"So where are we going, Darling?" Miaa asked curiously as Freckles towed the large trailer they were all loaded into down the road at Caboose's direction.

"I dunno," Caboose answered readily. "I asked Freckle to look for something, and he found a few spots, so we're going to the first one. He knows what he's doing, right?"

[Prospects unknown,] Freckle replied apologetically. [Original search parameters turned up no results as original search parameters had not been applied to any locations as of yet. Parsing search parameters and cross referencing produced unusual results. Present destination is most likely positive result.]

"And where is our present destination?" Cerea pressed. "I need to know our planned surroundings if I am to properly serve as Master's Squire."

[Analysis of social customs indicate that this destination should remain a surprise, thus the requisition of a blackout transport vehicle,] Freckle pointed out firmly.

"Are we there yet?" Papi asked curiously.

[Negative.]

"Are there yet?" Suu piped up.

[Negative.]

Giggling impishly, Doppel turned into Papi. "Are we there yet?"

[Negative.]

"Are we there yet?" Caboose asked curiously.

[Negative.]

"Isn't that going to get annoying?" Polt whispered to her Freckle.

[Standardized personality Freckle units lack the capacity for irritation,] her Freckle replied.

[Are we there yet?] Papi's Freckle inquired.

[Error: Freckle units share information, and unit assigned to Papi already retains that information. Inquiry from Freckle units irrelevant,] Caboose's Freckle countered firmly.

[Inquiry fun!] Suu's Freckle countered. [Are we there yet?]

[If discussion does not cease, this unit will reverse course,] Freckles declared over the intercom.

[...normally,] Polt's Freckle amended.

"Are we there yet?" Caboose asked curiously.

"Darling!" Miia gasped worriedly. "Don't make Freckles turn around-"

[Affirmative,] Freckles declared as the sense of motion ceased. [Mission complete. Blue Team has arrived at destination: The Arctic Inn Onsen Resort.]

"Onsen?" the girls declared excitedly as the side of the vehicle began to open, eagerly dashing out...into a snowy wonderland before an old style inn.

"Snow!" Papi declared excitedly as she started playing in the snow, attempting to make a snowman. Tio and Caboose quickly joined her.

"It's...s-s-s-so cold..." Rachnera spoke up as she began to shiver.

[Engaging environmental protections,] her Freckle spoke up, its optic giving off extra illumination. The Freckles assigned to Miia, Mero, Suu, Oct, Zombina, Kii, and Shiishii followed suit.

"Much better!" Zombina declared happily as she dove into the snow to play as well, marveling at how she could feel the cold of the snow without freezing, and staying warm without the snow melting in her hands. It wasn't long before the vast majority of those present began to play in the snow, only Cerea, Rachnera, Oct, and Lala holding back.

As they played, a woman stepped out of the inn. She had exceptionally pale skin and snow white hair held in a snowflake pin that shimmered ice blue. She wore a blue snowflake patterned kimono, and her eyes were a very bright and pale blue. "Thank you for choosing our resort, The Arctic Inn, for your visit," she offered, her voice very quiet and controlled. "I am Yukio, a yuki-onna, the proprietress of this inn. Please come inside, your other guest is already here." As she stepped into the snow, a road of ice extended from the inn out to the street to give them all easy access.

"Okay!" Caboose replied happily as he led the way inside...where Agent Smith was already lazing about on the heated floors, enjoying the relaxation.

"Hello, 'Darling'," she called playfully, though her voice was very relaxed.

[This vacation is most welcome,] her Freckle informed them all.

"Allow me to show you the facilities," Yukio spoke up calmly.

"Everybody be five year olds!" Caboose called excitedly, making Polt giggle.

Yukio turned to Polt, a slight confused frown on her face. "I...do not see the humor."

"When I was first opening my extra-species gym, I asked him to point out anything I had missed in terms of getting it set up," Polt explained. "He responded he'd do his best to be a five year old."

"Ah," Yukio concluded, turning back to Caboose. "Thank you for your assistance. While your large party means a full booking for the inn...it is the first booking we've had in some time, since the renovations for extra-species and shifting to mixed bathing."

