The IAC had been fun, and Kumiko had enjoyed the water races and some of the other events that came along with them. However, once all the swimming events were over, Kumiko had to adhere to the part of the deal she had made with Kumiyo when training for the IAC. That was to visit Dinotopia Aquatica so that Kumiyo could see Ty again. Kumiko was happy to oblige by that sort of thing, as she saw it as a means to try and help her cousin win Ty over for her mate. The flight from Lyre, Nevada to Florida, where Dinotopia Aquatica was, was peaceful and the visiting Animalians from Japan were escorted by the Dinotopian they had met at the IAC, Miki, the Mixosaurus Dinotopian.
"It is hotter here," Ningen commented off hand as the four of them came out from the terminal area and into the hot and humid Florida air.
“Yes, Florida is further south than Nevada and essentially warmed by the ocean and fresh waters that add humidity to things,” Miki commented.
“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity,” Kumiyo stated the maxim, “and you like it here?”
"Some of the warmth is preferrable," Miki commented as they walked along as she led the others to where they could wait for the bus that would take them to Skull Island, where Dinotopia Aquatica was located, "though... this year has been warmer than usual."
"It's certainly warm now," Kumiko commented while waiving a hand to move some air over her cheek.
"It has been warmer than normal," Miki admitted, "we can only hope that things will change for the better in the future."
The visitors from Japan nodded and they continued on their way. It wasn't long before a bus arrived, and they were able to board it. Miki paid the fee for them, and they were left to ride along. The ride from the airport was fairly quiet but was something that also brought other questions. Ningen was most curious about the largely Human population that made up the city they were driving through. After all, Animalia was nearly entirely Animalian, Lyre was about half Human and half Animalian, Heiya Island was mostly Animalian, and yet the neighborhoods the bus drove through as it left the airport was entirely Human.
"Isn't Dinotopia Aquatica an Animalian colony, though?" Ningen asked, "wouldn't there be more Dinotopians here... or at least other Animalians?"
"Dinotopia Aquatica is one of the smaller colonies, similar to the ones in Europe," Miki answered the White Orca Animalian, "and is in a relatively small island. So, while "Animalia" got Skull Island to set up the colony city, it's not large enough to support an airport or anything like that... and thus why we're taking a bus to it. And that limited space and size has its own drawbacks that add into other things. For while many people generally know about "Dinosaurs," and often lump the Mesozoic Era's aquatic reptiles with them... they aren't necessarily the most popular choices for conversion. Most of those that want to become Dinotopians want to be based on the actual dinosaurs and pterosaurs... which has made Dino City in Texas a popular site and where another Dinotopian colony city has been built in Colorado."
"So, you aren't a dinosaur?" Kumiko asked.
"No aquatic reptile is," Kumiyo told her cousin, "Remember... I told you, Mosasaurs, like Tylosaurus, are the only ones that have living modern relatives... actual lizards, and specifically the monitor lizards. Miki is a species of Ichthyosaur, and they, like the other "aquatic dinosaurs" had not relatives that survived the end of the Mesozoic Era. The only "dinosaurs" that live today are birds."
"And crocodilians survive as closest reptilian relative to dinosaurs to live today," Miki added.
"Couldn't you advertise, or something?" Kumiko asked, "I mean... surely there will be boys that would want to date you. That's why Kumiyo is here... to date Ty."
Kumiyo felt herself blush as the scales on her cheeks seemed to get a bit darker. That was a part of her reason for visiting. She’d kept in touch with him with letters, email, and phone calls, and this included some lessons in Japanese for him, which in a way was also in her hopes of winning him over the way Kumiko had love with Ningen. And to a degree, some things worked out very well as they shared stories about their work and lessons and all that. Though, of late there had also been added issues that also seemed to relate to Florida’s governor. Kumiyo privately considered raising some urgings to get him to come to Heiya Island if this governor was that unlikeable, but she also didn’t want to be selfish.
“There are those that are interested,” Miki admitted, “but Dinotopia Aquatica relies on tourism and people coming to see the artifacts on old Caribbean and Spanish pirates… and it works. But many of those that come and show interest may be interested more in my bust size and my libido alone and not much more. And while as an Animalian, I may be interested in a brief fling from time to time… scratch the proverbial itch, as it were, that doesn’t mean I’m someone of low control over myself.”
