Nakahama

Suitengu's Bounty Warehouse was filled with merchants, both samurai and heimen, as they gathered around to get a look at the day's catches. Many would gather into small groups as they made bids for each catch, trying to get the best seafood but with the least amount of koku spent.

Yasuki Umiko was here for the occasion, dressed in layers with a blue jacket. It was cold here, the warehouse had its temperature turned down to make it something of a giant refrigerator to keep the catches fresh.


Koi-kun

The yuru-kyara Koi-kun was also around! He greeted people into the warehouse with a wave, gesturing to the nearby Tobiuo Transit machine where people could purchase a card that featured Koi-kun in a bright yellow rubber fishing outfit!

Later, he would wander around to take a peek at the proceedings, showing amazement at the bid...and also feign horror as there was so much caught fish around! He might be next!

There was a very small panic attack having a Crane in the corner.

. . .


. . .


Yes.

Kakita Hiroki wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 12:10 pm There was a very small panic attack having a Crane in the corner.

. . .


. . .


Yes.

Taraka had also gotten to bust out her winter-wear for the day of bidding in the refrigerated warehouse. It felt good to sing the song of commerce, her mother's abacus tick tick ticking away, as she bid for one of her contacts on some really great fish.

Between bids she took a moment to stretch her legs a bit and found...a small unwell Crane in the corner.

"Ah, Kakita-san, could I trouble you to join me outside for a moment? I wanted to take some pictures, and could use your help with that." she offered, trying to give him a graceful reason to exit the building for a bit.

The small Crane was not dressed at all for the setting . . . but that was what temperators were for. He was dressed in beach wear. Designer shorts, a most tasteful light almost see through shirt top and a sailor's cap in white and blue. Legs bare and the flimsiest of light beach shoes completed the outfit.

He also had the thousand yard stare of someone who had seen too much and possibly also passed the Idea Roll . . . . ooops wrong game system.

"Ya . . . Yasuki-san . . . of . . . . course . . . "

He probably had no idea what he'd just agreed to, only that it didn't appear to involve large fish.

Kakita Hiroki wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 2:03 pm The small Crane was not dressed at all for the setting . . . but that was what temperators were for. He was dressed in beach wear. Designer shorts, a most tasteful light almost see through shirt top and a sailor's cap in white and blue. Legs bare and the flimsiest of light beach shoes completed the outfit.

He also had the thousand yard stare of someone who had seen too much and possibly also passed the Idea Roll . . . . ooops wrong game system.

"Ya . . . Yasuki-san . . . of . . . . course . . . "

He probably had no idea what he'd just agreed to, only that it didn't appear to involve large fish.

She'd carefully escort the Kakita outside. She wasn't sure what his particular malfunction was, but a change of scenery seemed like a good start at fixing things.

She shrugged off the coat as the warmth of island hit them as they went outside. Slowly she walked him over to a local vending machine.

"Would you like something to drink, Kakita-san?" she asked. Hydrating, and some more time to compose himself would hopefully help.

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 2:12 pm
She'd carefully escort the Kakita outside. She wasn't sure what his particular malfunction was, but a change of scenery seemed like a good start at fixing things.

She shrugged off the coat as the warmth of island hit them as they went outside. Slowly she walked him over to a local vending machine.

"Would you like something to drink, Kakita-san?" she asked. Hydrating, and some more time to compose himself would hopefully help.

The sudden absence of fish seemed to improve the small Cranes mood. His temperator, being one of the better models, switched from fighting off the coldstore freeze to instead fighting off the island heat without even a small buzz. The bands nutritionist would have recommended something healthy, hydrating with maybe a hint of mint or the likes.

"Something fizzy and sugar loaded please."

Fuck the nutritionist. They hadn't just been presented with their worst nightmares manifest.

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...

Kakita Hiroki wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 2:24 pm

The sudden absence of fish seemed to improve the small Cranes mood. His temperator, being one of the better models, switched from fighting off the coldstore freeze to instead fighting off the island heat without even a small buzz. The bands nutritionist would have recommended something healthy, hydrating with maybe a hint of mint or the likes.

"Something fizzy and sugar loaded please."

Fuck the nutritionist. They hadn't just been presented with their worst nightmares manifest.

Taraka grinned.

"As you wish, Kakita-san." she purchased a Cherry Blossom Blast! for him and a water for herself. The bottles came down with that sort of pleasing clunking sound, and the installed bottle opener made quick work of the caps.

She handed the sugary fizzy drink to the Crane, and then offered a bow.

"Forgive the late introduction, Yasuki Taraka, FBC." she said.

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 3:05 pm Taraka grinned.

"As you wish, Kakita-san." she purchased a Cherry Blossom Blast! for him and a water for herself. The bottles came down with that sort of pleasing clunking sound, and the installed bottle opener made quick work of the caps.

She handed the sugary fizzy drink to the Crane, and then offered a bow.

"Forgive the late introduction, Yasuki Taraka, FBC." she said.

"Kakita Hiroki, of Usagi Drop!"

The drink was accepted with a bow and then guzzled with some actual grace. The sugar hit soon working it's magic.

"OK I needed that. My thanks, Yasuki-sama."

