[Day 5 - Early Morning] RP Thread: Sturgeon Wars

[Kakita Hiroki]

She also noticed he didn't mention what five Hirokis would do. Still, Taraka marveled at just how nimbly a Crane could weave a barb into conversation. Polite conversation, your clan sucks at music, polite conversation. Did they train for that, or was it just some sort of instinct born out of centuries of instigating duels? Still, she wasn't going to argue music with him. He was literally famous and backed by a clan that wrote the rules on what art was. She was not.

She sipped her water.

"SLATE is pretty good, though I'm not always in the mood for that kind of music." she offered instead. "Somedays you need an Usagi Drop!kick to get going, some times you want to stare at the water and listen to Kaiu Hibari sing on the flow of the river."

She shook her head.

"Ah, my apologies, Kakita-san. You already told me you're not on the island because of your musical talents, and here we find ourselves going down a road you must have walked to the point where you could probably give the answers in your sleep."

She briefly considered her next move.

"Actually, you've probably been interviewed so many times, I can't imagine you wanting to answer more questions. I should put the conversation kemari ball strictly in your court, Kakita-san. Let you choose something to talk about while we enjoy our drinks and the warmth of the sun on our faces." she conceded.

He also had that Crane smile . . . you know the one, polite yet with just the edge of thinking they were better than you. Made you want to hit them in the face but then they'd win as you resorted to violence. Also he was cute and you wouldn't hit a cute thing . . . yes?

She had mentioned 'the sun on their faces' and that triggered instinctive ancient . .. and outdated . . . Crane hatred of being even the slightest bit tanned . . . but it passd quickly as it was, rightly so, outdated, so the urge to find a parasol was only fleeting.

"Well perhaps not kemari . . . but how is the oshidama scene here?"

He sipped his fizzy sugar . . . well you could call it a drink if you wished.

"Or baseball? Any teams local?"

[Boogiepop]

Along with Igoro and Kaida, Kanna took a break from the fish market itself to mingle with the other guests and Crabs. Today she wore a casual outfit in muted colors, topped off with a cute hat of course.

After Kaida had wanted to fight the giant deep-sea thing, Kanna had spent some time calming him down and successfully distracting him with treats. Fish-monster was forgotten, as he happily chomped on some offered dog-biscuits, thinking he was being rewarded for keeping chosen hooman (Kanna) and spare hooman (Igoro) safe from the terror of the deep. Those hoomans would be so lost without him!

Koi-kun

As Kanna and her entourage strolled around, they would be intercepted by the province's mascot, Koi-kun! Koi-kun would bob his body to nod (or say 'what's up?') with his large head before giving them a double wave.

At the sight of Kaida, he would stumble away a few steps before putting his hands on his cheek to almost say by gesture: OMK, so adorable!

[Tamori Kanna]

As Kanna and her entourage strolled around, they would be intercepted by the province's mascot, Koi-kun! Koi-kun would bob his body to nod (or say 'what's up?') with his large head before giving them a double wave.

At the sight of Kaida, he would stumble away a few steps before putting his hands on his cheek to almost say by gesture: OMK, so adorable!

"Aw, hello there, Koi-kun!" Kanna greeted the mascot. A time-honored and important tradition to have mascots! How long had it been now? Two thousand years with mascots for provinces, businesses, and other things?

Kaida gave a sceptical look to the giant fish. "It's alright, Kaida-kun," Kanna assured him sweetly, "say hello to Koi-kun, hm? He is nice!"

While the dog trusted hooman, and the giant fish wasn't threatening them, he did side-eye Kanna. Really? It is... Fish. Still, he carefully sniffed the air, tip-tapping a little bit closer and stretching his tiny body as much as he could. Did it smell fishy???

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato is here, looking around at the other fish available now that he's spent his official budget. He's not actually carrying his one and only precious purchase around with him in a plastic bag--it's headed for the Phoenix embassy in a cooler box--but he has pictures of it on his holorecorder and keeps pausing his perambulations to flip through them, perhaps occasionally murmuring to himself...

While the warehouse was a bit chaotic, especially with bids being offered constantly as soon as a ship is able to get a crate of goods together. There were many seafood restaurants and representative from other businesses who were constantly haggling to get the best prices so that they could maintain their competitive pricing with their customers. Today, many visitors participated in the local custom, and Umiko was around to guide them where they needed to be...and take some notes of their performance at the same time.

