(Expecting) You Sound Ace! [LM, Day 9]

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"...Undrinkable." A bottle clinks, there's a sound of a cap being twisted open and a hiss of escaping pressure, then a glug-glug. "...Almost drinkable." Another clink, the process repeats.

We fade into the scene, Ochiba by a massive ice cooler, her car pulled up behind, stereo blasting ('Klime My Kabe' by Kaiu Koatsen and the Boys). The Mantis is sitting in a reclining chair, a fishing rod in one hand, its line extending out into the bay with a lure bobbing distant. By her side is a pile of half drunk bottles.

"Fortunes this is going to take all day. But what sort of samurai do I know who I can convince to come fishing? Nobody with any money'll do it, the food is meaningless to most and it's dangerously close to physical labour."
A pause, then the click of a communicator connecting.
"Moshi Moshi, Hitomi-san?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

There's a pause, then,

"Hai! Hitomi-here."

Another pause as she's processing the voice or holding the communicator out to look at the number.

"Yoritomo-sama?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Yoritomo-sama?"

"Ochiba-sama, please! We're old friends by this point."
There's a distant sound of another bottle being opened.

"Hey, so you're a pretty traditional Sparrow, right? I got something down your alley at the harbour if you can help a girl out. Free drink and maybe food included...you're not squeamish, right?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

After another moment.

"Of course, pardon my memory, Ochiba-sama," she says sounding only slightly flustered. "The last box of lanterns is on the third shelf in, bottom row, clearly marked." Comes through as if muffled by a hand over the communicator.

"I'm a little worried about traditional paired with 'not squeamish," comes through at normal volume, voice laced with some suspicion. "But toss me the coordinates and I"ll be down shortly."

With coordinates passed through, it's not too long before the putputput of Hitomi's scooter is heard heading for the sound of ridiculous speakers scaring the fish...well, probably not the greatsharks.

There's a sigh to see all the bottles scattered nearby, but so far nothing that requires a a strong stomach to look at. "Ochiba-sama!" She parks in a designated area, hops off the scooter, and digs out a small bag from the delivery compartment before heading over. "You didn't catch enough yesterday?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Ahaiyo!" Ochiba waves with a grin, a second seat has been setup with its own table and the cooler inbetween.

"My saviour! Pull up a pew. And in answer to your question...a very handsome samurai caught more sharks, but it's alright because he's very sweet. That's actually like 1/3 of the reason I'm here."

She waves at the cooler.
"Generally he doesn't drink, and generally I drink a lot. So! I'm trying all the non-alcoholic beers, spirits and mocktails I could get my hands on to find some good ones...Success so far has been limited."
Ochiba clenches a fist, no Mantis would ever be defeated by a stiff drink, let alone a limp one.


"So, come and fish with me and test non-booze booze until we find some good ones. You can keep whatever we catch."

[Suzume Hitomi]

Hitomi takes in the long stream of information while setting the little sack on a table and opening it to set out solid black wagashi, some standard candied persimmon, and a bento that, when opened, reveals salted edamame.

"Oh? Kaiu-sama?" She'd already seen the results of yesterday's endeavors on her newfeed. Looking dubiously at the chair and pole, she asks, "he doesn't drink? Hmm...I guess I haven't really seen him with the free beer at local meetings." She looks at the mess of bottles. "You really don't do things halfway, do you, Ochiba-sama?!"

"Ok, I'll try your drinks. Are they supposed to taste like alcohol, or just...fun like a cocktail?" She picks one up and settles to the chair.

"Oh, and why fishing? We could have sampled all this in the store room...or out in your penthouse." She can see the dark sky waaay out across the harbor, and knows the boats probably left extra early to try getting in a catch before that hit.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Hitomi takes in the long stream of information while setting the little sack on a table and opening it to set out solid black wagashi, some standard candied persimmon, and a bento that, when opened, reveals salted edamame.

"Oh? Kaiu-sama?" She'd already seen the results of yesterday's endeavors on her newfeed. Looking dubiously at the chair and pole, she asks, "he doesn't drink? Hmm...I guess I haven't really seen him with the free beer at local meetings." She looks at the mess of bottles. "You really don't do things halfway, do you, Ochiba-sama?!"

"Ok, I'll try your drinks. Are they supposed to taste like alcohol, or just...fun like a cocktail?" She picks one up and settles to the chair.

