D1 MA Expecting - Horses of a Feather...Fly Together?

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

The little whine of a rented scooter announced the arrival of a guest. Dropping the kickstand and hopping off, Suh-Hyun pulled off her helmet and sat it on the scooter. Since she considered this to be on duty as it were, the Shinjo wore her duty uniform. Pulling out a beret she quickly seated it on her head and made her way to the office of Wherever.

In truth she wasn't hadn't planned on visiting any non-Crab businesses today, but a cousin Unicorn ran this one and that got her curious. Shinjos, like cats, were curious creatures. Also like cats that sometimes got them killed.

[Utaku Itsuka]

"Please be welcome, samurai-san", greeted with a polite bow the long-haired woman in her thirties standing behind the corner. "How may I help you?"

A moment later, Isuka's head popped out from behind a door at the back. "Oh", she says apologetically, then steps out properly, bows, then nods to the attendant. "Thank you, Hanae", she says. The woman gives a quick bow to her, followed by a smile and a deeper bow towards Suh-Hyun, then steps aside, keeping her back sightly bowed while Itsuka steps ahead to meet the client properly.

"Hello again, Shinjo-sama. A pleasure to receive kin at our humble house". The tone is gentle, friendly even. Her expression, vacuous. "The weather has apparently decided to offer us options, it seems, ne?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun pulled off her sunglasses, she peeks past the building at the plane. "I suppose," She smiled, it wasn't an insincere gesture but something about the Utaku made Suh-Hyun's cheeriness turn more sympathetic. "To tell the truth I was born on Shinjo's Grace and basically lived on stations and ships most of my life. Weather being a factor in, well anything is a weird experience. Rain lost its novelty real quick though."

"A nice spot you have claimed out here, get a lot of locals or just offworld tourists?" She blinks then awkwardly chuckles, "Eh...I mean if you don't mind me asking."

[Utaku Itsuka]

"Oh." A half smile, again without much help from her eyes. Does that make it a quarter smile? "Been a good while since I spent more than a few days off-planet, but... yeah. It's very different."

Asteroid fields do have a weather, of sorts, she thinks. But definitely not this kind.

The next words for the first time brings a small smile to her eyes as well, even if just for a split second. "I'm glad you like it, Shinjo-sama. It is our..." she stops, shakes her head slightly, her voice lowers slightly "...was...." Her face turns towards the water, the boats and the plane - and away from Suh-Hyun's. "We do take pride in it", she concludes. Was there some cracking in her voice? Probably just the wooden floor.

She takes a couple steps towards a door leading to a back porch, and probably the pier.

"We do get calls from locals to move around the waterfront from time to time, and a decent number of excursions. Many locals don't know the Islands's bays and inlet as well as one would think, I guess." The answer does make it clear that she doesn't mind the question.

She looks outside at the beach. Her left hand travels to her face for a moment - maybe to place it above her eyes as she looks at the sea?

"Most locals ask us to pick them up at the harbourfront rather than coming here, though. Here proper, it's mostly offworlders. Less of those as of late, too."

Her eyes shift to the far side of the beach. "Does keep the place quiet, I suppose."

A moment

"I suppose... Shinjo-sama's not used to beaches, then? Or oceans?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Her smile faltered a fraction, reaching up she rubbed the back of her head. Oh...something like that... Suh-Hyun wasn't an expert at dealing with loss, though the last major campaign she was in certainly had plenty of it.

The Shinjo recovered quickly and followed the Utaku, "Playing taxi for the locals and tour guide for people like me?" She chuckled softly, though it wasn't all mirth. "Ah, well I mean the Shinjo's Grace had a few pools that simulated beaches but I suppose that is different. This isn't my first time visiting an ocean, but it has been awhile."

"It's beautiful but I wouldn't trade it for the void." She glanced upwards, then quickly added, "But I could see how many prefer a life with oceans and beaches over the vast empty."

[Utaku Itsuka]

She seems to think about the Shinjo's words for quite a while. Memories running through her head, maybe?

