Of Snowflakes and Eternal Beauty
It was near the end of the year, and snow had begun to fall. Having never seen snow before, his doll was very much excited and curious at the strange white flakes that came from the sky.
"How pretty they are!" She praised. "But they are fleeting…" Her jade green eyes followed the trail of a particular snowflake close to the window, with it finally landing and melting on the cobblestone street.
"That is why they are sad," Sasori told her as he wiped his desk. "And therefore, I do not like to watch them. True beauty is eternal. But you may watch them as you please, little doll."
Her silence made him turn to look, and something sank in him at the sight of her in despair. "What is wrong, love?" He hurried to her and scooped her to his chest, cradling her.
"Then I am not beautiful," She began to weep little tears of porcelain dust. "Because I am not eternal! Perhaps I shall melt away too, like that snowflake."
Sasori let out a relieved laugh. "Of course you are. You are not made of snow, you are made of porcelain. Of course you are beautiful, little doll."
She had stopped weeping, but she was silent for a while. "Are names eternal?" She finally asked.
"They are if we remember them, little doll." Sasori answered.
"Then I should like to have a name."
And Sasori thought to himself of the most beautiful flowers in the world, of which gave him inspiration for her lovely pink hair, and said, "Sakura will be your name.", without even once thinking of the lifespan of the flower, and how tragically short it was.
"Sakura," Sakura approved. "It is a lovely name, and it will be mine." And then she gave a peal of laughter that, although unheard by her beloved toymaker, seemed tinged with a hint of sorrow. And when she began to dance, although unseen by her beloved toymaker, each step seemed to be followed by a certain emptiness…