It was a good idea to see who could swim in the traditional trade of the Yasuki. While the present had the Yasuki move on to corporate businesses and other sections of commerce, the fish business will always be endeared to the ancestral trade of the Yasuki, starting with Yasuki herself.

"Ah...Agasha-san?" Umiko approached him carefully with a small bow as it vaguely seemed like he was preoccupied with himself. "Good morning! Thank you for waking up early and joining us today! How have you been?"

"Oh!" Sorato looks up from his holorecorder screen (which shows something spiky and slimy laid out on a fishmonger's bench) with a guilty start. "Good morning, Yasuki-sama! Nice to, uh, see you again." He remembers to bow. "I have been well, yes. Really glad I got assigned to visit here. Lovely island, lovely, er, fish." That seems quite sincere, even though he realizes halfway through saying it that the 'lovely fish' part sounds peculiar.

"I hope you've been well too?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

He also had that Crane smile . . . you know the one, polite yet with just the edge of thinking they were better than you. Made you want to hit them in the face but then they'd win as you resorted to violence. Also he was cute and you wouldn't hit a cute thing . . . yes?

She had mentioned 'the sun on their faces' and that triggered instinctive ancient . .. and outdated . . . Crane hatred of being even the slightest bit tanned . . . but it passd quickly as it was, rightly so, outdated, so the urge to find a parasol was only fleeting.

"Well perhaps not kemari . . . but how is the oshidama scene here?"

He sipped his fizzy sugar . . . well you could call it a drink if you wished.

"Or baseball? Any teams local?"

And as a matter of fact, she did not want to hit him. Though the switch to sports certainly surprised her.

"Well the oshidama scene is....okay. People don't want to play on Azuma beach, so it's a bit of a trip if you want to play." she admitted.

"Ah, but baseball? This wouldn't be a bad time to see the shrimps if you can manage it. The Nakahama Diamond Shrimps that is. They've got a pretty good team this year, but their attendance is really down. In fact, there's rumors they're thinking about moving the team to Aoihama, so there may not be many opportunities to see them as the Nakahama Diamond Shrimps." she admitted. "Shame really."

[Boogiepop]

"Aw, hello there, Koi-kun!" Kanna greeted the mascot. A time-honored and important tradition to have mascots! How long had it been now? Two thousand years with mascots for provinces, businesses, and other things?

Kaida gave a sceptical look to the giant fish. "It's alright, Kaida-kun," Kanna assured him sweetly, "say hello to Koi-kun, hm? He is nice!"

While the dog trusted hooman, and the giant fish wasn't threatening them, he did side-eye Kanna. Really? It is... Fish. Still, he carefully sniffed the air, tip-tapping a little bit closer and stretching his tiny body as much as he could. Did it smell fishy???

Koi-kun

Koi-kun would put a hand on his cheek in a semi-bashful expression before he gave a meek wave to Kaida, who was currently judging him! Nice to meet you, Dog-san! However, Koi-kun didn't care for the judgment! He only wanted to greet people and make friends!

Unfortunately for Kaida's sense of smell, everything smelled fishy in the warehouse! Especially, the fish, of all kinds!

Koi-kun would raise a fin up with an enthusiastic bob of his head. He had a great idea! However, for this idea, they must follow him! He did a wave of his hand, gesturing Kanna and her entourage to follow him, he wanted to take them somewhere!

[Yasuki Umiko]

"Oh!" Sorato looks up from his holorecorder screen (which shows something spiky and slimy laid out on a fishmonger's bench) with a guilty start. "Good morning, Yasuki-sama! Nice to, uh, see you again." He remembers to bow. "I have been well, yes. Really glad I got assigned to visit here. Lovely island, lovely, er, fish." That seems quite sincere, even though he realizes halfway through saying it that the 'lovely fish' part sounds peculiar.

"I hope you've been well too?"

Umiko blinked and was sure to quickly glance off when she caught a glimpse of the video. It looked rather fishy, but then again, there were a lot of fishy things around here. Either it was meant to be a dark secret or merely scientific curiosity, it was his business alone and not hers to pry.

