It would be the last time for many things here. The last meeting of the four of them. His last look at the farmlands and the fungal forest beyond. His last ride on Dasshu . . . that was going to be hard to take.

In feather cloak and with a plush Otori, also named Dasshu, attached to his cloak, Izumi let Dasshu do his thing as they dashed out to the agreed meeting point one last time.

Full of nervous energy, Mumei and Hiroki wove through the footpaths among the fields, feather cloak and Otori crest fluttering in their self-made breeze as the rain spatters in their faces. She'd spent longer than she expected, smoothing over the bird's feathers and talking to her. She was going to miss the Otori, honestly. Even if she didn't think she would miss this world all that much.

"Kitsune-san!! Did you see the fireworks last night? Maybe with someone else?" She's grinning wide from the ride and the day's excitement.

He loved the fireworks . . . but had not thought of watching them with someone else. That was an oversight he was going to have to do better on in the future.

"Theyweregreat. Iwasalonethough. Ibetyouweren't . . . "

There was a smirk and a raising of eyebrows combo. At least he hadn't dyed his eyebrows to match the rainbow hair.

"Not at all. Yul, of course," her smile softened a hair just at the memory, "and Doji Ichika and her friend Hirum Chiyoko, it was really nice to watch. The whole festival was just... watching everyone be happy was great after all the worry and danger."

"OK...how do you get new colors every day without absolutely scorching your hair?" She lifts a lock of her own hair in muliple shades of blue, the roots dark after the past almost two weeks. "I know I'm not grabbing the most expensive dyes, but that's amazing. I can't change it more than once a month or it just gives up and looks awful."

"Also this rainbow thing is amazing."

He grinned.

"Sorry . . . companysecrets."

There was the sound of cheering and laughter as Blinky and his rider came charging into the field. Koseki had a huge grin on his face as he brought the colourful bird to a halt. The otori feather cloak eventually settled, colours seeming vibrant in the morning light.

"Woohoo! Morning friends, I'm gonna miss this." A seated bow was tricky from bird-back but the Firefly pulled it off.

"Koseki-san!!! Morning!"

The exciteable Fox waved a greeting as Dasshu kweh'd at the arriving Blinky.

Mumei lifted her eyebrows at the Fox. "well let me know when it's commercial, cause that's really well done."

She turns to wave at Koseki as Hiroki dances around to face the newcomer. "Yeah. No riding Otori on ships. I'm glad I got to get to know these critters and not just the predators."

"OhImightmanagetosendoutafewfreesamplestofriendswhenitdoes."

He grinned at Mumei, mentally adding her to the sampling list for Compound XV9358/g.

He had to think of a better name.

"Yeah, never expected I'd be doing this. Oh, if you've got your densais with you I finished my last Safety Manual yesterday. Think I'm ready to take on the challenge of exploring Amanoseki now, although I wish I could take Blinky." He patted his feathery friend.

"So, you ready for the big day?"

Izumi reached for his densai.

"Hitmewiththosefiles, Koseki-san."

He enabled the short range wifi which immediately caused a yip and flashing of ears in one of his pockets as his electronic equivalent of 'make friends with everyone person!!!!!' comm unit detected the open connection. By now, Izumi just ignored it, hoping that FoxNet 90210 hadn't managed to escape his hotel room again to join them.

"Allready. I'mpickingmuchearlierthanyoutwo, butstillIthinkMumei-sanwillbethefirstofustoknowherfutureforsure."

"ooo, samples would be fun." And...naming was for Marketing to handle.

"Amanoseki?" Mumei's not quite remembering where that one is. Not too surprising since it's of import to a relatively small group yet.

She's never actually owned a densai, but can probably read it on holoslate as well, so she tugs that poor thing out of deep pocket. "Would love to have it. Even if I shouldn't need more safety tips for this place after today. I think it's a great resource for new visitors."

She smiles and offers a single nod. "Yeah. Definitely ready," then laughs. "I guess that's true. He's done really well with the Phoenix's tests." She looks to Koseki, expectantly. "And you?"

Blinky obligingly stayed still, other than attempting to nuzzle Dasshu with his beak. Koseki switched the densai into transmit mode and fired over several now published manuscripts.

Izumi was now the proud owner of Hotaru Koseki's Guides to:

Otori
Drifters
Ravagers (published in a top Xenobiology journal)
The Xenofungi Forests of Asakaze

Each was lovingly illustrated by hilarious little stick samurai and assorted lifeforms, but otherwise an impressively detailed examination of these topics from an engineer's perspective. Each of the MCA crew were thanked in the Acknowledgements section of the Otori and Xenofungi guides.

Looking at Mumei's holoslates he made a slight frown before a lightbulb metaphorically flashed above his head. "They won't all fit on there, but I brought a ton of spares. I'll copy em over for you later!"

He nodded enthusiastically at the question. "Amanoseki is our new world. We're sharing it with the Imperial Families. Plenty of exploring to do, that's where I was before I got the orders to come here. As for my choices, well I'm pretty hopeful that I'll end up with one of two samurai who would be a great fit."

Izumi gave the files a brief once over to make sure they had transferred properly and then thanked the Firefly.

"That'sgreatKoseki-san. Youdidalotofworkhere."

He thought about some of his own work here . . . but the Phoenix had the rights to announcing that one.

"Anyoneweknow? I'llbepickingaPhoenix. Atsumori-kuntobeexact."

"Shiba-sama?" Mumei thinks a moment, then nods, grinning more. "Yeah, that makes sense. He'll become a Fox then?"

She waits expectently for Koseki's answer, after nodding to his offer to bring over copies later. "Could have used that Drifter one a week ago."

"Yes. I'lltakehimbacktoInari'sCradleandalltheforestanimalsheeverwanted."

Kitsune Irwin made so much more sense than Shiba Irwin.

"Oh that's a perfect match Izumi-sama!" He gave Mumei a grin too. "Well between your experiences with Yul-san and that unfortunate attack on the river I figured it would be popular."

He drew in a deep breath. "As for my choice... Well I spoke to the nakados and there might be a perfect fit for a Firefly, an Isawa actually. We'll see if she gets snapped up. Otherwise I've made a good friend in the Crab who I think I'd be really happy with, so two good possibilities for me." Time would tell...

She could imagine the pair in the Fox's forests. "You definitely have to keep in touch. I want to see his videos of the animals you two are going to have all over the place."

Nodding in agreement with Koseki's assessment on the need for drifter info she smiles. "Isawa? ooo. Shugenja? Nice ties to the Phoenix, regardless." After all, not all Phoenix were horrible magistrates, most were perfectly fine little delvers into information better left undiscovered.

Izumi had glanced at the lists and info the Phoenix had made available.

"Sheistheworldshaper, yes? That'llbegreatforyournewcolonythen!"

He looked back towards the city.

"DidanyonehearfromShion-san? Imadesuretocommherthemeetingspotthismorning."

"She'd wanted to meet me to discuss some of the...various events that've been going on here. But I know she's been pretty busy too."