The New Winds

Sakura had slept through the morning, having been out late the previous night. Not that anyone knew that of course...and it would stay that way damnit!

She finished her food and bathing very quickly, and returned to the forge. The Jade was set and ready to start shaping based on the mould! She was extremely excited about her work, and was happily humming along as she worked. It was coming along extremely well.

(OOC:
D2 Hare weaponsmith/Strength+vp. TN20: 5d10o10k3 34
Roll 2 passed with exceptional success. 2/7 days completed with exceptional success!)

"Oh look, it's a beautiful work of art." This time, Zashi is safe in the corner, outside of the danger zone that Sakura worried about before. "Oooh, and the jade is coming along nicely"

Sakura at least this time was a little more aware and prepared.

"The Jade is coming along nicely. I still have quite a few days ahead of me though" she wiped her brow with the back of her sleeve "I never imagined Jade would be this fiddly. It always looked so sturdy in the statues I saw."

She peered over her shoulder at Zashi, giving him a smile.

"I think the danger work is done for now, you can come a bit closer if you want. Do you like mochi?"

"Mochi?" Zashi lets out a small gasp and zips over to Sakura with a speed belied by short stature. "Oh yes I do! You are my favorite person here!"

Sakura laughed, cleaning her hands quickly before going to her little bag and taking out two small pink mochi. Offering one to Zashi.

"It's strawberry filled. I got it when I stopped in the Imperial City for a little bit, it's so nice!"

"I like seeing you laugh Doji Sakura-san." Zashi's eyes seem to be pleasurably glazed over. "I shall make a point of trying to get more of it out of you."

Zashi's greedy tiny fingers snatch the mochi, holding it up to the light to showcase the small treat better. "I am have seen less impressive works of art. Not from you." Zashi flashes a wink as the mochi is devoured.

"OOoooohhhhhsogoooddd"

"You've only seen like...part of my work. Not even seen the full thing" Sakura said with a shake of her head, smiling at the compliment "and I'll let the store know these mochi are highly recommended! I love them."

She happily nibbled on her own.

"Mmm...so nice."

She looked around the forge.

"It feels like almost nobody used this place before I came here. Seems almost lonely, ne?"

Zashi sits next to Sakura, nudging against her slightly. "I heard a story about a philosopher. In it, he goes to the home of a magistrate and asks to see him. The servant at the door informs him that the magistrate is not home, but that his master would gladly have him if the philospher would wait in the master's study. The philospher waits for hours until the servant returns, ashen faced. The magistrate has been killed in a horse riding accident. The philosopher looks around and muses, "This room's purpose is to be a magistrate's study. Without that man, does it still have that purpose? If the magistrate has been dead for hours, is it still the magistrate's study? And if not, what room have I been sitting in Is it just a set of objects...in space?"

Zashi's playfully nudges Sakura. "Which is why so many people hate hanging around philosophers. But maybe this place takes its meaning when a certain cherry blossom stirs up the embers."

"That poor magistrate. I hope he didn't suffer, nor his horse" Sakura looked saddened by the story, although the nudges made her peek back at Zashi "but maybe...I'm only here for a short time though. What happens when I'm gone?"

"Well, they give out less mochi and the smiths aren't pretty Crane girls who are even shorter than me." Zashi's smile is easier now.

"Other people will give it meaning of one kind or another. I'll just enjoy this while I can."

"I'm shorter than everyone" Sakura giggled, finishing her mochi and wiping her hands on her kimono "but I hope you're right. It kinda feels sad that it'll be left until the next person, maybe we could decorate it so it's more welcoming."

"I know! It makes you stand out in a...well, not in a crowd, because taller people swarm over us, but it makes you unique and special." Zashi reaches over and ruffles the young girl's hair.

"What did you have in mind to decorate it? Maybe make small decorations with the shards of gems that you shave in your crafting?" Zashi's eyes shine at the mention of gems.

Sakura made a small complaining sound as she tried to sort her hair.

"That would be an interesting idea. Maybe I could make little Jade windchimes to hand along the walls with the leftovers" she commented thoughtfully

"See, it's giving back! And I would think that the instructors would approve of using every scrap of what you were given." Zashi looks over thoughtfully. "You could make something to betrothed too?" Zashi phrases the last part as a question, if unsure.

"Not with Jade. If I was to make something for my beloved I'd wait to see what clan he was, then find a gem close to it and make a bracelet inlayed with the gem" Sakura said as she was eying up the Jade she had. She tried to work out how much wastage there would be.

"Hmm...so a Scorpion would perhaps be a garnet, while a phoenix a ruby? What would a Fox be?" Zashi offers a quick grin. He had a feeling what the response would be, something sinking in his belly

"Hmm...maybe a Quartz? You can get Quartz in brown, called smoky Quartz. It looks really pretty like that" Sakura offered "never worked with Quartz though, so not sure how easy they are to work with. How does that sound?"

"Is that an offer to be your beloved?" Zashi's eyes twinkle, though the odds of a "yes" are extremely low. The Fox waits for a pause, curious to see if Sakura is flustered. "It's alright, I know it's not that easy. He will be a lucky one, whoever he is."

"Huh? I'm marrying a Fox?" Sakura was just confused "I don't understand. Can Zashi-san see the future?"

"I'm seeing how the idea of you being my wife makes you feel Sakura-san." Zashi's smile is gentle, tone joking. "After all, you said you would make a piece of jewelry for your betrothed."