(D12, MA) An early present

[Yasuki Taraka]

With the awards given out and the grand melee concluded, Taraka had asked Haruhi to swing by the shop afterwards. Taraka had the purchase from Feather Your Nest all ready, now it was just a matter of handing it over.

[Kakita Haruhi]

Haruhi arrived at the appointed time. She was wearing a pretty blue kimono - traditional, hand-woven - likely from Golden Mirror.

She smiled brightly to see Yasuki-san.

"How are you doing? Ah, the grand melee was so fun! Chaotic and thrilling. You've hooked me on drone dueling. My next project will be to 'tune' Sky Blue to the extent permissible in the rules and add the imperial march as an alternate sky-song."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Haruhi arrived at the appointed time. She was wearing a pretty blue kimono - traditional, hand-woven - likely from Golden Mirror.

She smiled brightly to see Yasuki-san.

"How are you doing? Ah, the grand melee was so fun! Chaotic and thrilling. You've hooked me on drone dueling. My next project will be to 'tune' Sky Blue to the extent permissible in the rules and add the imperial march as an alternate sky-song."

The bright smile was met with a grin.

"I'm doing well, Kakita-san, it's been a lot of fun this past week and a half." she said. "I'm glad you've enjoyed it! I look forward to competing with you as you extend your stay on Green Carp, and eagerly await to see what sky blue can really do."

She pulled out the box.

"I know it's early, and you haven't found where you're going to be staying at for an extended amount of time here in Nakahama. But you know how it is, when you find a really good gift, you just have to get it so you can give it. Who knows when you'll have the chance next?" she said.

She presented the carving from Feather Your Nest.




"So please accept this as an early housewarming gift."

[Kakita Haruhi]

Haruhi gasped, eyes shining.

"Oh! How wonderful! Yasuki-san, it's a bulbul! I've been looking for the Nakahama bulbul here. It's just a beautiful carving. Hand-made. Ancient technique. Oh, is this from Feather Your Nest? She said she had antiques from Rokugan! There were bulbul there, too. Their song is supposed to be beautiful. A rapid trill. One of the reasons I'm looking for them here is that a mated pair would be a wonderful gift for my hosts back on Golden Mirror. It's one of the Rokugani birds they haven't successfully introduced there."

"Ah, it is a perfect gift for my home to be. That I do need to sort out soon."

"Happily, Yasuki Reina-sama is delighted by how the jimen tori efforts have been going. I think she'll be ready to move me out of the hotel and into a workshop soon. The hotel was best while there were so many visitors here."

"You are top of my list to invite to a housewarming party when that's all settled."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka grinned.

"Well, as a statue I don't think it'll be breeding any time soon, but I hope it brings you luck in your quest to find them." she offered, glad the present was appreciated.

"How have your Jimen Tori efforts been going?" she asked, interested.

[Kakita Haruhi]

She took the statue and held it tight. Clearly adoring it.

"It's quite exciting! We found the jimen tori's historical place of thriving - an abundant freshwater lake inside a cave system in Mt. Nakahama. The access was cut off by construction in the area above. Where there was work on a hotel. My patron, Yasuki Reina-sama, helped us get all the paperwork to excavate the site and arrange for it to be permitted as a nature reserve for the jimen tori. A place they can be undisturbed, but observed. We installed lighting and cameras. The live feed is a delight, and it's primed for use in a documentary."

"We led a first group of jimen tori to the site. I built a life-size jimen tori avi-drone with Susumu-san's help, and we had the jimen tori tell us how they say 'follow me' in their language, and programmed that audio. We programmed a route for the drone to gather up other jimen tori and show them the way."

"It's working!"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka grinned.

"Amazing, Kakita-san. It just goes to show what you can do when you put your mind to it." she said, honestly impressed. "Now we just have to make sure Junpei-sama's dreams of a Jimen Tori burger franchise never come to light."

She shook her head.

"You're definitely going to make this island a better place for as long as you remain, Kakita-san."

[Kakita Haruhi]

She smiled. "I am hopeful we will see lots of interest in jimen tori drones and plushies and other merchandise. And that they will never be hunted."

"Oh, and did you see Miya-sama's podcast about Moto-san? Do you have any idea what happened to her? She was so nice. We worked together to help out during that flood. And she was a huge help digging out the path to the jimen tori."

[Yasuki Taraka]

She smiled. "I am hopeful we will see lots of interest in jimen tori drones and plushies and other merchandise. And that they will never be hunted."

"Oh, and did you see Miya-sama's podcast about Moto-san? Do you have any idea what happened to her? She was so nice. We worked together to help out during that flood. And she was a huge help digging out the path to the jimen tori."

She shook her head.

"I know very little about that. Apparently there was some sort of incident at the so called 'Temple of Light.' Perhaps an altercation with the cultists there?" she suggested. "Moto-san struck me as ready for a fight. Perhaps she found her last one there."

[Kakita Haruhi]

Haruhi nodded. "I'm sure it was important and heroic. Such a loss... I wish I'd known for the festival. Someone to honor."

"Ah, I think I've missed a great deal of local matters of import. Do you know what's going to happen with the trading partner for the Crab? Has the governor made a decision?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Haruhi nodded. "I'm sure it was important and heroic. Such a loss... I wish I'd known for the festival. Someone to honor."

"Ah, I think I've missed a great deal of local matters of import. Do you know what's going to happen with the trading partner for the Crab? Has the governor made a decision?"