After a moment for both parties to recompose, she smiled softly, "Yes! Good to see you again. It's been a few days since we met at the garden party? I've been well, thank you. My last few days have been busy, as you expect. Even though yesterday, there wasn't anything I had a hand in planning, I still found myself busy with Fan Con. It was the closest to a 'free' day I've had."

[Agasha Sorato]

Umiko blinked and was sure to quickly glance off when she caught a glimpse of the video. It looked rather fishy, but then again, there were a lot of fishy things around here. Either it was meant to be a dark secret or merely scientific curiosity, it was his business alone and not hers to pry.

After a moment for both parties to recompose, she smiled softly, "Yes! Good to see you again. It's been a few days since we met at the garden party? I've been well, thank you. My last few days have been busy, as you expect. Even though yesterday, there wasn't anything I had a hand in planning, I still found myself busy with Fan Con. It was the closest to a 'free' day I've had."

Sorato's sheepishness had mainly come from being caught rudely staring at his device when someone wanted to talk, a habit from which he had been amply discouraged in his younger days. The fishy mystery itself can't be much of a secret, since he doesn't make an effort to hide the screen. Probably science, then.

"You seem to be the gear system propelling a large part of this summit, Yasuki-sama. It's good you have at least some days off," Sorato says with a nod. If the governor is the engine, Umiko appears to be the drive train, in nearly constant motion to transform power into action.

"Was today's activity your idea?" he asks, breaking into a rather cheerful smile. While some of the guests might be less than pleased to be up at dawn in a frigid warehouse, it seems the Phoenix is having a fine time.

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

Where once there had been a Crane in a corner, there was now a Fox. He wasn't quite having a panic attack, but he was reading through an encyclopedia on his densai. And, ocasionally glancing about.

[Yasuki Umiko]

Sorato's sheepishness had mainly come from being caught rudely staring at his device when someone wanted to talk, a habit from which he had been amply discouraged in his younger days. The fishy mystery itself can't be much of a secret, since he doesn't make an effort to hide the screen. Probably science, then.

"You seem to be the gear system propelling a large part of this summit, Yasuki-sama. It's good you have at least some days off," Sorato says with a nod. If the governor is the engine, Umiko appears to be the drive train, in nearly constant motion to transform power into action.

"Was today's activity your idea?" he asks, breaking into a rather cheerful smile. While some of the guests might be less than pleased to be up at dawn in a frigid warehouse, it seems the Phoenix is having a fine time.

Umiko couldn't help but giggle at the analogy, certainly finding some appreciation in the analogical compliment. "You're right, Agasha-sama, thank you. I suppose I'm doing my best to attend to everyone and ensure the governor's plans are realized."

"Oh, absolutely, well with some local lobbying too," she chuckled in good humour. "While the fish trade isn't something that many Yasuki do in Nakahama City, it is undeniably the main artery of our province's income. It might be taken for granted, considering that it's something that a few other island provinces also partake in nowadays. It isn't seen as glamorous by modern Yasuki, it's still a very important export and a sought-after product on the Green Carp. It's an industry in the province that predates even our tourism. I, alongside the representatives of Uomoto Co, and the fishers of Tenjin Town, thought it was essential to include this activity as one of the perimeters of our search for a business partner."

[Tamori Kanna]

Koi-kun would put a hand on his cheek in a semi-bashful expression before he gave a meek wave to Kaida, who was currently judging him! Nice to meet you, Dog-san! However, Koi-kun didn't care for the judgment! He only wanted to greet people and make friends!

Unfortunately for Kaida's sense of smell, everything smelled fishy in the warehouse! Especially, the fish, of all kinds!

Koi-kun would raise a fin up with an enthusiastic bob of his head. He had a great idea! However, for this idea, they must follow him! He did a wave of his hand, gesturing Kanna and her entourage to follow him, he wanted to take them somewhere!

Kaida sniffed, and backed away a little. It looked like he wanted to bark, but made a whimpering like sound instead, maybe frustrated or scared? Kanna figured it was because he so rarely barked, or because of the fish smells.

"Oh, ok!" she recognised the wave for someone to follow, so with Kaida's leash, and Igoro following behind (having returned from getting something to drink for himself and Kanna). "Oh, is it a surprise?!"

