Kyuden Shika

"Well fortunately you just have to pick basic baby names in the future, the kids name themselves when they become adults", he said with a nervous laugh, and looked away slightly.

"Ahem", he coughed. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind playing some Go with me and perhaps reading my fortune...that is if you're allowed to. I don't know if your skill is restricted use for Imperials."

"Hah... yeah... having kids..." The chuckle they gave was pained and awkward.

"Yeah, I don't know on the Go. I'm not good at it at all, so this would be more you just winning over and over again. The duckling could play you though. And sure, I could read it if you wanted? Seems a bit out of the blue though." With that said, they set the duckling on the table.

"Do you really care about losing that much?" He asked in a clearly teasing voice.

"You know how prideful I am. Another blow to it could leave me devastated for days, especially after that performance I gave earlier with Bayushi-san... Fortunes I was really hoping that he would've been a tad bit of a better singer, but I've got no room to talk really."

He shrugged. "Harmony is difficult with untrained performers, it has to be very natural in that case...was there someone you'd have rather performed with?" he asked. "No insult to Bayushi-san, he comes from a very capable line."

"Looking back on it, I wish I just hadn't done it at all. I did well enough, but.." They shrugged. "But it was terrible all around. All I've done is lose in these things and it's like, there's only so much failure that someone can deal with, you know?"

"Despite any success I've had here, I can assure you, I cannot agree with you more", he said. "Prior to coming here my usual awards for performance involved cleaning stables. Maybe I've gotten so used to being told I was bad I didn't know if I was any good, but experience says I will suffer greatly by the end of this."

"I doubt you're as bad as you say you are. If you were, you would've just been a stable boy. Instead, you're a big tough warrior, you know." They smiled softly. "Speaking of being a big tough warrior, would you like to spare again sometime soon? I think I've learned a small bit."

"I'll be at the dojo early tomorrow", he said with a nod. "By the way, your cousin paid a visit. She was as cheerful as i recall."

"Oh, Lui-chan? What happened between you two eh? She is pretty cheerful though, once you understand her type of humor." When the tea came, they took a long sip. "She didn't kick you in the dick, did she?"