Taraka shook her head.

"I believe they were hearing their final arguments today. But it is still rather contentious between the Scorpion, Dragon, and Mantis. The Scorpion were the early favorites, and still have a lot of support, but the Dragon have managed to rally quite a bit in a surprisingly short time." she explained.

She shrugged a bit.

"People have certainly formed strong opinions on the matter one way or another. And unless the winner performs an economic miracle, I'm sure there will always be detractors, who claim that the others could have done even more, or that we're being lead down a path of ruin." she offered.

"But, I'm going to remain hopeful that whomever succeeds was meant to succeed, and that we will all prosper regardless of winner. I've done all I can to help the matter, now I simply must wait and see if my efforts bear fruit, or if I'm placing fourth in a drinking contest again."

[Kakita Haruhi]

That was interesting.

"It is hard that the nature of contests is that some will be disappointed. Easier to skim along with no expectation. But they've all been quite impressive and represented their clans well."

"And maybe there will be projects that flourish regardless."

"I'm quite looking forward to what happens next here. We have the LARP. More drone dueling. I have more birds to find. I'll be curious to see if any of the other visitors remain."

[Yasuki Taraka]

That was interesting.

"It is hard that the nature of contests is that some will be disappointed. Easier to skim along with no expectation. But they've all been quite impressive and represented their clans well."

"And maybe there will be projects that flourish regardless."

"I'm quite looking forward to what happens next here. We have the LARP. More drone dueling. I have more birds to find. I'll be curious to see if any of the other visitors remain."

Taraka shrugged.

"Hm, my competitiveness tends to scale with the stakes, Kakita-san. Lose a game of Fantasy Fight? Not a big deal. In fact if I'm teaching it's better to lose. Dominating new players tends to convert them into ex-players. Now when it comes to the kind of negotiations we've been having with the clans, it's a bit harder to shrug and say, 'No big deal.' Touches a bit too close to Duty and all." she admits.

"But, it's more productive to look for the next opportunity, than lament lost ones."

She considered the question.

"Well, Bayushi Senshuken WAS looking to stay here, but last night she told me she wouldn't be. Bayushi Kazushi is looking into a vacation home..."

She would later learn that he was planning on putting as much distance between Green Carp and himself as he could.

"Asako Hikari and Kitsuki Ichitaiyo were looking to open businesses."

Which might never materialize.

"Well....Hiruma Akiro will be here longer than he planned, sadly. He is recuperating in the hospital, but his injuries were very severe. He's looking at months of healing." she said.

Like a sleeper awakening, the dreams about Nakahama were fading away one by one.

[Kakita Haruhi]

Haruhi fell very silent after that.

Senshu wasn't staying? She'd known that was possible, but she'd thought... There had been that thing that made Senshu sad, but she didn't want to talk about... Still...

After a moment, she said "Oh."

Another moment passed.

Another.

Deep breath.

"Bayushi-san had mentioned the vacation home. I look forward to meeting his wife and child. And that's good news about Kitsuki-san. I've enjoyed our conversations."

"The others I don't know as well. But I am sorry to hear someone is so badly injured."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Crane!

Taraka nodded.

"He is lucky to be alive. The resilience of the Crab." she commented.

She paused a moment.

"Actually, would you be willing to visit him in the hospital with me sometime? With his prolonged stay in hospital I've managed to convince him to take up drone modification and decoration. Something he can do while confined to a bed. And I can't think of anyone more talented, lovely and who brings joyful energy with them than you Kakita-san. I'm sure he'd really appreciate even one visit." she requested.

[Kakita Haruhi]

"Oh I'd be glad to! That sounds fun. Drone modification and decoration is a perfect project for a person who is stuck in a single room. And we could collaborate. Maybe an on-going project. That's the best excuse to keep visiting. I'd truly be glad to make more friends here."

"Maybe - if the physician doesn't mind - we could even help decorate his room. Brighten it up. Plants are so healing. Full of life. And bright colors. Well, actually, we could ask him what *he* finds heart-lifting."

"Was he with Moto-san? The battle that took her? It can be hard to survive when someone else didn't. Hard, but all the more important!"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Crane!

Taraka shook her head.

"No, the um...previous incident that took Yasuki Kaito's life." she had to admit.

So much for Umiko's earlier delight about no incidents. Somewhere a large incident board had had to be reset with the Moto's death.

[Kakita Haruhi]

Taraka shook her head.

"No, the um...previous incident that took Yasuki Kaito's life." she had to admit.

So much for Umiko's earlier delight about no incidents. Somewhere a large incident board had had to be reset with the Moto's death.

"Oh! What ... did they venture into the jungle?"

She felt a little bewildered. How had she missed all these events? But this was Crab business perhaps.

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka shakes her head.

"No there was a....violent criminal." she summarizes. "Said criminal broke Hiruma-san's legs. However, the criminal is now awaiting Emma-O's judgement, so we needn't think too much about it other than to wish Hiruma-san a speedy recovery."

[Kakita Haruhi]

She nodded. Goodness!

"Are there parts of town it's not terribly safe to be walking around? I thought the folks I interacted with in the laborer areas were nice when Moto-san and I helped during the flood. Maybe a bit of a worrying religious focus? A little heretical. I probably should have told someone that."

Oh what was that man's name? She hoped he wasn't involved in any trouble.