"Oh, and why fishing? We could have sampled all this in the store room...or out in your penthouse." She can see the dark sky waaay out across the harbor, and knows the boats probably left extra early to try getting in a catch before that hit.

"Yeah, Ryosei-san, he's pretty cool...oh shit, uh don't tell anyone about this, or that I know him or the not drinking thing. I dunno if it's a secret, but it might be so."
Conspiratorial finger pressed to lips.

"If you do things halfway you'll fail at least 50% of the time, but really, it's more like 100% of the time. Ever tried to assemble a couch halfway? Disaster. If it's worth doing you do it, and you win."
She punctuates this with a swig from a bright pink plastic bottle and Hitomi is treated to a rare full face grimace.
"Ugggh! Jurojin's hair bal-....ance beam, strawberry should not taste like that, ever."

It goes in the 'no pile'

"They just gotta taste good, I don't care if it's like booze or not really. And you were Crane trained, right? So you gotta have good taste."
Ochiba clearly just assumes that such is 100% fact.

"The fishing is because if you're alone in your penthouse drinking all morning you're depressed, if you're doing it while fishing you're on holiday. Also the storm looks sick, where do you stand on storms anyway?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

"Of course, secret. Always good to have some blackmail material stored away like that," she says quite deadpan, reaching for something in the cooler. The thick brown color is not really appetizing, though she's seen some dark Crab brews.

It turns out to be something aiming for 'coffee cocktail' with creamy and nutty flavors and some unknown spice subbing in for a shochu burn at the back. "Not horrible, but I think it's for those who like their coffee and beer dark. Could use some sweetness." She chases it with candied persimmon to chase the flavor out and sets the squat little bottle on her table.

"Usually indoors. The storms can get pretty intense out here." She pauses, head tilted in question. "So...if you get hit by lightning, does it charge your arm things? Or just blow up your heart like anyone else in that situation?" She picks up the pole as she asks, examining it.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Of course, secret. Always good to have some blackmail material stored away like that," she says quite deadpan, reaching for something in the cooler. The thick brown color is not really appetizing, though she's seen some dark Crab brews.

It turns out to be something aiming for 'coffee cocktail' with creamy and nutty flavors and some unknown spice subbing in for a shochu burn at the back. "Not horrible, but I think it's for those who like their coffee and beer dark. Could use some sweetness." She chases it with candied persimmon to chase the flavor out and sets the squat little bottle on her table.

"Usually indoors. The storms can get pretty intense out here." She pauses, head tilted in question. "So...if you get hit by lightning, does it charge your arm things? Or just blow up your heart like anyone else in that situation?" She picks up the pole as she asks, examining it.

"Wow, hey no. I have a very specific no blackmail rule in my love life, not after...the incident."
Ochiba deadpans back for about 2 seconds before cracking a grin.

"Okay, so Uncle Terada's Flavour Booster is an emergencies only."
She taps away on her communicator before choosing her next drink, a can with a stylised serpent on a silver background and sipping pensively.
"Huh, you know this craft mocktail...and for the record I hate even saying those two words together, is pretty decent. Whoever this Yasuki Sakura is she knows her shit."
Another sip.
"Kinda...minty? With a little spice, dangerously close to an actual cocktail. You wanna try?"
She holds out the can then pauses, mouth opening slightly

"Blow up my heart?...Hitomi-san you ask the absolutely fucking coolest questions ever. I dunno you seem so...staid? But then you drop these absolute bangers. Damn, you know I've never been struck by lightning, shit I hope it would charge me. You know, if I do get hit and I survive I'll let you know."
She finger guns with her other hand.

"You're like the last person I would have picked to hangout with a couple weeks ago. Now you're at least top 50. And let me tell yah, that is a smaller percentage of samurai than it sounds. I'd worry I was going soft but I did kill the shit out of that guy...oh yeah, did you hear about that? You know with the serial killer?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

"Wow, hey no. I have a very specific no blackmail rule in my love life, not after...the incident."
Ochiba deadpans back for about 2 seconds before cracking a grin.

