you phrased it makes it sound as if you live on the rivers themselves?" An eyebrow lifted up showing her curiosity even if her gaze itself was a tad flat.

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe ran a hand through his thick loosely curling hair "not quite." He said with a smile

At her question he nodded "Hai we do. The Otter have no lands we mostly live on our boats but they are comfortable. We provide luxury entertainment for those wanting to travel the river. We also act as traders and occasionally as mercenaries. The Usogawa are performers, actors, musicians. The family used to be a group of geisha before we became a minor clan. As for the Susaki we are in essence a family of yojimbo. We protect the clan and the boats." He explained with a happy and informational tone.

"The closest thing we have to a real holding is Ehime Toshi." It's a cluster of permanently anchored ships in the center of Lake of Cherry Blossom Snow. It is a very unique city but one can find anything there they would in most cities inn, restaurants, theater, sake bars" He said giving her a grin "it's a very fun place."

"There's more but I think that's a good overview."

[Bayushi Luixian]

"Ah. That's.." She thought for a few seconds on a way to politely phrase what she felt about that. It wasn't easy given her blunt nature which shone through anyway as she couldn't think of a way to nicely say what she thought about it. Which meant she just trailed off.

"I'm glad that you find happiness in your duties." That was the best she could do.

"The toshi seems like a fun place to visit a few times though. Certainly different from many of the usual places around here."

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe nodded "I find happiness in protecting my family while they do the work that the Emperor tasked them with. A samurai cannot ask for me no?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile.

Then he barked a laugh "its ok to say it sounds boring, you served on the Wall defending the Empire. By comparison I'm sure guarding a single clan seems dumb. But in the end I feel like that's what most Bushi do, guard stuff. Whether it be a castle, or a wall, or a village. Not really so different except what you're fighting. I mean I'm the personal yojimbo to the heiress of a clan, even if it's a minor one. That's pretty good for an overgrown river dog if I do say so myself." He says with good natured humor throughout

[Bayushi Luixian]

"It's not guarding a clan that sounds boring. It's guard boats that does. Your whole life dedicated to protecting some boats." She shook her head. "But if you view it as guarding a clan that makes it better. After all you're right. We're all guard dogs in some capacity. Even courtiers and shugenja. Just what we protect and how we protect it is different."

She snorted. "Wouldn't guess you as an overgrown dog though. Maybe more river boar given where you studied."

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe looked a little confused "Well the Clan are on the boats, so yeah by protecting the boats we are protecting the clan
Is it really that different from protecting a castle? Just a different container for people. Sure we don't have any land but it's protecting the people that's the important part." He said as the confusion shifted to a smile.

"Besides like me with my sumai the clan urges us to find ourselves. Our own way in the world. If there is a duty out there that does that for someone then the clan will do what it can support it."

[Bayushi Luixian]

She shrugged deeply. "It's just my personal views on it. My way of thinking and I don't know how to phrase it right. Guarding your clan is big and important but then it boils down to guarding boats. Though I guess between them and a castle it's just a change in scenery and boat sickness."

Speaking and making sense of what she felt wasn't a forte. It showed clearly.

"I guess that's one of the perks of being in a minor clan. The flexibility to do what you want to."