(D6, LM, Taraka's Apartment, Closed) Talking shop at home

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka's apartment was just another one-bedroom apartment in the city's residential blocks. It wasn't really noteworthy inside or out. To be fair, Taraka spent very little time here. This was where she slept, changed clothes, and occasionally took a meal. There were a few personal possessions on display, mostly gifts from friends, family or would be business partners. A picture of her older sister's wedding reception, a picture of younger sister earning her jiujitsu belt. But it was a relatively small space, with one open room for an informator and enough seating for a couple guests.

It felt like this was going to be a full-tilt sort of day. It'd be nice to spend time at the spa, and she had a suit ready. But there was possibly shop to be talked, so Taraka had invited a couple people over to chat. Whether they showed or not.....well at least she could watch the local programming while she waited.

[Kaiu Tetsu]

There is noise at the door as Tetsu arrives.

"Man, I know we joked about this being a small island but we're only a few blocks away from my place." He peers in. "May I come in? Has our guest arrived?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Of course, Kaiu-san, come on in." she offered, showing him to where he could put his footwear and sit down...not that there was that much space between those spaces, though the little cubby did it's best to hide footwear.

She smiled a bit at the small island reference.

"Ah see, clearly you need to invest more in advertising your brand, Kaiu-san," she teased. "You could put up a giant billboard: Home of Kaiu Tetsu: Genius Designer and Shiwase Island's Most Eligible Bachelor."

She fetched the implements for casual tea.

"I'm sure your landlord would just love that." she said. "But no, he hasn't arrived yet. I honestly haven't seen him since I took him out to eat at Rainbow of Pain. He did manage to get himself on the Wall of Heroes, I do hope that meal wasn't his last one."

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"I'm not-" Tetsu cuts himself off. "You are very generous with your words Yasuki-san, I think you are giving me too much credit. I'm a nerd who has managed to get some good press from doing nerdy things. Of course, I saw you at the tournament too. I believe we both were knocked out by the same Kuni."

He removes his shoes and heads inside, helping with the tea preparation. "How about yourself? An attractive, whip smart heiress looking to take the planet by storm? I somewhat expected something more..." he pauses for the words "ostentatious. But I appreciate this for what it seems: the final refuge for someone who gives most of themselves to a future and not the present." He offers a soft smile.

"It's nice, very-" his gaze explores the space

Intimate is the first word that comes to mind, one he immediately swallows

"I do hope we have the chance to connect. The window is getting smaller"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka nods.

"I will admit, I haven't spent wildly on making this a hosting space." she says. "But my mother taught me the value of a spent koku. Sure, I could line the walls with rare antiques from Feather Your Nest or stack plushies to the ceiling, but instead I look for opportunities to expand the family business. I spend a lot on going out, because it helps network....and really it's more fun than lying with your eyes closed next to old stuff in my opinion."

She brought the tea to a boil.

"But if things go well with the governor's initiative, I'll probably have to upgrade to something more, as you say, ostentatious. Some people need to see the wealth to believe in it. It's a cost of doing business at a certain level. Still, this serves nicely for my current needs, and perhaps sends a message to certain investors about how serious I am when it comes to money."

She looked at the door briefly.

"Assuming he deigns to arrive. As you say, windows close, that's just the nature of business. But the Mantis and the Scorpion have at least started to talk about negotiations. I think as various factions distinguish themselves, they're coming to realize that the support of the locals can be a much needed boost, either to push you ahead of a stronger faction, or to lock in your win."

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"" Hope for the best, prepare for the worst" so to speak. I can't fault what you're saying...I guess Kaiu Pragmatism is hard to shake. At the end of the day. if he doesn't have something convincing we might need to back a horse than can place."

He looks around, his eyes landing on the pictures of her family. "That's your sister's wedding?" He looks over the group. "Huh. It seems like a lot of fun. You look nice" He shakes his head. "I'm still surprised. I mean the heart wants what it wants, but to walk away...well, I can't think of better hands for Flying Battle Carp to be in"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka gave a small shrug at the assessment.

"You could say it was a necessary sacrifice for Flying Battle Carps to get their start. Mother's family was reasonably supportive of her ambitions, but they weren't going to put their own business in jeopardy on an unproven model. The promised marriage secured enough funding to make sure flying Battle Carps could get off the ground. My older sister was always more my father's daughter, though her passion was cooking, not drone design. The fact that she actually fell for her spouse....I like to think of it as Daikoku balancing the scales. A happy future for the one she gave up with us." she explained.

She turned talk back to business though.

"If he's as professional of a financier as his card says, then I'm sure he would be the first to say that money waits for no one. He would surely not begrudge us looking for the best investment, even if it's not with him." she theorizes.

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"I am willing to be wowed." Tetsu offers a small smile. "Desperate times and all that"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka looked at him curiously.

