(D0, EE) Otter in the Water (open)

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe looked on in mock horror as she described him turning into a small shamisen playing cricket! "The horror! To he small and weak! I would never be the most renown sumai in the Empire if I shrank so. Please tell me there are Kuni wards or, or prayers that can prevent such a terrible fate!" He cried out in mock distress but broke down into a fit of laughing "though I may see about getting a tiny shamisen anyway, sounds adorable." He grinned

He meets her eyes coming through the lashes "I'm sure I will, surely someone here will itch for a fight as I do. Or maybe someone will make a wrong move around Emiko-sama, then I get to have real fun." He says with a mischievous laugh at the thought "though throwing people around on land is just a bit less fun than getting to throw them into the river!"

[Kuni Yasu]

"Wellll, there's the lake not far off if you're really wanting to toss someone with a good splash," Yasu says as she rises a bit to settle her shoulders against the edge once more. "And there's," she lifts her hands to spread, palms up, across the surface of the pool. "Not like I'm recommending wrestling in the baths. Might get a real stern hiss from the cat for that kinda fuss." There's a thoughtful look for a moment, as her lips twitch in amusement, wrists rotating to let her fingers flick at the water. "Though I guess you're kind of absolved if someone's picking a fight?"

Which she isn't, yet. Instead shifting to rest her arms along the smoothed stones of the pool's edge. "No water, but there's always the dojo to practice in too. And since I'm sad to say I don't know any protective wards against shriveling up in the bath, I'm afraid you'll need to get out sometime. So, may as well hit the dojo, neh?"

[Susaki Tanabe]

He laughed a little at that "I wouldn't wwant to disturb a cat, they are honorable beasts to be sure. Besides unless properly motivated I wouldn't dream of causing a disturbance in the baths. Very unbecoming from what I understand." he said with a grin.

He went completely under briefly and back up pulling his long hair back from his face and rising a bit more revealing a well built barrel of a chest and let out a long sigh "Yeah the dojo is actually very nice. It was one of my first stops once Emiko-sama ensured me she would be fine and that I should explore the town, familiarize myself with it. Did a bit of a work out for I came here, simple forms and such." he looked to her casually "do you spend much time in the dojo Kuni-sama?" he asked as he settled back into a resting position half his chest going back under the rippling surface.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Hmmm" Sweeping her hands forward through the water, she scoops a double handful of water with a crooked smile. "Unbecoming? Hmmm." She lifts her hands gently, head tipping to the side to watch the water merely drain from between her fingers with a crooked smile. "I guess that's true." If there's something appraising in her expression as she watches the water run from the Otter's hair and shoulders, well...it *is* a miai, assessments are somewhat inevitable.

And, while such descriptions haven't been written in this thread, the fact that the Kuni works out was reasonably apparent on the way into the water. Strong calves, shoulders that lack that scholarly slump--despite plenty of nights spent over her scrolls--and rough calluses grown white with the hot soak were apparent on her cupped hands. Yasu nods at the question. "Yeah. Didn't make it over there today, but I hope to tomorrow." She mimes holding a weapon, something stafflike given the distance between hands. "Way more training with weapons than fighting unarmed though. Stuff running around our lands...well, you'd really rather not be that up close to deal with them, you know?"

"Your charge sounds pretty reasonable to deal with then?" She asks with clear curiosity.

[Susaki Tanabe]

He nodded approvingly, he had figured from her body that she worked out, not that he had stared or anything. Honest. But it could have just been Crab genetics for all he knew. Knowing she was no stranger to a good work out was a positive in his book and he smiled accordingly "Maybe we can meet up there, at the dojo, put each other through our paces. See who comes out on top." He suggested with a competitive spirit. "As for fighting the things Crab do, I would probably want one of those big tetsubos I've heard the Hida swing around. While I'm pretty confident I could body slam an Oni I hear just touching them can Taint you."

"But yes Emiko-sama is pretty great, she is kind and has a wonderful voice. She always looks out for others and actually hates it when she gets special treatment because of her family." He explained and then smiled a little wider with amusement "though half the time I have to protect her from herself. She's one of the clumsiness people I've ever met. Every stray sandal is as dangerous as a ninja waiting to attack!" He exclaimed with a laugh.

[Kuni Yasu]

She nods, arms resting on the pool's edge once more as she sits a bit higher, to catch the cooler air away from the water's surface, seemingly far more at ease than when the conversation began.