There were a few nods that came in understanding of that. Kumiko heard a few soft grumblings at the back of the bus, but not much more than that and she turned to look around further to find that the bus was also pretty empty. It gave them room to position themselves so that they weren't sitting on their tails, and that was comfortable, but it also presented some wonder as to why the bus was empty. After all, they'd seen plenty of reports on how Florida was a popular spot for vacationers. People would come to the state to swim and enjoy looking at the coral reefs on the southern islands, and that was all with the areas that didn't relate to the interest that people often had in looking at Animalians. There were plenty of others, and Kumiko figured that the bus would have more people coming in for the summer tourist season, but that wasn't the case. There were a few others on the bus, but not many. And as the bus made its stops on the way to Skull Island, there weren't a lot of people that got on, and in fact by the time they got to the island, Miki, Ningen, Kumiko, and Kumiyo were the only ones on the bus.
"Some of this seems strangely quiet," Kumiyo commented as they got off the bus and began to walk on the bridge to the island, "is it always like this?"
"Not always," Miki said slowly, "normally we do get a fair number of visitors, some new, some returning, and often in relation to things like Spring Break..."
"Because college boys like to look at female Animalians in bikinis," Kumiyo commented, as some of the younger Human teens that were among those rescued on Heiya Island did tend to follow her and Kumiko while she'd been helping Kumiko train for the IAC.
"And the girls like hitting on the male Animalians," Miki added, "some have even faked drowning on days when Ty is on lifeguard duty in the hopes of him rescuing them... and one from a year or so ago, didn't fake anything, but got caught on a Portuguese Man of War, and the venom made her nauseous..."
Kumiyo cringed at that while Miki resumed her answer.
"But that's also something where some of the state's politics are causing trouble," Miki spoke, "for trying to support "conservatism" to the fullest, the governor and his cohorts have actually been wrecking the tourism industry... among other things. Some people do come, but it's been in fewer numbers than previous years, and that's probably what's causing the trouble."
"Surely this would get them to change their ways," Ningen spoke slowly, "one can't keep doing something if it does them harm. I remember... before I was uplifted and when I was young. The pod I was in was tracking a big school of fish. We stumbled onto a pod of Humpback Whales while following the fish. I got a bit bold... and took a good whack on the head, I think by a flipper or the tail of one of the adults. Mother managed to intimidate the Humpback away, but I knew I couldn't press the attack any more... and I was dizzy for a few days."
Kumiko took Ningen's hand was soon rubbing it with hers, as if trying to comfort him. Ningen shook that off, as that incident was something that happened years before he was uplifted, and he was only using it as a means to try and highlight the point on changing course.
"One would think so... and maybe that may happen in the future," Miki answered, "but the governor was just reelected last year and has a massive majority in his favor in the state legislature. Whether or not something changes is only going to be determined by what happens NEXT year."
There was a bit of a silence there for a moment and they kept moving on. To Kumiyo, a lot of this was shocking in that while Ty had told her about some things in Florida's state politics being crooked, she didn't think it was as bad as what Miki described and what their observations on the ride to Skull Island indicated. It left her hoping for some way to convince him to come back to Heiya Island with her and her cousin, even if not to be her mate, then to at least get away from idiot politicians pushing backwards ideas that were coming back to hurt the primary industries that served Animalia's colonies. Though, as they came up to the entrance to Dinotopia Aquatica, she noted a familiar figure standing there. While Ty may not have been able to come and pick them up, he was waiting for them and that was enough to make Kumiyo's heart flutter and forget about the other issues.
"Ty!" Kumiyo smiled and jogged forward, with her bags making a loud thunk as she dropped them. She reached him quickly and leaped his arms.
Ty smiled and happily caught her as she leaped into his arms. He then nuzzled his muzzle to Kumiyo's as the two hugged.
"I take it you've been looking forward to this?" Ty asked to Kumiyo and noting her smile.
"For me, this was the big part of the trip for the IAC," Kumiyo smiled, "the races were fun to watch, and Kumiko and Ningen both did well... but you were on my mind..."
Ty didn't answer vocally but did nod. He then looked to Ningen and Kumiko and waived to Miki as she went in. He didn't get much of an opportunity to meet with Kumiyo's cousin when he visited Heiya Island, so this would be something of a first for him. And to a great degree, he hoped to make a good one, as while he and Kumiyo had settled on a "friends with benefits" sort of arrangement at first, seeing Kumiyo as another Tylosaurus Dinotopian was enough that left a part of him wanting more, which could make Kumiko and Ningen future in-laws.
"Well... you must all be tired from the flight," Ty said to them, "why don't we go in and you three can get set up... I have some things planned for dinner and we can talk on how things were going. And on how pleasant it is to have company..."