"Huh. The time I did spend in the void back when... let's just say a pool wouldn't fit easily." A mirthless grin.

She looks around, her expression almost serene for a moment. "I couldn't easily trade this back for the void. Or even the Winds." She looks back at Suh-Hyun, face lifeless again. "A product of your environment and all that, ne? And... ocean taxi and tour guide ain't bad, as far as environments go, I don't think"

She tilts her head towards the pier. "Have you explored some of the island already, Shinjo-sama?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"Oh well...I was sort of rained out this morning. Left me stuck on Golden Shotengai." She laughed at her own expense, "Not my finest moment, standing around like a drenched cat until I had to swallow my pride and accept help."

Her tone grows more serious, "Yeah...I guess that it's just what one grows accustom too. We Shinjo are probably lying to our selves when we rush into the deep. No different from those that stay behind, just what we are accustom too."

She pauses a second. "Wanting to take to the sky Utaku-san?" Her smile grew a bit mischievous.

[Utaku Itsuka]

"Ah, well, yeah, this morning wasn't the best welcome the islands could offer. I'd say the Wherever can offer help if that happens again... but won't be much help at the Shotengai unless you're close to the Harbourfront. And you might end up wetter."

The voice is rather monotone, her face, doubly so. She then nods at the Shinjo's other words.

"Un, I suppose. Life without movement would be..." Her voice fades, she gestures outside.

"The sky, or the sea, if you'll like. Customer first and all." A half smile, maybe not quite as vacant as before. "Complimentary as a first-time offer for a kinswoman, let's say"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"I trust your judgement Utaku-san," Suh-Hyun returned the half smile with a full one, "If the weather made a bad impression do you think you can rehabilitate the planet's image with me." There was some mirth in her voice. "By air or by sea."

"And I'll pay standard rate. You do have a business to keep up after all and fuel costs money."

[Utaku Itsuka]

She nods, slowly, the weak smile dancing on her lips.

"You'll choose at least the part of the island, then, ne?", she says, pointing at a map of Shiawase Island on the wall, then moving behind the counter, taking some things and placing then on a bag. Gentle and welcoming as the words are, they still sound more like an instruction than a suggestion.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"How about a compromise? A good pass over the edge of town, in the legal area I mean, and then," She leans forward, "You fly me over your favorite spot on the island. Wherever's most remarkable location as recommended by Utaku Itsuka herself."

Suh-Hyun leaned back, she had assumed it would have been the plane. Every Utaku she had met would leap into a cockpit given half the chance.

[Utaku Itsuka]

She nods, a flickering flame now illuminating the dancing weak smile, then starts tracing a path on the map.

"Edge of town. Will allow us a good view of Shiro Ei on the way out. Then... the clouds may not help today, but it's a sight either way. Cross through to the northern bay, east to a low sweep over the marsh and beach, then..."

She turns back to Suh-Hyun then. "A stop at lake Ibuki, then. Else we stop by the eastern coast... but I'm sure the clouds won't stop us"

The smile widens slightly. "Let's see what you think, Shinjo-san. Been to a caldera lake before?"

She grabs the bag with some pasties and drinks, gets an eyewear case from a drawer, then waits for the Shinjo.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"A what?" Suh-Hyun pulls out her own sunglasses and follows along, "Oh! The volcano lake!" She grinned at that, "Not many lakes or volcanoes on Shinjo's Grace, let alone the two together."

"Mere clouds stop a Unicorn? We are the true children of the winds!" She let out a small chuckle, then more seriously added, "Did you need me to carry anything Utaku-san?"

[Utaku Itsuka]

Suh-Hyun's realisation is met with a nod and a widening grin.

She pats the bag with refreshments, places a key and few other things on it, straps it to her shoulder.

"Only if you want to carry us back, Shinjo-san. Otherwise... do you want to talk shop while we go? Or you can tell me more about Unicorn space. Or Spider space, maybe..." her face twists a bit at the last words.