"Mixed bathing?!" many of the girls declared excitedly. Yukio looked slightly nervous.

The features of the inn were extensive. Massive rooms so even the largest of extra-species could stretch out and relax, baths with variable depth so beings of all sizes could relax comfortably, variable temperature baths for those who did not do well in too much heat, and the outdoor hot spring was large enough that the entire group was able to enjoy it together...though many of the girls expressed rueful frustration that Caboose wore his armor into the spring.

"This place is amazing!" he declared as he floated on his back in the water. "Why are we the first booking in a while?"

"Search me!" Doppel replied as she lay back. "I can't think of a reason this place wouldn't be packed all the time."

"It's not too hard to understand from the human perspective," Zombina offered as she glanced over to where Agent Smith was in one corner far from Caboose, her bathing towel held tight against her body. "Right, Kuku?"

"Huh?" Tio asked in confusion as she lifted her head.

Agent Smith sighed softly. "Humans have much stronger modesty issues than extra-species," she explained calmly. "And since that also means a matching increase in interest in that sort of thing, most single women have...issues when it comes to mixed bathing with strangers."

"But we aren't strangers," Rachnera pointed out teasingly, her Freckle ensuring that she didn't get too overheated from the water. "So what are you doing so far from Honey?"

"...shut up..." Kuroko growled under her breath.

"Really?" Caboose asked in surprise. "Human girls have that problem? Tucker seemed to really like the idea of mixed bathing hot springs whenever Sister talked about it."

"That's because most human males are pervs who enjoy getting a chance to ogle partially or fully undressed girls," Doppel pointed out playfully.

"Really?" Caboose asked in surprise. "And human girls don't like that?"

"Not when it's any guy off the street, as it were," Kuroko pointed out.

"But then why are swimsuits for girls so skimpy?" Caboose continued, plainly confused.

"That's different," Kuroko explained. "It's one thing to enjoy showing off. It's another to be hounded."

"...I don't get it," Caboose admitted sadly.

[The isolated location of a hot spring and absence of any covering increases perceived vulnerability,] his Freckle supplied helpfully.

"Oh, that makes sense!" Caboose declared happily. "And that must be why it never became an issue for extra-species, since they have more natural weaponry at their disposal than humans, so they aren't as vulnerable!"

"That...makes sense," Shiishii observed thoughtfully.

"I am never without protection," Kii agreed as she reached over to some of the plant life surrounding the spring. It eagerly turned towards her in response.

"So mixed bathing appeals to human guys because they like to look at naked girls..." Caboose deduced thoughtfully. "...but that only works if there are naked girls there that like being looked at."

"But what could induce those girls to come here, specifically?" Rachnera suggested archly. "After all, for girls that 'like being looked at', there are many other avenues for such things...and quite a few make money instead of costing it."

"Such endeavors lack the social aspect of a hot spring," Cerea pointed out primly.

Polt's eyes lit up. "Kuroko," she called out thoughtfully. "Do introductions of extra-species girls to prospective homestay hosts ever get awkward when meeting at their homes?"

"Often," Kuroko confirmed ruefully. "Either one or the other side is too nervous, or too dominant, or there are faux pas..." Her voice trailed off as she realized what Polt was suggesting. "A hot spring meetup for extra-species girls looking to homestay and men hoping to host them?"

"Hosting such events would give this place a lot of business," Oct observed thoughtfully from the cooler spring she shared with Mero. "And it definitely would be 'neutral ground', which would make socializing easier."

"And group meetings would be more relaxed than one on one meetings," Mero added. "You could get better personality matches that way."

"I'll have to talk to Yukio about that," Kuroko mused thoughtfully. "It could solve a lot of problems on both ends."

"Ice lady scary!" Papi pointed out worriedly, shivering a little.

"Only cause she doesn't look happy!" Caboose pointed out. "If she could look happy, then she'd be super pretty and lots of guys would wanna come here."

"So...smile more?" Kuroko asked.

"At least with her eyes," Caboose agreed. "All she needs there is to look happy." As the discussion continued, he lay back in the water. No...not here, he thought to himself. Too many existing issues...