"Okay, so Uncle Terada's Flavour Booster is an emergencies only."
She taps away on her communicator before choosing her next drink, a can with a stylised serpent on a silver background and sipping pensively.
"Huh, you know this craft mocktail...and for the record I hate even saying those two words together, is pretty decent. Whoever this Yasuki Sakura is she knows her shit."
Another sip.
"Kinda...minty? With a little spice, dangerously close to an actual cocktail. You wanna try?"
She holds out the can then pauses, mouth opening slightly

"Blow up my heart?...Hitomi-san you ask the absolutely fucking coolest questions ever. I dunno you seem so...staid? But then you drop these absolute bangers. Damn, you know I've never been struck by lightning, shit I hope it would charge me. You know, if I do get hit and I survive I'll let you know."
She finger guns with her other hand.

"You're like the last person I would have picked to hangout with a couple weeks ago. Now you're at least top 50. And let me tell yah, that is a smaller percentage of samurai than it sounds. I'd worry I was going soft but I did kill the shit out of that guy...oh yeah, did you hear about that? You know with the serial killer?"

Hitomi's smile is wry at mention of 'the incident.' "Yeah, no. Kaiu-sama seems a decent sort, and I'm not in a position to go spreading rumors that'll piss off the locals, no worries."

She reaches for the still held out mocktail. "Really? That's an...um exciting question? I mean, I'd assume that kind of thing comes with some warnings to keep the kami bound to it happy. Though fire kami are probably really happy to be..." attached to someone with such a penchant for violence? "used regularly for burning things," she finishes a bit weakly before taking a sip.

She pauses to appreciate the drink, holding the can out..."Serpent's Kiss? Definitely decent. The spice there bites enough to think you're just missing the alcohol behind that. I'd say it's a keeper." She plucks up something promising a plum wine experience, whatever that was, stopping about halfway out to look up at Ochiba. "Wait, what? That thing out in the forest with some kind of insane murderer? How?"

The pole is just leaning against her chair forgotten at this point.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Well, they certainly haven't complained yet...at least not that I know of. Maybe I need to see another priest..."
She frowns and files that away, could never see too many priests.

"Let me get that for yah."
Ochia leans across and picks up the rod and starts hunting around for her bait box.

"Yeah that one, well I hope it was that one, this place is too small for many more insane murderers. Apparently he was kidnapping and killing folks for a while and then kidnapped Tamori-san and Kaiu Nagisa-san, something about...dunno, old school Crab ethics? I wasn't really paying attention. Anyway, Ichitaiyo and I tracked him down, the others had actually escaped themselves so they wouldn't been fine. And then I killed the shit out of him, tough bastard I'll admit, Kaiu armour is no joke, but a headshot is a headshot."

A little bit of squid is stuck on the hook and she turns to hand the rod to the Sparrow.
"Pretty good evening honestly, I got to ram a car and shoot someone who needed shooting."
Scratching the back of her head.
"Huh, everytime we meet I seem to have killed something new, neat."

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

Hitomi cracks the can and sips while Ochiba explains/baits the hook/introduces a lot of names to the picture. "Crab ethics? What?" She shakes her head. "Whatever, he obviously couldn't have been sane to do that, and what did Tamori-sama have to do with Crab ethics?"

"That's terrible!" She sets the can down, "I mean...so's all the kidnapping. I'm glad you and...Ichi...someone were able to find them and..." She turns rather green as the squid baited hook is thrust at her along with the description of headshots bypassing Kaiu armor. "Oh...that's true...neat." she says weakly, reaching to take pinch the line a bit above the baited hook.

"Was everyone ok?" she asks, while looking from the hook in her hand to the line well out into the bay.

"Um... and how do I get this all the way out there?" She mimes sort of flinging it from her toward the bay. Which probably wouldn't even clear the beach.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Hitomi cracks the can and sips while Ochiba explains/baits the hook/introduces a lot of names to the picture. "Crab ethics? What?" She shakes her head. "Whatever, he obviously couldn't have been sane to do that, and what did Tamori-sama have to do with Crab ethics?"

"That's terrible!" She sets the can down, "I mean...so's all the kidnapping. I'm glad you and...Ichi...someone were able to find them and..." She turns rather green as the squid baited hook is thrust at her along with the description of headshots bypassing Kaiu armor. "Oh...that's true...neat." she says weakly, reaching to take pinch the line a bit above the baited hook.

"Was everyone ok?" she asks, while looking from the hook in her hand to the line well out into the bay.

"Um... and how do I get this all the way out there?" She mimes sort of flinging it from her toward the bay. Which probably wouldn't even clear the beach.

"...Woman...I think? Dunno, these sorts of guys are never super clear. He could build an elaborate trap dungeon, but not a coherent ethical framework, classic story. It was neat as hell yeah, you could have seen some lightning then."

