Yoshitsune Chizu arrived first, removing her footwear at the door before being shown to a private table by one of the teahouse attendants. The tall Crab wore a dark blue kimono of sturdy cloth, bound at the waist by a bright red sash tied in the back with a large bow. It wasn't as extravagant as the kimono worn by some of the high court ladies, but it was certainly warmer, a practical consideration during these winter months.

Chizu knelt on a cushion by the low table as the teahouse attendants brought tea and sweets, but the Crab waited before partaking of any of them, watching the entrance as if expecting someone.

And the expected Stag boi has arrived, clad in a finely made kimono, though not extravagant, in white and gold colors.

"Ohayo Yoshitsune-san!" He knelt down opposite of her, after bowing. "Arigatou for this meeting. How are you enjoying the sudden winter snow so far?"

"Ohayo, Hantei-sama," Chizu replied, smiling upon seeing Genji and returning a seated bow. "Thank you for meeting with me. The weather seems very nice today; cool and brisk. I was even considering joining the foot race the Spider are organizing the afternoon; it might be a chance for a pleasant outing. How are you doing today? Have you eaten?" She gestured at the tea and sweets that had been provided by the attendants.

"Hai, had some nice breakfast with the Stag and my cousin." He flashed a smirk at her. "Politics at dawn, if you will."

He eyed the snacks, and started on some of them. "The weather is getting better, hai. Ano, I might join the race, but not sure. For a sudden delay, this is a busy court."
He took a sip.of tea, kind eyes roaming over her. "I hope the Crab are doing well this winter?"

"I think so," Chizu said, though there was a trace of doubt in her voice. "We are making friends and contacts, and doing respectably well at the various court events. This is my first time to Imperial Court, though, so I don't quite know how to judge our progress. I asked Librarian Jiyo about it, and he seemed to think the Crab were doing all right."

"What do you think?" Her dark eyes looked to Genji at this question. "You have a lot more experience with the court, Hantei-sama. Do you think we're making a good impression?"

Genji smiled bashfully. "Wel, my only experience is with Stag court, ehich is a different beast, so to say. Still, I think you and Anjong-san are doing well. Tjough that depends on what your goals are, actually. But youbseem to be making allies, at least on the personal level."

He flashed a smile. "You made a good impression on me. I hope I returned the same."

Chizu returned the smile. "Thank you," she said. "Yes, you have. Enough that I'd like to get to know you a little better." She dropped her gaze shyly.

"What sorts of things do you like?" she asked. "You're a model samurai in court... but what do you really enjoy?"

Yoshitsune Chizu wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:35 am

Chizu returned the smile. "Thank you," she said. "Yes, you have. Enough that I'd like to get to know you a little better." She dropped her gaze shyly.

"What sorts of things do you like?" she asked. "You're a model samurai in court... but what do you really enjoy?"

"Oh, well, I feel fortunate then, Yoshitsune-san." He smiled and took a sip of tea.

"What I enjoy? Hm..." he shrugged. "That is a question that not many have probed. I enjoy good conversation." He indicated towards her with his tea cup. "I dabble in poetry, badly though, and of course, on occasion, I like to mull on things. Philosophy, if you will. Bushido, and the like. What about you?"

Hantei Genji wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 7:21 am

"What I enjoy? Hm..." he shrugged. "That is a question that not many have probed. I enjoy good conversation." He indicated towards her with his tea cup. "I dabble in poetry, badly though, and of course, on occasion, I like to mull on things. Philosophy, if you will. Bushido, and the like. What about you?"

"Truly, no one asks that?" Chizu wondered aloud. "Politics is all very well, but surely your own happiness deserves some consideration, too."

"As for me, I've tried a little poetry too...though I expect I'm even worse at it than you," she said with a wry smile. "I very much enjoy theatre and music, too. In fact, I'm hosting a play in the Crab style tonight; and I managed to secure a part in the Crane style play, too."

"I'm curious about your philosophy, though?" Chizu said, daring to raise her eyes to meet his gaze more directly. "Lord Yoshitsune has strong feelings about honor, and has tried to communicate them to us, his students. Is bushido 'and the like' very different among the Stag, or much the same?"

"Well, maybe not in that way. There are a special few." He smiled at her, but there was a small blush as well.

"Oh? I will see if I can attend, but I fear I have a prior engagement. Still, a Crab style play sounds highly interesting to me." His eyes lit up at that mention.

"Well, that depends. How is honor viewed in your family." He let out a short laugh, then took a sip of tea. "Honor is...complex, I feel. Even though my father is a living testament on how it should be viewed, but even for gods, it is demanding."