"Hana-san, we should be back in a couple hours, I trust you with everything. Ring or text if anything's up, will ya?", she shoots at the woman behind the counter with a nod-bow before setting of for the pier, her tone informal, but clearly gentle and trusting.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"Are you offering me the chance to fly back or were you being literal and want me to carry you back from the plane like a sack of rice?" Suh-Hyun teases as she slides her sunglasses back on.

Tension briefly mars her expression after the mention of the Spider. "Yeah, sure if you want, Utaku-san."

Suh-Hyun's smile returns quickly, "If you want to talk shop then maybe we can start with this fine plane you have. I've heard of float planes but never flown in one. Those pontoons must make the handling sluggish in the air."

[Utaku Itsuka]

A raised eyebrow and a somewhat delayed response suggests Suh-Hyun's teasing met with at least some success.

"Well...", she finally says. "If it's to be like a sack of rice... I'll say I meant flying us back, then!" A small grin again.

"They do add weight", she says, gesturing to the pontoons, "and you've got to adjust for the extra drag. Which can be tricky, at first. But then each wing is its own animal, ne?" Herhead then tilts towards the back of the plane as they approach it. "The fin helps, too... but you've got to keep in mind what you're handling. Couldn't easily land a fighter on a lake though, could ya?", she ends with another grin.

"What's your squadron flying these days, Shinjo-sama? And... the border... It... is it as bad as..."

The question never quite finishes.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"Oh? Well I suppose I could rescue carry you," She lowered her sunglasses and winked, "Relive those embarrassing days of training."

Suh-Hyun kept the glasses lowered, her own eyes turning hollow in their own fashion, "...yeah, yeah it was. I lost more comrades...friends then I care to think about."

The glasses were slide back over her eyes, "33rd Interceptor Squadron, at the time one of the squadrons assigned to the Stellar Winds. Took part in a sweep of the outer colonies. The," She works her mouth like she was swallowing something horrid, "pirates were remarkably well equipped, cowardly, and knew their business. The whole tour was brutal, none of the Winds's squadrons left at full strength. If you really want I can give more specifics but..."

She crosses her arms and sighs, "These days I serve with a Testing and Eval Squadron." Her smile returns though it had lost some of its sparkle, "Get to play with the new toys before anyone else. But I can't speak too much on that, classified stuff."

[Utaku Itsuka]

She nods. "I understand, of course."

Classified info? News on spider space? Both? Probably both.

She opened the door into the cockpit, let the Shinjo board before her, then started getting things ready for the takeoff.

"I'm sorry about all that, Shinjo-sama. Must've been hard. But y'all've done well."

The engine starts.

"...has there been much talk of civilian casualties?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"...I am not sure on the exact numbers of civilian losses," Suh-Hyun frowns now, "Given the nature of the raiders they must have been terrible before out strike group arrived. And despite our best efforts we didn't stop every raid. I do know our efforts prevented a great many more deaths." The conviction her voice gave one the impression that regardless of the last statement's actual truth, Suh-Hyun need it to be.

The Shinjo climbed into the airplane and turned to offered a hand to help, she pulled it back and smiled sheepishly with obvious embarrassment, "Ah...sorry, old habit. You would hardly need the help getting into your own plane." She looked away and took her seat.

"What about you Utaku-san, any wild stories about the locals?"

[Utaku Itsuka]

The offer of help is met with some surprise, but accepted nonetheless. "Help doesn't have to be needed to be taken, does it?", she answers with a grin before getting everything set up.

"Shiawase Island has less going on than... all that, I'd guess." A knot is undone, the door is closed, the engines rev up, they start moving and she sits at the cockpit.

"In a way, that's the issue Yasuki-dono is trying to deal with, I'd say. But wild stories.... well, we've got a former idol as the Karo, and I've heard the recently appointed magistrate is a witch-hunter. Hopefully unrelated things", she adds, still in a flat tone.

"Probably unrelated. The locals are wary of anything of that kind - rightly so, one could say. But it does go too far. You've heard the rumours about Azuma Beach, I assume?"

The plane's nose is steered into the wind, and they start moving faster.