"Not first hand yet, no." He continued petting the bird, confident now that he won't be eviscerated. At least not unless Hishoki would command it. "I did learn that your planet is most costly aligned with Chikushuudo, which makes sense, considering the wonders of this place, and Sakkaku. This latter intrigues me." He smiled. "It does not seem as obvious at first glance to me."

"That does make sense." she nodded. "There is a local sect who reveres the Gilded King of the Woods, a spirit of the planet. Have you heard of anything like that?"

"I've...heard a few things." Joo was unsure to mention what he heard from Mumei. "That sounds like an interesting spirit. Is he an elemental kami, or?" The ever scholar started poking.

"I'm not sure." she admitted. "The way he was described sounded like something more, but I'm not very knowledgeable in the way of spirits."

Joo simply nodded. "Well, perhaps I can pay a visit sometime." He smiled. "I'm always interested in local traditions." He turned his eyes towards the bird again.

"Magnificent animals. You spend much time with them?"

"Not since my training began, but I was surrounded by them throughout most of my childhood." she answered. "Would you like to try riding?"

Joo visibly perked up. "If I can? I have some experience riding the bugs back at home on Kuwagata, but I haven't ridden a bird before."

He seemed positively giddy at the thought. "Ano, Shiba-san, have you been off planet before?"

"You should do fairly well then." She gestured for him to mount the otori while she kept it calm. "I have not. Not yet."

Joo deftly mounted over, taking some time to find the right places on the saddle. "Ah, I see." He took some time in balancing himself. "If you could go, where would you wish to go?"

"Honestly, I don't know." she shrugged. "I usually say Ujimitsu. But, that's because I hear more stories about Phoenix worlds than any others. What would you recommend?"

With a parting pat of reassurance she stepped back from the otori, so that Joo-Woo could ride.

"Oh? Ujimitsu sounds fine." He smiled and felt at home on the bird. He gently indicated with his knees to the bird that he wanted to go somewhere. It migh even listen!

"I am partial, but I am fan of Kuwagata. It is a beautiful planet with wonderful wildlife. Hallow is..."he shuddered briefly. "Special, in its own way. Haven't spent much time on other planets or places myself. Sometime in space, during my training."

"I imagine that would be one of the more enjoyable aspects of space travel." she mused. "The possibility of visiting new planets."

Joo "trotted" with the bird he was lent, feeoing things out. "Hai, certanly. It is a unique experience, unlike anything else." He smiled fondly. "At least if you don't have Father distract you with all the technical details."

"Does that happen to you often?"

Joo thought briefly, then nodded. "Hai. My fathers are too brilliant for their own good sometimes."

"Sounds a bit like my mother." she smiled. "She's always telling us about new discoveries in the forests, fungal variations, spore counts, mutations, and on and on."

Joo laughed. "Hai, seems quite similar. Us? You have siblings?"

"A twin sister." she nodded. "She's the real otori expert. While I've had my eyes on the stars, she's watched the forests."

"Oh, a twin? How auspicious. Well, you also seem to be quite the expert yourself Shiba-san, at least compared to myself." He seemed reasonably comfortable on top of an alien bird, but there was still some..tension as he guided it. "You seem to be quite the couple then, complimenting one and another."

"We've always been there for each other." she nodded. "Even when I came to the city for training, we could visit one another at any time. Being so far away from her will be the hardest part of leaving Asakaze."