"Have times been particularly hard for San Mai?" Kaiu-san. "I wouldn't think the tourist slowdown would particularly affect your interests." she asked.

The last thing she wanted was a surprise when it came to finances when meeting with a moneyman, and the apartment at least meant the words could stay here.

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"I meant more for the Phoenix. It doesn't seem as if they've been making as much headway as I first hoped" He shrugs "I think I've been fairly honest as to where San Mei is right now: consulting work. Jumping in underfunded on something like ship construction sounds like a recipe for disaster. So it's business as usual, just not where I want it to get to"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka nodded.

"It is really hard to accomplish big things. The fact that you are willing to fight for your dream is a good sign. I've met at least one celebrity here that clearly has stopped trying to." she said thinking about a certain has-been.

The tea was ready and so it was served.

""Have you had long ties with the Phoenix, Kaiu-san?" she asked, trying to gauge the man's backgroiund.

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"Not really long. It's..."

He pauses. "Neither my parents nor I were blessed with the twin Fortunes of Benten and Daikou...but we got to choose. My parents chose to stay within the Clan and it won them little advancement and connection. I don't think I'd met a Phoenix before the miai. They asked me to reach out and make the effort, and I have. I consider that obligation fulfilled "

Tetsu drops his tea and offers a wry smile. "If you think that investors have certain arbitrary ideas of what makes you the best candidate, you should see our bureaucracy. Marriage was a business arrangement first"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka nods.

"It typically is. The more wealth and power on the table, the greater the need to consolidate it. Sometimes Benten smiles on that, but it's really more to earn Daidkoku's favor." she admits.

She sips her tea.


"Hm, speaking of which, both the governor and her sister are still unmarried. I wonder how much longer that will be the case."

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"I'd speak out harsher against choosing Daikoku if I hadn't lived the consequences of the other"

It doesn't seem that the other potential businss partner is rushing to join then so Tetsu leans back to make himself comfortable

"Probably not for long" He replies to the question. "I don't think they are any more immune to the negotiations than we are, moreso in fact when working on that scale." He sips his drink "I'm not scaring off any potential partners am I?"

[Asako Hikari]

A knock comes to the door (or servant if Taraka is so inclined to have any). Standing outside and politely holding a bottle of fine sake as he waits, Asako Hikari is patient. He was also a bit late, but traffic laws, motorcycles, and some old sensibilities may have delayed him. The Phoenix did have the good sense to put his riding gear in his bag downstairs however, dressed in a fashionable business casual with black pants and a deep purple polo and a bright, almost neon orange haori.

"A thousand apologies for my somewhat untimely arrival, Yasuki-san and...?" He offers, shuffling in if he is permitted. "Minor traffic disagreement."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka grinned mischievously at him.

"You know, Kaiu-san, in the dojo we often ask questions that we don't know the answers to, to better ourselves. But it's a lot riskier in social settings to ask questions you don't know the answer to. Are you sure you want an honest appraisal of your worth as a partner, from a Yasuki merchant?" she teased.

The knock surprised Taraka a bit, and so such flirtations had to be put on hold.

"Welcome in Asako-san." she greeted him herself, not keeping servants for such menial chores. "May I introduce you to Kaiu Tetsu of San Mai?"

[Kaiu Tetsu]

Tetsu rises and offers a bow. "Greetings Asako-san. I hope the day finds you well. How has your time on Green Carp been?"

His mouth quirks in a small smile. "I confess for myself, keeping up with the Court and the trendsetting events has taken almost all of my time, though Yasuki-san has kindly given me a few pointers"

[Asako Hikari]

"Ah, a pleasure Kaiu-san." Hikari offers a bow in return to the both of them. "I am Asako Hikari, though I am sure that you already know this...and the day has indeed found me well so far, at least what of it I have experienced. I trust that it will improve with both of your company however."

He smiled warmly and offered the bottle of sake to Taraka, nodding. "Perhaps a bit early for drinking, but a bottle for later when you should find yourself in need...and as for keeping up with the court, I agree. It is certainly a bustling schedule, though I will say it is not unwelcome. Financial meetings are not necessarily the most exciting things in the world and I enjoy chances to get out and spread my wings as it were."

[Kaiu Tetsu]

"I do agree, it has been a bustling schedule" It feels wrong to take away Taraka's prompts of hospitality, as it's her home and she had invited them, not he. Instead Tetsu moves to a table and takes a seat

"Asako-san, if you'll indulge me the loquaciousness and roundabout fashion the Crab as famous for: You are a financier looking to invest in Green Carp and are looking for local support. I'd like to hear your pitch."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka took the preferred sake and put it away for later.

She nodded.

"Indeed, while the entertainment of the governor has been stimulating, business is business." she said.