She stands, motioning for Hitomi to do the same.
"Uhhh, one guy had a broken leg and wouldn't stop complaining, and I think another guy died, but I get the sense he wasn't super popular so...yes."

Ochiba demonstrates a casting motion, turning and letting the rod and line arc back before hurling it forward as one motion.
"The rod is long enough, and you're kinda tall so just...put your back into it and you'll be eating carp or terror of the deeps in no time!"

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

"I heard that someone died, Yasuki Kaito? I think he's a cousin to the governor, don't know how close they were though. Worth keeping in mind if ...ah...you're planning to see her again." She pauses. "Does Kaiu-sama know about you two, or is this one of those group-dating things?"

She does her best to follow the obviously more experienced fisher's lead. The rod was way springer than she'd expected! The first cast kind of predictably landing on the sand. The next made it out into the deeper water to bob with incoming waves. "I think I'll hope for carp, but I don't think they're ocean fish." She watches the lines stretching out across the water.

"So...you just wait now?" Thinking of lightning. "Have you tried just shooting the fish with your arms before? Seems...more your style than waiting."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I heard that someone died, Yasuki Kaito? I think he's a cousin to the governor, don't know how close they were though. Worth keeping in mind if ...ah...you're planning to see her again." She pauses. "Does Kaiu-sama know about you two, or is this one of those group-dating things?"

She does her best to follow the obviously more experienced fisher's lead. The rod was way springer than she'd expected! The first cast kind of predictably landing on the sand. The next made it out into the deeper water to bob with incoming waves. "I think I'll hope for carp, but I don't think they're ocean fish." She watches the lines stretching out across the water.

"So...you just wait now?" Thinking of lightning. "Have you tried just shooting the fish with your arms before? Seems...more your style than waiting."

"Oh yeah, no I was straight up with him about it. I was buying her goods before we got together. And let me tell yah, the uhh frequent buyers club has been good, real good. But...you know I'm happy to go mono. I mean, he's a bit more serious about things and while I know there are gonna be lots of guys and gals the galaxy over who will suffer from my absence, if it's worth it, it's worth."

Shrugging.
"No halfways, right? If it's worth doing it's worth doing, and he's definitely worth doing."
She sniggers.

"Hey! Great cast! Gonna be swimming in fish in no time...or I guess you could go out into the water and do it...hmmm."
With another shrug she selects the next drink, a squat bottle of crimson plastic with a sprinting Hiruma across it.
"Badlands Blast?8 times of berries? Hmmmm."
Ochiba pops the cap and takes a swig.
"Ehhh, not bad. Reminds me of what we drink in the dojo when we couldn't handle the taste of alcohol but you know, you had to pretend."

Her eyebrows jump a little at the last question.
"Again, awesome question. I actually did fight some sharks with the lightning! I dunno if it wasn't effective because of the water or because they got that thick skin, but if you get in real close."
She mimes a strike.
"And then discharge it totally works. I only got mauled once, and now I have two more sets of shark teeth! Hey, you want one?"

And then remembering something she sits up a little straighter.
"Oh yeah, hey. So what do like, classy Crab women wear around these parts? Just in case I need to look the part."

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

"Sounds more like an energy drink than a sake replacement." she says, looking at the red bottle. "Do you know if he likes amazake? Bit more health spa fare than fancy dinner, but pretty good." She rummages in the cooler to produce a matcha mocktail that she looks at dubiously.

The Sparrow looks suitably impressed by melee greatshark fishing with electricity as she works the corked top open. "Seems pretty risky to fish that way though. Mess up and the shark's collecting your teeth instead!" She sniffs the drink and decides to let the fizz settle a moment first. "Are you offering a tooth, or a set? I mean...a whole set seems too extravagant for a Sparrow."

She watches the line hanging on the low waves a moment, before answering the question. "Thinking things are serious enough you'd end up here with Kaiu-sama? He's on the casual classy side. So like...you could look to Yasuki-Umiko for sharp and fashionable, but you'll be outdressing him a bit there. Kind of aim for that, but without a temperator, so you'd have lighter fabrics, shorter sleeves, no jackets. Make sure it's all tailored and it'll look sharp."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Sounds more like an energy drink than a sake replacement." she says, looking at the red bottle. "Do you know if he likes amazake? Bit more health spa fare than fancy dinner, but pretty good." She rummages in the cooler to produce a matcha mocktail that she looks at dubiously.

