[D5 EE] A Wittle Whittling

[Shiba Jiro]

Jiro sat at one of the tables of the inn, staring down his piece of fine maple. His woodworking tools lay on the unwrapped canvas kit next to it. He seemed to be intently considering what to do with it.

What do you want to be, my friend.

[Suzume Rin]

Jiro sat at one of the tables of the inn, staring down his piece of fine maple. His woodworking tools lay on the unwrapped canvas kit next to it. He seemed to be intently considering what to do with it.

What do you want to be, my friend.

There's a shuffle of feet behind Jiro and a polite cough.

"Umm....Shiba Jiro-sama?"
Rin had politely approached the table, protectively holding several sheets of paper.

[Shiba Jiro]

He turned to look at the Sparrow and then smiled and nodded. "That is me. And you are Suzume Rin I believe?"

He indicates a seat near him at the table. "Please join me if you wish."

[Suzume Rin]

He turned to look at the Sparrow and then smiled and nodded. "That is me. And you are Suzume Rin I believe?"

He indicates a seat near him at the table. "Please join me if you wish."

"Oh uh, yeah."
Rin was already about to ask if she could join and instead ends up with another
"Uh...yeah! That's very kind of you Shiba-sama, I just hope I'm not interrupting is all."

She sits down near the Shiba, looking over his materials with interest.

[Shiba Jiro]

"Not at all. Part of my school's training is teaching how to maintain conversation while creating. It allows us to help guide understanding of what we are making," he says as he turns the piece of wood on the table.

"What do you have there?" he asks in reference to the paper.

[Suzume Rin]

"Not at all. Part of my school's training is teaching how to maintain conversation while creating. It allows us to help guide understanding of what we are making," he says as he turns the piece of wood on the table.

"What do you have there?" he asks in reference to the paper.

"Oh wow, they actually train you to do that? I have trouble patting my head and rubbing my stomach at the same time."

Rin carefully slides over a piece of paper
"Well, I saw they had mulberry bushes in the forest, so I went and gathered some bark. Then it was a couple days of turning it into paper, had to ask a few folk in the town for help since you need facilities and ingredients to do it right. But all the hemin here were so eager to help and now here we are."
A little hesitant

"I'm thinking of writing up a geneology of Kakita Josuke-sama as a gift. Figure he'll probably like it...or at least not dislike it."

[Shiba Jiro]

"I think that would be lovely. Have you done any research into hi family history? Are there any shared ancestors or ties to the Sparrow you might emphasize to personalize the gift?" he asks.

[Suzume Rin]

"I think that would be lovely. Have you done any research into hi family history? Are there any shared ancestors or ties to the Sparrow you might emphasize to personalize the gift?" he asks.

Looking impressed.
"You figured it out pretty much right away Shiba-sama, gosh you're good at this. I went to the Kakita Library and made sure to memorise his history, least as far back as I could tell. He had an ancestor way back who actually did join the Sparrow, I just ain't sure how to bring it up. If I make a big deal about it then the gift's not about him, it's about me. But if I don't bring it up people might not notice."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Perhaps you could share that ancestor's story? Did the record have anything to say about their reasoning or accomplishments?" he asks.

"If they did something noteworthy for the Sparrow you could make it a gift of appreciation from you to his family."

[Suzume Rin]

"Perhaps you could share that ancestor's story? Did the record have anything to say about their reasoning or accomplishments?" he asks.

"If they did something noteworthy for the Sparrow you could make it a gift of appreciation from you to his family."

"Now that's a thought...'cause that way it's a thank you from us but still implies the link."
Bowing her head.
"I reckon that's what I'll do Jiro-sama!"
Curious
"And what are you planning for your project? If I can ask?"

[Shiba Jiro]

"I will likely create something that he can display for the season, that will get packed away or regifted eventually. I was picturing a sculpture of a crane and phoenix intertwined in flight," he explains.

[Suzume Rin]

"I will likely create something that he can display for the season, that will get packed away or regifted eventually. I was picturing a sculpture of a crane and phoenix intertwined in flight," he explains.

Rin nods, imagining the wood being carved into several elaborate endpoints
"That's way about anything I might be able to do, I bet the Crane will be very impressed when you gift it to 'em. Imagine that, getting art from a Shiba Artisan."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Well, if you are interested, we could actually give each other a hand. Cooperative art tends to have a bit more soul to it in my experience."

[Suzume Rin]

"Well, if you are interested, we could actually give each other a hand. Cooperative art tends to have a bit more soul to it in my experience."

"OH! I mean, I really enjoying doing that Shiba-sama...you sure I won't mess it up though? I'd feel terrible if it's this beautiful piece and then one of the birds has this goofy face."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Don't worry about that. If you don't like the way it turns out we can turn it into a burnt offering then I'll go out and find another piece of wood," he says with a chuckle.

"No problem that perseverance can't fix."

[Suzume Rin]

"Don't worry about that. If you don't like the way it turns out we can turn it into a burnt offering then I'll go out and find another piece of wood," he says with a chuckle.

"No problem that perseverance can't fix."

"Shiba-sama is real kind...hope it don't come to that. I'm gonna try and be the best...carving...helper could want."
Rin pushes back her voluminous sleeves to demonstrate.

[Shiba Jiro]

He puts in the effort and does his best, as much as he is able, but he fails to meet the standard he is aiming for. Even with the assistance of the sparrow. He sighs as he looks on the piece that had something jus slightly off.

"Nope. Going to have to try again," he says. "That is too bad."

He slides the piece away and turns to Rin. "Perhaps the fortunes will favor our work on yours."

D5 EE, Making Gift for Host, Void Point, Assistance from Suzume Rin, Aiming for Resplendent TN 3 | TN: 3 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2

Failed, opps offset strife

[Suzume Rin]

He puts in the effort and does his best, as much as he is able, but he fails to meet the standard he is aiming for. Even with the assistance of the sparrow. He sighs as he looks on the piece that had something jus slightly off.

"Nope. Going to have to try again," he says. "That is too bad."

He slides the piece away and turns to Rin. "Perhaps the fortunes will favor our work on yours."

D5 EE, Making Gift for Host, Void Point, Assistance from Suzume Rin, Aiming for Resplendent TN 3 | TN: 3 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2

Failed, opps offset strife

"I'm so sorry Shiba-sama. It was all my fault. Your standards are just so high."
Determinedly
"But we'll just have to do even better next time!"

Ring sets her sights a bit lower for her own gift and working in quiet harmony with Jiro, the two are able to create a very credible geneology

Day 5 EE, To Get the Perfect Gift

Void/Aesthetics, TN 2, skilled assist from Shiba Jiro | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2


((Spend an op to reduce the TN of my next check using the item if that ever comes up))

"Well hey, look at that! Pretty good work if I say so myself."

[Shiba Jiro]

"It's alright Suzume-san."

He looks over the Sparrow's gift and smiles. "I am sure that Doji-sama will greatly appreciate this. You have done well."

[Suzume Rin]

"It's alright Suzume-san."

He looks over the Sparrow's gift and smiles. "I am sure that Doji-sama will greatly appreciate this. You have done well."

"Only with your support Shiba-sama, join effort."
Still, she's clearly very pleased with the work
"Now I can tell my folks I worked with a real artisan from the north on some real art. Oh they ain't gonna believe this, I promise I'll tell the best story about you."