He tapped the table a bit. "Yet besides Honor, we have Duty and Compassion. I feel that....my role as the heir to my clan. How should I say? It's my role to protect my clan, and make us prosper. It' a grave responsibility, but I owe them my service, down to the last peasant."

Hantei Genji wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:48 pm

"Well, that depends. How is honor viewed in your family." He let out a short laugh, then took a sip of tea. "Honor is...complex, I feel. Even though my father is a living testament on how it should be viewed, but even for gods, it is demanding."

He tapped the table a bit. "Yet besides Honor, we have Duty and Compassion. I feel that....my role as the heir to my clan. How should I say? It's my role to protect my clan, and make us prosper. It' a grave responsibility, but I owe them my service, down to the last peasant."

"Duty and Courage are the virtues most valued by my family," Chizu replied. "Even though I'm not an important heir like yourself, I too am bound by the responsibility to improve the lot of my Clan and family. I suppose that's true for all of us of the samurai class, really. Though, perhaps some feel the weight of Duty more heavily than others." Her eyes hinted at some understanding of the many responsibilities that Genji must be weighed down by.

Yoshitsune Chizu wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:56 pm

"Duty and Courage are the virtues most valued by my family," Chizu replied. "Even though I'm not an important heir like yourself, I too am bound by the responsibility to improve the lot of my Clan and family. I suppose that's true for all of us of the samurai class, really. Though, perhaps some feel the weight of Duty more heavily than others." Her eyes hinted at some understanding of the many responsibilities that Genji must be weighed down by.

Genji smiled. "True, though I try and make room for Compassion as well." He tilted his head. "What about you, what do you like to do?"

"Well, I like plays, and listening to stories," Chizu volunteered. "I like animals. One of the Ki-Rin was doing an animal-themed event this morning, where I got to meet a pretty smart pig. It could do tricks." She smiled as she remembered feeding the piglet.

"I'm learning my way around the other courtly things that people are doing here," she added. "I like talking to people. It seems like you can learn a lot just by talking to different people every day. Oh, and writing to people is good, too! The Game of Letters isn't something I'm used to doing, but it's been unexpectedly fun. Maybe it's something I could bring back home."

Yoshitsune Chizu wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:22 pm

"Well, I like plays, and listening to stories," Chizu volunteered. "I like animals. One of the Ki-Rin was doing an animal-themed event this morning, where I got to meet a pretty smart pig. It could do tricks." She smiled as she remembered feeding the piglet.

"I'm learning my way around the other courtly things that people are doing here," she added. "I like talking to people. It seems like you can learn a lot just by talking to different people every day. Oh, and writing to people is good, too! The Game of Letters isn't something I'm used to doing, but it's been unexpectedly fun. Maybe it's something I could bring back home."

"Oh? I missed that, but sounds lovely. Were there any red pandas?" He seemed quite keen on that, for some reason.

"Plays and stories are interesting. I think we certainly could use more theatre, all over." He nodded enthusiastically. "Hai! This game of letters is a bit new, but I certainly enjoy it. I wrote a few..." Well, a half-dozen, but still. "It could certainly be fun. Father's court can be quite serious, as it ought to be. Still, some lightness would do good, I feel."

Hantei Genji wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:08 am

"Oh? I missed that, but sounds lovely. Were there any red pandas?" He seemed quite keen on that, for some reason.

"There was a red panda," Chizu remembered. "I think one of the Dragon samurai brought it."

Noticing his evident interest, she inquired, "Do you like pandas?"

Yoshitsune Chizu wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:22 am

"There was a red panda," Chizu remembered. "I think one of the Dragon samurai brought it."

Noticing his evident interest, she inquired, "Do you like pandas?"

"Well....I am fascinated by red pandas." He shrugged. "No reason, I just find them cute."

"I really don't know very much about red pandas," Chizu admitted. "Where do they live? The forest, maybe? Have you seen them in the Stag provinces?"

Genji. "Ah...I don't know too much about them either, but they're...cute? Kinda like cats, except not. Oh, and thy pretend to be larger when faced with a thread."

He chuckled at that thought.

"It can be dangerous to 'pretend to be larger'," Chizu said with a small smile. The large Crab obviously hadn't needed this kind of subterfuge. "Sometimes it works, but sometimes your enemy will call your bluff. What does the panda do then, I wonder?"

"Not sure, maybe next time ask them?" His eyes were level with her, their height similar, though he was more of a delicate creature. Still, his eyes seemed to take all of her in.

"Do you use similar tactics in the North?"