Nakahama

With the day having been hot and humid, Iwane decided to reward himself with an evening at the spa. Paying at the front, he slipped into the changing rooms, spending a while undoing his face paint and then cleaning the sink of the white residue. Washing himself, he grabbed a folded towel, holding it on his head as he headed to the onsen, sighing happily as he sat in the hot water, feeling the warmth seep into his bones.

Feeling drained and swamped in more ways than one, Yakura decided to have a nice hot water moment for herself. Noticing she wasn't alone, the Mantis woman shrugged and decided to be social tonight.

"Good evening. Enjoying the water?" She asked in a friendly way. "Yoritomo Yakura." She offered by way of greeting.

"Good evening," Iwane replied as he turned to face the dark-haired woman. "Kuni Iwane," he introduced himself, offering Yakura a shallow bow. "The water is quite nice, isn't it?"

Three more towel-clad figures pass through the steam into the bath - Bayushi Kazushi and his entourage, getting in a restful bath before heading out to the Azure Dragon...and who should be here but the owner of the Dragon!

The three bow appropriately. "Good evening, Yoritomo-san. Crab-san, I don't think we've met. I'm Bayushi Kazushi, of the Orchid Department."

Kuni Iwane wrote: Mon Nov 10, 2025 1:08 pm "Good evening," Iwane replied as he turned to face the dark-haired woman. "Kuni Iwane," he introduced himself, offering Yakura a shallow bow. "The water is quite nice, isn't it?"

Sakura let out a sigh, her hair gathered up in a high bun. No time to properly dry and condition before everything else going on. "Hai, hai. It is heavenly. I really should visit more."

She stretched her legs out. "Do you come here often?"

Noticing the arrivals she bowed. "Bayushi-sama, minna-san, hello." She offered simply. It seemed she has decided that this was going to be Casual Yakura.

Bayushi Kazushi wrote: Mon Nov 10, 2025 1:39 pm Three more towel-clad figures pass through the steam into the bath - Bayushi Kazushi and his entourage, getting in a restful bath before heading out to the Azure Dragon...and who should be here but the owner of the Dragon!

The three bow appropriately. "Good evening, Yoritomo-san. Crab-san, I don't think we've met. I'm Bayushi Kazushi, of the Orchid Department."

"Good evening, Bayushi-san," Iwane replied, offering Kazushi and his entourage a curt bow. "I am Kuni Iwane." He glanced at Yakura, figuring that she could introduce herself. "The more the merrier."

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Mon Nov 10, 2025 2:00 pm Sakura let out a sigh, her hair gathered up in a high bun. No time to properly dry and condition before everything else going on. "Hai, hai. It is heavenly. I really should visit more."

She stretched her legs out. "Do you come here often?"

Noticing the arrivals she bowed. "Bayushi-sama, minna-san, hello." She offered simply. It seemed she has decided that this was going to be Casual Yakura.

"I come here occasionally, yes," Iwane replied. "I take Yoritomo-san is a local then?" They could all perhaps hear the surprise in his voice. Iwane hadn't met any Mantis on the island. The relations between the children of Osano-Wo and the children of Hida were tenuous at best.

"Jist for the last few years. I ran the best gambling house on the island. Well, it's a gambling boat. And probably the onyl gambling establishment here. But still." She shrugged. "Been too busy to get oit mich except to network. Have to keep the koku going, you know. Tithes and taxes and stiff." She sank lower into the water, until her hair started to get wet.

Damn.

"Plenty of time and opportunities to network now," Kazushi observes as he and his companions enter the bath and find seats. "Lots of people looking for a foothold on the island, which means a lot of potential new customers."

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Mon Nov 10, 2025 6:40 pm "Jist for the last few years. I ran the best gambling house on the island. Well, it's a gambling boat. And probably the onyl gambling establishment here. But still." She shrugged. "Been too busy to get oit mich except to network. Have to keep the koku going, you know. Tithes and taxes and stiff." She sank lower into the water, until her hair started to get wet.

Damn.

