The New Winds

The final stretch.

Sakura had brought food and tea for the guards once again, giving them a smile and a bow before she got back to the work. Shaping the last part of the weapon. It was slow going, as Sakura didn't want things to go wrong at the final stage when she was so close....


D7 Hare weaponsmith/Strength+vp. TN20: 7d10o10k4 21

Once again Kenji makes his way to the forge. He didn't have time to visit Sakura yesterday, but he had to go today, after all, Sakuras Project was supposed to be finished today, wasn't it?

He carefully entered the forge. He didn't like to disturb Sakura and Zashi. "Good morning,........ am I here before Zashi-san?" He looked around.
"I need to apologise, i hadn't had the time yesterday to visit you"

Zashi comes in looking dead tired, bags under his eyes and a (metaphorical) droop of the tail. "Good morning Sakura-chAAAAAA" The words trail off into a yawn, Zashi's jaw opening so wide you might think it was about to dislocate. "Is it ready?"

Zashi stumbles into Kenji and pauses. He fumbles slightly, putting a hand at waist level for Sakura...closer to Kenji's rear end.

"Wait, you aren't Sakura-san"

Kenji's head was suddenly deep red. Overwhelmed by the situation he didn't know whether he was angry or ashamed or what he should feel right now. In an attempt to maintain his dignity, he stammered: "Z,... z,.... z,... Zashi-san, Ohayo." Kenji stood there frozen. If it wasn't enough for the Fox that he had already seduced Sakura-san, he now wanted to pounce on Kneji, that lecher!

Zashi blearily opens his eyes. "Oh ohayo to you too Kenji." The Fox stretches and continues on to see Sakura as if nothing had just happened. "So, is it ready?!?"

Sakura jumped when suddenly it got so loud, having been very focused.

"Zashi-kun don't be so.." she started, turning round and looking wide-eyed as Kenji was there, and something was happening between them?

"A-ano..."

Kenji stood there like a pillar of salt. He didn't move a bit and tried to forget what had just happened.

"Huh, guess I should have tried that earlier." Zashi says with an aside glance. "I could have saved myself a whole heap of trouble"

Zashi peers over the tanto. "It's glorious Sakura-chan"

"Ano...what are you two doing" Sakura finally managed to say, looking very worried.

"Huh?" Zashi looks back over at Kenji, now a few feet away. "Oh, Kenji seems to have frozen up a bit."

Kenji still regrets the life choices that led to this event

Sakura looked at them both with a slightly confused expression, but let it go.

"I hope you are well Kenji-san, Zashi-san" Sakura bowed to them both and went back to her weapon, carefully doing the final parts.

"Almost...done..."

Snapping out of his trnace he replied: "I'm well, i'm at my best, i was never as well as i was today"

There was a nod from Sakura who didn't speak. After a few moments she dropped the chisel onto the table, going very still.

"Ano...it's done" she said quietly.

"It is?" Kenji said excited. "Show it, please!"

"Awwww~" Zashi's voice trills in excitement as he peers around to see the finished work.

Sakura turned around, holding the weapon in her hand. The handle was carefully wrapped and in black, with the blade very bright green. The light glistening off the pure Jade that was used to make it.

"Ano...what do you think?"

"It's beautiful Sakura-san!" Kenji exclaimed "This will get you the attention of the Sensei for sure!"

"I think that it's a monument to its creator." Zashi grins, resisting the urge to sweep the girl into his arms. "It's tremendous. I how the amount of work and skill you put in, and it shows every bit"

"Thank you" Sakura beamed a smile to both, bowing deeply "it feels perfectly weighted too. I'm super happy with it!"

She put it away, then turned back to clean the rest of the jade into a bag.

"Ok, onto the next project! I wonder if sensei will let me use sapphires now?"