"You heard right enough. It's not automatic with most of 'em, but happens enough that you don't chance it if you don't have to. Oni make lousy dance partners." There's none of the furtive shame or nervousness in saying things like 'oni,' that usually happens among more etiquette-minded gatherings. Yasu's grin even remains as she jokes about them, or maybe it's just a certain pleasure in finding that the Otter doesn't treat the topic with the sort of euphemisms and fear she's been told to expect. "Naginata's my weapon of choice, but I've handled tetsubo a few times. Happy to offer some pointers if you want to swing one around. You know, in case you come sailing through Crab waters some time." Or wind up going home with one. There were a few of them here, after all.

She shakes her head at the description of Emiko's clumsiness. "Sounds like she's a bit at risk on the water like that. Though I guess falling into the rivers isn't so dangerous as well as you all must swim." There's a moment, thinking. "Can one even be clumsy while swimming? You can't really trip there."

[Susaki Tanabe]

he noticed the relaxing but didn't change anything with his own bearing simply smiled a little to himself "Well I might take you up on that Kuni-sama! It seems like it might just be satisfying to hit something with such a big weapon as well. Can't say I've ever used a naginata myself but they seem like effective weapons as well. lots of momentum to help the cuts. Only weapons I really know how to fight with are these." he said flexing both of his thick arms "and a little katana work my father showed me."

He kept a generally amused air as he continued But yes Emiko-sama can be a bit of a hazard on the ferry. She even managed to fall off on our way here in fact!" he said with a laugh that would have been unbecoming when talking about a superior "She is luckily a good swimmer in her own right, I've only had to go in after her a few times."

her question about being clumsy in water gave him a little pause and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully "Well, yes in a way. Its less really clumsiness and more just awkwardness of movement. Not being used to moving through the water, it can take some people longer than others to become comfortable. Susaki Bushi actually train to fight in the water to get used to how moving in it is different than fighting normally." he explained a bit

[Kuni Yasu]

"Very satisfying, honestly. Can't be beat when you're dealing with something with a hard shell." She brings a fist down onto her palm with a wet smack. "Have to crush those, usually. Blades can't get through sometimes, no matter how much momentum you have going." There's a certain enthusiasm to the attention given to the practicalities of defeating the creatures the Shadowlands tosses out to harry the Empire. "Bet you'd take to tetsubo pretty well with arms like those. Though stamina's important too. Seen strong folks who didn't have the staying power to do more than one, two, three...and..." Her arm swings, as if holding a tetsubo one-handed-as unlikely as that would be. It swings in time with her words--once, twice, thrice--and then swings down from the elbow to dangle limply.

"Get what you mean about it being different in the water, though. Can't say I'm probably better than an awkward swimmer by that measure. Never had many places to practice once I started really growing." She pats the surface of the water. "Kids can swim in even this much water. Lot harder to do that now."

[Susaki Tanabe]

"Hmmmm maybe I'll find out one day." he said thoughtfully before smiling to the Kuni woman "But stamina is paramount in Sumai! I train daily to make sure I never tire before my opponent. Big as the weapon is I'm sure I'd be able to swing it as long as needed!" he said boastfully the Otter seemed to have no short supply of confidence in himself.

"And yes I guess if you don't live your life on the rivers and lakes of the Empire I can see why one might have troubles practicing swimming. Though if you wish it will bother me none if you wish to take some laps in the bath." he chuckles

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu nods. Might indeed make a decent Crab if it came down to that. Assuming his confidence was based on fact at least, and there was no real reason to doubt it, given what was on display so far. "Always thought sumai matches were rather short, good to hear stamina's more important than i'd thought. If I'm offering pointers on swinging one's tetsubo around, might be fair to see what I could learn of wrestling from you, hmm?"

She looks pointedly from one end of the pool to the other with a chuckle. "I'd be surprised if this is even twice as long as I'd be, fingers to toes as you get swimming. Pretty short laps. Could just float, I guess." After a pause, she brings her gaze back to the Otter, a question occurring to her. "Your charge, Em..ah, Usogawa-sama," just mimicking Tanabe's address reminds her of just how informally he's been speaking of a daimyo's daughter, "not so much of a warrior as you are, I'd guess, yeah? I mean, some get yojimbo anyway in strange lands, just because they're that important to the clan. But a bushi tripping over their own sandals seems likely to have some trouble with their tasks."