"Oh." Iwane sounded surprised. "I am not much for gambling." He, however, knew plenty of locals who loved the sport, if wasting one's money could be called that. "I take the business has been good?" It was easy to see why Yasuki would want to frequent a Mantis gambling house. Any winnings made could be seen as a strike against the hated foe. "I am sure the taxes would be lower in Mantis space?"

Bayushi Kazushi wrote: Mon Nov 10, 2025 7:19 pm "Plenty of time and opportunities to network now," Kazushi observes as he and his companions enter the bath and find seats. "Lots of people looking for a foothold on the island, which means a lot of potential new customers."

"Bayushi-san is a patron of trade as well?" Iwane asked him, curious. "Or perhaps an investor?"

Kuni Iwane wrote: Tue Nov 11, 2025 4:06 am "Bayushi-san is a patron of trade as well?" Iwane asked him, curious. "Or perhaps an investor?"

"Both, actually," replies the Scorpion. "I'm a design and marketing executive with the Orchid Department, and the owner of Zakuro-ishi Business Solutions."

"And what would Bayushi-san be marketing then?" Iwane asked, a hint of frustration seeping into his voice.

"Designs, obviously." Smirked the Mantis." Business is decent, hai. You're not a gambler then, Kuni-sama? What do you do actually, if I may ask?"

She snuck a glance at Kazushi and the Kuni, then closed her eyes again. One bath, two men, such decadence.

"Luxury clothing lines," Kazushi replies, either unaware of or unconcerned by Iwane's frustration. "I'm sorry, I thought that would have been clear, given my gift to the governor."

Bayushi Kazushi wrote: Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:27 pm "Luxury clothing lines," Kazushi replies, either unaware of or unconcerned by Iwane's frustration. "I'm sorry, I thought that would have been clear, given my gift to the governor."

"I didn't see," Iwane admitted honestly. "I was occupied. There was quite a queue, after all." There was perhaps a hint of annoyance in his tone.

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Tue Nov 11, 2025 10:36 am "Designs, obviously." Smirked the Mantis." Business is decent, hai. You're not a gambler then, Kuni-sama? What do you do actually, if I may ask?"

She snuck a glance at Kazushi and the Kuni, then closed her eyes again. One bath, two men, such decadence.

"Research," Iwane replied. "Medical research. Shiawase is a treasure trove of bioactive compounds. Hardly surprising, considering all the life in the jungle sustains. Hundreds.. thousands of plant species unknown to science."

Yakura nodded. "Sounds certainly important. The jungles are teeming with..." she waved around in a vague manner. "Things that are good for that? Sorry, not my area of expertise." She cracked her neck. "You here long term then?"

"I was assigned here three years ago," Iwane explained. "You can talk about culture shock. The climate here is very different from back home. I know my superiors are happy with my work, but you never know where the Fortunes take you." He chuckled. "How long has Yoritomo-san operated here?"

Kuni Iwane wrote: Wed Nov 12, 2025 3:10 am "I was assigned here three years ago," Iwane explained. "You can talk about culture shock. The climate here is very different from back home. I know my superiors are happy with my work, but you never know where the Fortunes take you." He chuckled. "How long has Yoritomo-san operated here?"

"A few years really." She nodded. "It's quite lovely. I grew up on a space station, so non-recycled air and having actual wind." She smiled. "What do you do besides research? Any hobbies, or interests?"

"I like diving," Iwane replied. "The sea here is so clear and there's so much to see." Kaiu Prime also had seas, all of them murky and nearly devoid of life. "How about Yoritomo-san? Bayushi-san?" He glanced at Kazushi.

Kazushi shrugs.

"I'm a new father, so I don't have the luxury of hobbies," he says with a laugh. "I've been known to play the odd game of Fantasy Flight, though, and being from Rokugan, I spend a lot of time at historical sites - my wife's more of a fan of those than me, though."

"Rokugan?" Iwane mutter, turning his attention to the young Bayushi. "Pray tell us, is the Old Home as fabled as they'd have us believe?" As far as the Crab media was considered, Rokugan had a glorious past, but little future.