Nakahama

Yakura arrived at the Ryokan, bought the necessary amount of day passes for her friends, and threw her clothes off where she was allowed.

"I need a hot bath and a relaxation, stat!" she yelled at no one in particular as she settled into a pool.

For a trip to the spa, Taraka had chosen to wear her fan con volunteer t-shirt and some shorts. If she was going to relax, there was really no reason to dress up. She followed the take charge Mantis in, put her own clothes in the wooden locker.

"You even seize relaxation with both hands, Yakura-san." Taraka teased a bit. "Has something been bothering you since we last spoke?"

Hitomi laughed, "full speed relaxation!" After all the preliminary preparation, she's settled in the bath, one hand extended over the edge for the manicurist's attentions.

"It's been pretty non-stop, hasn't it? And I can't imagine those rumors about weird people in the shadows did anyone's nerves any good."

Yakura let out a groan. "Just...everything. All these politics, and wheeling and dealing and cheesing and...stuff. Also, the fish market smell would not come out of my hair. Ugh!" She let out an indignant....noise.

Leaning back into the water, she kicked out her legs, hopefully not kicking anyone else. "How's it going with you guys? Gals?"

Taraka likewise finished her preparations before slipping into the bath.

"I think given the magistrate's conduct at Ochiba-san's party, that the magistrates response to the illusory threat posed by the robed figures was pretty measured. No groups being hauled in to answer for their fashion choices, no crack down on the sale of dice." she quipped.

She laughed a bit at the Mantis's lament.

"You'll know you're really a true resident of the island when you don't notice that smell anymore, Yoritomo-san, we'll put you in deeper connection with your ancestors yet."

"Busy but a happy busy....oh, speaking of the fish market, I ran into Kakita Hiroki there. Got to share a drink and chat for a bit with part of Usagi Drop!" she name dropped.

Raised eyebrows and a nod agree with Taraka's assessment of the magistrate response.

"Don't let her fool you, Yasuki-sama, there were things at that market that were not normal and brought the stench of the deep places with them. At least the cleaners here are well-versed in getting sea smells out of clothing."

The not terribly connected to pop-culture Sparrow looks interested, "I'd heard that at the introductions gala. Music group it sounded like. What are they like?" Since they'd come on the scene about the time she moved to Green Carp, she'd just missed the window to pick up on them from her Crane friends back home..

"If you try to take me there again Taraka.san, I will drown you in tentacles." Came the measured reply.

"Oh, Drop!? They're neat. I should try and get him to visit the Dragon sometime. How did you find him?"

Taraka thought of the poor miserable Crane that she restored with a bit of Sakura Blast! to his normal pop self.

"Ah he's very....Crane. The smells of the warehouse also were getting to him." she covered. "So I made an excuse for him to go outside and share a drink at the vending machine."

She took a moment to enjoy the heat of the pool.

"We did our best to talk about things unrelated to the band. He's not here on band business, but Crane business. Still, he was surprisingly knowledgeable about baseball, even if he shares in the Crane belief in the controversial 'Designated Hitter' rule. Can you imagine Hida Ashita letting someone champion him at the plate?"

"I've overheard many an argument over that rule. My brother thought it made things more interesting getting folks on both sides of the plate that really specialized. He'd go on about pairings, describing the pitcher vs. that designated hitter as almost a duel with that staredown waiting for something to crack." She shrugs in pro forma apology, "but our ties to the Crane likely predispose the Sparrow to such opinions."

She shifts, leaving her hand in the manicurist's possession and scooping a cup of herbal tea from the little floating caddy. "I'll be sure not to talk to him about how I haven't heard his music then. Very convenient."

"How has business been for you both through all of this? More people, but has it translated to more sales?" After all, a lot of the initiative's ongoing push seemed aimed at more getting more people moving through the province on the theory that this would automatically improve the economy.

"Designated hitting suuuuuuuuuucks. If you can't do it all, don't do any of it." Said the Mantis with a firm answer.

"Business' been fine. People like to think they are lucky and have money." She shrugged. "And test to see how long both hold."

She wriggled her toes in the water. "How did you find Fancon?"

Warmed from the baths, Taraka would move on to getting a massage from the staff. Still, as her kinks were worked out by strong hands, she stayed aware of the conversation.

"I think both have been helpful thus far." she said with her eyes closed. "It was unfortunate that father did not get the paperwork filed for FBC to have booth space at fancon, but it is what it is. Pinky Swear has certainly been shooting up in the league though. If we charged by the mile rather than selling out right, we would've already made quite the pretty zeni from that Scorpion's dedication to the hobby."

"Still, a chance to dress up, help out with some volunteer work, and enjoy a little exclusive shopping, it was a good time. Ran in to Agasha Sorato there. That escape room proved to be tricky even for one trained by the Phoenix."

"Fancon is alway fun to go look through. Lots of creativity on display, and with some work you can nearly always get a few hard to find items for resale. Pass a few back home to my sister, and she'll find fans in the capitol that aren't at the level where they can ship off some bureaucrats to the boonies just to buy that stuff." Probably pretty crass to the true fans, but there was money to be made on people's need to connect to all those glittery fictions.

"Glad the fight league is going strong. Sounds like the Scorpion are going strong in the governor's estimation as well with this whole push for investors to partner with. Any idea what sort of investment they're talking about bringing?" It wasn't as if any of them had been doing public holoprojector presentations to push their case. Which was kind of a pity since she had a really nice one prepared.

She takes a few moments looking over the nail colors, settling on a rich rose-gold.

"ooh, maybe next time? I think the Battle Carps are kind of blowing up now. I'm sure it'll work Taraka-san." She said with a smile. "

She shrugged. "Not sure yet, I should probably catch up with BAyushi-sama about it. He was looking at investments. Not surprising that one of the close allies are doing well." She sank in the water a bit. "What do you reckon Taraka-san? What would make you happy?"

Taraka started a bit, having drifted off briefly on the massage table.

"Mm? Happy? Strawberries. Chocolate. Chocolate covered strawberries." she said, not quite back to reality just yet.

Hitomi definitely files that away with a laugh, pretty sure that wasn't what Yakura had been looking for.

"As far as what investment would make the an average Crab entrepreneur happy?" She offers a tasteful Doji reframe.

"I'm nowhere near the levers of power, but I'd guess they're looking for manufacturing as a way to bring cash flow in. Tourism, they could likely push on their own, or with smaller-focus partners, neh?" Which also is where the MCA isn't going to be able to push nearly as hard as the great clans, unfortunately.

The business talk drew Taraka closer back to this realm rather than the Realm of Deep Tissue Massage.

"Manufacturing is useful." she admits. "The island isn't really big enough or resource rich enough to become a major industrial center. I could see a small factory doing well, boosting the well-being of those not engaged in the tourism trade. A processing center for fish, for example. But off-world production of things we're known for, whether it's flying battle carps or Jimen Tori merchandise would also be useful."

"So likely not growing large industries here? I admit, I'd assumed some would already be here if the resources warranted it. The Crab are known for their heavy industries." She pauses as the attendant applies a moisturizing face mask that has cute koi-kun logos on it, then relaxes back against the edge of the tub, keeping her fresh nails out of the steaming water.

"Uff, enough serious talk, we're supposed to be relaxing. I don't suppose either of you watch Thousand Year Castle?" The Crab historical drama followed the colonists on one of the old Generation Ships that set off before Walking the Way made faster than light travel possible. It was supposed to take 1000 years to reach its new system so the show's seasons wound through the centuries with wild, fictional cultural swings.