[Boogiepop]

Koi-kun

Koi-kun would raise his fins up in the air, as if to show a triumphant yay! when Kanna agreed to follow him! He would lean in slightly toward Kanna and move his body to bob with a nod to say yes, it is!.

With an enthusiastic wave, he would indicate, this way! He shuffled toward the outer edge of the warehouse interior, toward a place where there weren't as many people gathered around the various crates, containers, skids, buckets, and whatever things were used to hold and display the freshest catches of fish today.

Along the way, he was sure to wave to any Yasuki children he happened along the way, even waving to the occasional jeers he was getting from some of the attendees!

[Tamori Kanna]

ding!

Kanna thought oh wow maybe I'll be able to get a special fish that will wow everyone else! And it was really cute to see how happy the children were to see Koi-kun. She really ought to make sure Koi-kun had an important part to play in the Bon Festival somehow, to make it really memorable for the kids. What kid didn't like their home-mascot, right?

"Seeing as you're a fish, Koi-kun, I'm sure you know where the best catches are!"

[Kakita Hiroki]

And as a matter of fact, she did not want to hit him. Though the switch to sports certainly surprised her.

"Well the oshidama scene is....okay. People don't want to play on Azuma beach, so it's a bit of a trip if you want to play." she admitted.

"Ah, but baseball? This wouldn't be a bad time to see the shrimps if you can manage it. The Nakahama Diamond Shrimps that is. They've got a pretty good team this year, but their attendance is really down. In fact, there's rumors they're thinking about moving the team to Aoihama, so there may not be many opportunities to see them as the Nakahama Diamond Shrimps." she admitted. "Shame really."

"Really? I'd have thought oshidama would be a hit on any beach. It really only needs sand and a ball . . . . and I guess a net or something. Anyways, pick up games are always the most fun."

He nodded along, actually paying attention to the baseball talk. Was he actually a fan or was this just info gathering for the next meet up with the news rumoured boyfriend?

"Oh franchise moves are just the worst. They disrupt the team dynamics. Some players are just not the same in a new stadium and the fans. Sheesh you're lucky if they just fracture into two groups that hate each other forevermore . . never mind if they split into tiny micro groups that do nothing but pour scorn on each other on the intranet."

Okay, maybe he did know what he was talking about . . . maybe? At least he'd forgotten the fish.

[Boogiepop]

Kanna thought oh wow maybe I'll be able to get a special fish that will wow everyone else! And it was really cute to see how happy the children were to see Koi-kun. She really ought to make sure Koi-kun had an important part to play in the Bon Festival somehow, to make it really memorable for the kids. What kid didn't like their home-mascot, right?

"Seeing as you're a fish, Koi-kun, I'm sure you know where the best catches are!"

Koi-kun

Koi-kun led Kanna and her entourage further away from the main centre of the warehouse where all of the action was happening. He was sure to pivot around as they walked to face Kanna and bob his head up and down to say I sure do! then with a wave of his fin, he would say, here, this way, come with me!

Kanna and her entourage would be taken to another part of the warehouse where it seemed like there was predominantly more heimen than samurai. It seemed the fish quality here took a noticeable dive. Here, only smaller fish were sold, either ones that had more bone, bottom dwellers, or just meat that were more of an acquired taste.

People here didn't seem too enthused about Koi-kun, mostly giving the mascot some space to walk by, while casting the occasion suspicious looks.

Koi-kun would lead the little Dragon outside and...







Chok! Chok!



















The chopping sound came from a butcher who just separated a Tango tuna's head from its body!



"Come one, come all, minasama!" The heimen worker would call out to a group of people congregating around a fish stand set up outside, just at the entrance of the warehouse. "Delicious fish, just the way you like it! Don't be shy!"

This one seemed quite different than the ones inside as it displayed several slices of filleted fish and various other seafood on a bed of ice for all to see and peruse. More importantly, there were cooks around to turn that fish into impromptu slices of sushi, or they could be torched if customers preferred them grilled.

Koi-kun would jab his fins toward the stand and rub the underside of his mouth where his belly would be found. Here! Here! It's soooo delicious!

