How Green Becomes Wood

"Mass is interesting..." Daizi said as she opened the door and touched the salt, "Many of Catholic, and in their way later Christian, traditions, were adapted from Paganism, because Christianity is a religion which seeks converts, and the best way to convert people from one god to another is to allow them to keep their celebrations and holidays. It's not too different in many ways from right-hand path workings."
 
"That doesn't seem right. That seems like..." He hesitated, searching for the right word as he took off his shoes. "Religious appropriation? Like for culture, but not? Anyway, it was only the one time, and I'm glad of it." He touched the salt as well and went to greet Enkidu.
 
"I used to go to many different religious meetings," Daizi said, stretching and heading into the living room, "I attended Quaker meetings and Catholic Mass, I went to the Jewish Synagogue and Buddhist Temples... And I read every Holy Text I can find. I've even read Dianetics, I want to know how people believe and understand their practices, because I don't believe in the notion there is only one Universal Faith which can be true for all people. It just doesn't make sense that Hinduism would maintain polytheism, but others are monotheistic, and somehow all but one lucky group is simply wrong. It makes me sad, missionaries don't come to our door. I'd be glad to have them in for tea and talk with them, but they never come."

"I am less disappointed they do not come," Dark said mildly.
 
"I didn't know outsiders were allowed into the Synagogue, but then I don't know much about any of them," Alec remarked.

Xander came in from the back with a large strip of leather draped over one shoulder. "How'd it go?"

"Really well! Mama stabbed the instructor," Alec said cheerfully.

Xander glanced at Dark and raised his brow. "Deservedly?"
 
"They are. It's not like a Mormon Temple where you need a Temple Recommend to enter--I'm hoping one day to be able to visit a Mormon Temple when they have an Open-House, it's the only time those without a recommend can see inside, but they're fairly rare, from what I understand--I went with a friend I had at the time. Dark won't let me attend a Scientology meeting."

"I do not want to be on their mailing list for the rest of my life," Dark huffed, "If you have a fake identity and a fake address, then by all means, go, but if you join a cult, I will be truly angry with you." As Daizi promised not to join a cult, Dark looked back at Xander, "Of course it was deserved, the instructor had it coming from whence I first saw them."

"It was an accident!" Daizi protested, "I can't control they moved while I was learning to use a pointy tool."
 
"You stabbed them with a pottery tool because they deserved it?" Xander repeated.

"Exactly!" Alec giggled. "They deserved it!"

Xander looked at Dark. "Any particular reason why?"
 
"She already said: They got on her wrong side. You should not cross her." Dark replied simply, kissing the back of Daizi's hand while she tipped her head back in mild frustration.

"It was an accident, really, and am embarrassed one."

"Shoot, Tarot, you stabbed someone?" Cooger asked, coming into the room with Ivy, "What have we talked about? You gotta quit stabbin' fools."
 
"I suppose I have to keep my skills sharp, just in case," Daizi chuckled, with great effort trying to let it go.

"If you ever get someone good, no jury would convict you," Cooger grinned, handing Ivy over to her parents. "Besides stabbing someone, was it good?"

"I personally enjoyed seeing my wife make someone bleed the most, but I did enjoy the crafting. But I always do." Dark answered easily.
 
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"Never mind what I made, or am making. What did you guys make?" Xander asked. He rolled up the piece of leather he was carrying and set it carefully near the back door, trying to get it high enough that Ivy couldn't reach. It probably wouldn't hut her, but he doubted her chewing on it would be a good thing for her or the leather.

"I made a flower vase!" Alec announced proudly. "It turned out not awful!"
 
"I made a mug, with a handle which should comfortably fit my hand. I carved a death's head moth into it." Dark answered, fairly pleased with his creation and feeling excited to finish it.

"I think I made a vase?" Daizi replied, scratching behind her ear, "I did my best, I tried to make the opening curl, like---" She made an incomprehensible gesture with her hand, "A sea shell, or flower petals. And I tried to put the zodiac into it. I'm not sure how it looks to sighted eyes, but I really tried. I am still curious about what you're making, though."
 