The change of honorific showing he'd noticed the rank at least.

While she might technically outrank him, he surely outgloried her.

"Ah, truly? A pleasure to meet you Kakita-san. And think nothing of it, I would've been dead on my feet yesterday without swinging by Tian Tea for an Endless Watch. The burden of duty is often eased with the right drink in hand, I've found." she says.

She looked him over again, now that he wasn't a rolled up ball of panic.

"So what brings your to our corner of the Empire? Taking a break from touring? Looking for more tropical flavored inspiration for your next big hit?" she asked, curious.

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 3:28 pm While she might technically outrank him, he surely outgloried her.

"Ah, truly? A pleasure to meet you Kakita-san. And think nothing of it, I would've been dead on my feet yesterday without swinging by Tian Tea for an Endless Watch. The burden of duty is often eased with the right drink in hand, I've found." she says.

She looked him over again, now that he wasn't a rolled up ball of panic.

"So what brings your to our corner of the Empire? Taking a break from touring? Looking for more tropical flavored inspiration for your next big hit?" she asked, curious.

"Nothing so exciting. Tasked with promoting Crane interests here. Already managed a successful cooperation with your Silver Fin Productions and . . . well not so much today."

He pointedly did not look back into the fish market in case the tuna were crawling out on their dead fins to chase him down.

"Ah well, then, congratulations on your successful collaboration with Silver Fin, Kakita-san. When I watch it with my friends I'll make sure we watch until the credits so I can say, 'I met him once you know.' and point at your name." she said with a small toast with her bottled water.

"I tried putting something together for that, but storytelling isn't my particular strength, so I thought maybe a sort of televised competition would be fun. I'm certain that the rules were clear, but despite what all of fiction has led us to believe, there's more to directing than sitting in a fancy chair and yelling." she admitted.

"Well I had some advantages in that regard, and not just because I'm an Idol Singer. My family is all in the arts. My mother is an Enka singer, my aunt in Takarazuka, a sister in Noh and an uncle is a talk show host on KNN."

This was much more stable ground for KI-kun than fish.

"And as I don't write the songs or decide the choreography for Drop! I have more time to watch how the directors work on our videos and concerts."

Hey and if there was one things Crabs admired, it was solid ground.

"That's quite the family, Kakita-san. It must have really driven you to find your own way to stand out." she mused.

By this point from her conversations with the other Kakita, Kakita family life seemed to be about putting as much pressure on someone as you could until they either did something legendary or broke down entirely.

She sipped her drink and thanked the fortunes for being a Yasuki. She nodded at the Kakita's words.

"Well, it would be challenging to be a boy band by yourself. I mean I suppose with editing you could technically sing five different parts and look like you were dancing with yourself five times over. But it feels like you'd be putting in five pounds of potatoes and calling it a hot pot. It's how the different elements work together, both in contrast and in harmony." she mused.

Having returned from the markets having refused to buy anything at inflated prices. Shiwahime went to change into her athletic apparel and readied herself for the run she was supposed to have at this time.

Her appreciation for the Crab was beginning to wane. Here certainly was not somewhere any Hida or Hiruma of old would recognize...or perhaps even feel comfortable.

Why was she even here?

In doubt, train. Training is never wasted.
-----
Up for a chat! Ping if interested

Agasha Sorato wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 2:26 pm 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?"

After making her attempts at fishmongery, Kisha wanders, still recording.

(Quote me to get me, please!)

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 5:11 pm Hey and if there was one things Crabs admired, it was solid ground.

"That's quite the family, Kakita-san. It must have really driven you to find your own way to stand out." she mused.

By this point from her conversations with the other Kakita, Kakita family life seemed to be about putting as much pressure on someone as you could until they either did something legendary or broke down entirely.

She sipped her drink and thanked the fortunes for being a Yasuki. She nodded at the Kakita's words.

"Well, it would be challenging to be a boy band by yourself. I mean I suppose with editing you could technically sing five different parts and look like you were dancing with yourself five times over. But it feels like you'd be putting in five pounds of potatoes and calling it a hot pot. It's how the different elements work together, both in contrast and in harmony." she mused.

"So very true, Yasuki-sama. If we had five Naz-kuns then I'm sure there would have been a messy and dramatic break up by now. Five Ta-kuns would probably have led to a burnt down arena or two."

He smiled not adding what five Ki-Kuns would have done.

"Even the Crab . . . and for the things your clan is known for music is pretty low on the list, adhere to that mentality with SLATE. Those are four very different Kaiu . . . err . . . men."

He was desperately trying to remember if SLATE was indeed all male or if the drummer was female . . .

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!

Kakita Hiroki wrote: Mon Nov 17, 2025 2:21 pm
"So very true, Yasuki-sama. If we had five Naz-kuns then I'm sure there would have been a messy and dramatic break up by now. Five Ta-kuns would probably have led to a burnt down arena or two."

He smiled not adding what five Ki-Kuns would have done.

"Even the Crab . . . and for the things your clan is known for music is pretty low on the list, adhere to that mentality with SLATE. Those are four very different Kaiu . . . err . . . men."

He was desperately trying to remember if SLATE was indeed all male or if the drummer was female . . .

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.