[Tamori Kanna]

"Come one, come all, minasama!" The heimen worker would call out to a group of people congregating around a fish stand set up outside, just at the entrance of the warehouse. "Delicious fish, just the way you like it! Don't be shy!"

This one seemed quite different than the ones inside as it displayed several slices of filleted fish and various other seafood on a bed of ice for all to see and peruse. More importantly, there were cooks around to turn that fish into impromptu slices of sushi, or they could be torched if customers preferred them grilled.

Koi-kun would jab his fins toward the stand and rub the underside of his mouth where his belly would be found. Here! Here! It's soooo delicious!

Igoro felt his stomach churn with nerves... maybe they shouldn't have left the main fish market, where the hosts had brought them? He cast a nervous look around, trying to get an idea of who these people were. Surely, he was just being his anxious self, right?

Kanna on the other hand thought she had gotten lucky. "Oh wow." Tango Tuna *was* popular! "Could I have a slice of grilled tango tuna, please, thank you?" The other part of the market hadn't let her taste!

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Really? I'd have thought oshidama would be a hit on any beach. It really only needs sand and a ball . . . . and I guess a net or something. Anyways, pick up games are always the most fun."

He nodded along, actually paying attention to the baseball talk. Was he actually a fan or was this just info gathering for the next meet up with the news rumoured boyfriend?

"Oh franchise moves are just the worst. They disrupt the team dynamics. Some players are just not the same in a new stadium and the fans. Sheesh you're lucky if they just fracture into two groups that hate each other forevermore . . never mind if they split into tiny micro groups that do nothing but pour scorn on each other on the intranet."

Okay, maybe he did know what he was talking about . . . maybe? At least he'd forgotten the fish.

"Ah well, not Azuma Beach." she said. "As I'm sure Kakita-san knows, appearance can be just as, if not more important than quality. To the tourists it looks exotic, to the locals it doesn't matter how many times the government sends out the Kuni to release a report on how safe it is....it just looks wrong."

She took a sip of her drink.

"Though I have been taking full advantage of that for my own business, FBC. With the relative lack of foot traffic, it's pretty easy to schedule aerial duels there." she admitted.

She took a sip of water.

"But who knows what will happen with the new governor? Maybe her initiatives will bring in enough investment to revitalize the beach and keep the shrimps local. If that happens, hopefully the new investments will mean I can find another space to hold the aerial duels. Maybe a new stadium when the shrimps aren't using it?"

[Kakita Hiroki]

"Ah well, not Azuma Beach." she said. "As I'm sure Kakita-san knows, appearance can be just as, if not more important than quality. To the tourists it looks exotic, to the locals it doesn't matter how many times the government sends out the Kuni to release a report on how safe it is....it just looks wrong."

She took a sip of her drink.

"Though I have been taking full advantage of that for my own business, FBC. With the relative lack of foot traffic, it's pretty easy to schedule aerial duels there." she admitted.

She took a sip of water.

"But who knows what will happen with the new governor? Maybe her initiatives will bring in enough investment to revitalize the beach and keep the shrimps local. If that happens, hopefully the new investments will mean I can find another space to hold the aerial duels. Maybe a new stadium when the shrimps aren't using it?"

The penny dropped.

"Oh that beach . . . the unfortunately coloured one . . . Yes I can see the issues there. It would clash terribly with blue colours . . . "

Trust a Crane to so very almost get the right idea only to substitute in fashion at the moment of would be victory.

[Yasuki Taraka]

The penny dropped.

"Oh that beach . . . the unfortunately coloured one . . . Yes I can see the issues there. It would clash terribly with blue colours . . . "

Trust a Crane to so very almost get the right idea only to substitute in fashion at the moment of would be victory.

But correcting him was a job for his sensei, not Taraka.

"Mhm." she offered instead. "I assume there is a team from your home you are a supporter of, Kakita-san?"

[Kakita Hiroki]

But correcting him was a job for his sensei, not Taraka.

"Mhm." she offered instead. "I assume there is a team from your home you are a supporter of, Kakita-san?"

"Oh the Miyabi Blue Stars for sure. They might have lost in the Conference finals last year, but in the coming season they're bound to take the pennant again."

He unconsciously rubbed his left wrist . . . around which was a silver bracelet with a blue star hanging off it.