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"The mug sounds good," Xander said, watching Daizi wave her hands. "I bet it'll be useful, too. And we can always use more... seashell vases. It'll really go well with all the other seashell decor we got going on here."

Alec snickered but assured his mother, "I think most of them came out recognizable, but I didn't get a good look. When we get to go back to finish them, I can look then!"
 
"It's not meant to look like a seashell," Daizi did her best to explain, "It's how the lip of a seashell feels. You know? How they're smooth and sort of... fold back, but without a sharp angle. I like how they feel."

"You must be truly disinterested in sharing what you are making," Dark mused, noticing how Xander dodged the question.
 
"Oh, right, I follow," Xander said, nodding. "Like, those flared edges and the like. Those look nice." He glanced at Dark. "I thought it might be nice to talk to the people coming back from their adventures before talking about myself. Besides, Cooger's still waiting to be told how awesome of a babysitter he is."
 
"You're darn right!" Cooger said adamantly, "I've been spending hours taking care of that lil' critter all afternoon. I don't know how y'all do it every day, she's exhausting."

"She is easier than she used to be," Dark replied, kissing Ivy on her forehead before smiling down at her little face, "At least, in some ways. She used to cry every hour or so. Now she just gets into everything because she's able to move."

"And move she does, I look away for a second and she's on the opposite end of the room," Cooger chuckled.

"Soon she'll be walking," Daizi smiled.

"You'll be in real trouble then."

"Maybe," Dark agreed, rubbing Ivy on her back, "but now she seems like she needs a nap."

"And now we've praised him for his babysitting prowess." Daizi grinned.
 
"Well, if I do it right, it'll be a doctor's bag. If I get it wrong and mess up the leather... a pair of dwarven boots," Xander said, frowning at the roll of leather. "If I get it really wrong... Key ring tags or something."
 
"A doctor's bag?" Daizi asked, curiously, "I hadn't realized they had specialty ones. What made you decide to make that?"

"How is it coming?" Dark asked, swaying his torso as his very sleepy baby snuggled her head into the crook of his neck.
 
"It's a commission. Apparently, some guy saw a bag I made - just one of the standard ones, not a commission - that some lady bought, and they thought maybe I could make an MD bag like the old-school ones you'd see in the movies," Xander explained. "I told them I've never made one, but I'm willing to try if they're willing to have a backup gift ready for their graduating doctor buddy. So far, the hardest part has been finding the metal framework."
 
"I wonder if you could ask Lex to help make the metal," Cooger asked, "I don't know what her limits are, really, but I know it's her job, so she ain't like Dark who hates helping."

"I hate being expected to help," Dark corrected, "and I would help Xander, if he needed it, he is within the small community of people I am willing to help." Sighing at the way little fingers curled against his neck, he took a look at his daughter's little face and said, "I am going to lay her down, she is barely hanging onto consciousness."

"My sweet girl..."

"I ain't surprised at how tired she is, given how much she screamed when y'all left. I always forget people so little can be so loud."

"I have no fear she doesn't love us," Daizi sighed, settling down in her favourite spot in the living room, "Xander, if the bag turns out well, you'll have to show it to me, promise? Because I have absolutely no idea what makes a doctor's bag special."
 
"Yeah, sure, I'll show you," Xander agreed. "They're apparently from the 19th century, and the top bit, the metal frame, it folds out to hold the whole bag open so you can see and access everything really easy. I haven't found out much other than that and a billion nearly identical lists of what went into one. Like, I don't care what goes in one! I want to know what the inside is like! Oh, and I found one made out of walrus hide."

"Walrus?" Alec squawked, looking at the roll of leather.

"Relax. This is cow from part of an old sofa," Xander assured him. "I'd have used an old saddle, but I couldn't find a big enough piece."
 
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