The Sparrow looks suitably impressed by melee greatshark fishing with electricity as she works the corked top open. "Seems pretty risky to fish that way though. Mess up and the shark's collecting your teeth instead!" She sniffs the drink and decides to let the fizz settle a moment first. "Are you offering a tooth, or a set? I mean...a whole set seems too extravagant for a Sparrow."

She watches the line hanging on the low waves a moment, before answering the question. "Thinking things are serious enough you'd end up here with Kaiu-sama? He's on the casual classy side. So like...you could look to Yasuki-Umiko for sharp and fashionable, but you'll be outdressing him a bit there. Kind of aim for that, but without a temperator, so you'd have lighter fabrics, shorter sleeves, no jackets. Make sure it's all tailored and it'll look sharp."

"Amazake? Huh that's kinda old school, you know he might. I'll have to ask, I've usually only drunk it for a hangover but maybe instead of the hangover..."
It was genius.

"Well, there's no fun shooting fish in a barrel or sharks from a deck. Okay, maybe there's a little fun. But it's more meaningful when it's a fair fight. For you Hitomi-san, I would offer a whole set. I don't reckon it's extravagant it's..."
She twirls a hand, searching for the word.
"Local, like a cool Nakahama cultural thing, from the sea you know, all natural and stuff. Seems right up Sparrow alley."

There's some nodding and note taking a the fashion.
"Umiko is the...less hot one, right." Ochiba makes a thinking face. "Mmmhm, suppose she's still kinda trim. That but sharp and cool sounds nice though. I need something that looks good with guns- and"
She frowns.
"-Hey, was that a tug on your line?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

"Of course it's old school," Hitomi says with crooked smile that says 'look at the source.'

As for the shark tooth, "you're not wrong. There are plenty of local shark tooth crafts. Though they get most of them washing up or caught in nets and already separated from the shark. Given the size, there are some impressive sculptures...along with silly things like cups carved from shark tooth." But there was another refusal to get out of the way first. "But sculpture's not one of the crafts I know much about. Might be more practical to pass it to someone who can use it better."

Hitomi looks up sharply from beginning to tap a search into her densai's photo collection for some examples to show the Mantis. "What?!" She drops the densai, reaching for the pole, missing by a few inches since her eyes were out on the water. Is it a tug, or just the waves pulling it?

Getting hold of the pole on the second try, she lunges for the reel mechanism. That's what all the advertising seems to indicate brings the fish in, after all! If it's caught something, it hasn't started to flee yet, nothing pulling hard. Maybe it's calmly munching the squid. Maybe it's a rope of seaweed. "Just start....um...cranking the pole?" That doesn't sound right, even to her, but the very inland Sparrow just doesn't know the language there.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Cups....carved from shark tooth?" Ochiba is instantly distracted, picturing a giga-cup full of sake and shaped from greatshark tooth. This island really did have everything.
"Hmmm? Oh no, you better take those teeth or whatever, I'm just gonna keep offering until you say yes."

Then their attention is both diverted to the pole, Ochiba immediately flying into excited cheerleader mode.
"No no, it might just be a nibble, give the line a little jerk, like it's prey trying to fleet, see if that gets a response. If it does bite."
Energetically miming the motion with her hands.
"Yank the rod up then wheel as you slowly let it back down. It's a marathon, not a sprint."
The Mantis starts bouncing slightly, her eyes locked on the fishing rod for any sign of further movement.

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

"Ok, then," she laughs, "I'll do something with them, and remember you."

Yank the rod up and wheel sounded more like a dance move and Hitomi was halfway through a turn, feet slipping on the dock, before realizing that this wasn't going to work at all well if she didn't want to end up tangled in the line. But it did make the line dance. Maybe not in a way that remotely mimicked a food fish, but that didn't seem to matter much as the far end of the line dipped deeper and Hitomi could feel the pole yank with it.

"Oh! I think it's got it...something's pulling!" The next yank sets the reel spinning, smacking the Sparrow's fingers on the first attempt to get control of it. The next attempt slows it, but she's straining to try stopping it. This better not be a Great Shark! "Kami...that's... you need strong hands for this!" She hops a bit toward the water with the pull before planting her feet. "What do I do if it's stronger than me!" she says with a bit of panic.