I'm sleeping in sorrow

On a day like today, seeing someone who looked like her was not on the list. She was only going out for a walk and happened to see a stall with some pretty jewelry and wanted to take a look. Sakura wasn’t one for wearing jewelry but, she did like to look at all the pretty colors and see what others liked to pick up. Maybe she would grab a bracelet since they were pretty too. Yet, when she heard a gasp, he head lifted with the thought someone must have gotten hurt or something but, instead her eyes landed on someone who… looked like her. Yes the other was much older then herself and even dressed differently but their eyes and hair was similar to herself. Blinking a bit in confusion, she was going to ask the other who she was but the girl started to speak first.

“it’s alright. i mean… i wasn’t startled. surprised yes! i didnt think i would see someone who looks like me but, we may look similiar but its very obvious we are different.”

Giving a smile, she went back to look at the assortments of items before the girl spoke once more. Looking to the item in her hand, Sakura smiled and nodded. “it is very pretty. I think it would suit you very much. Are you going to buy it?” To her it seem like the other was a bit… nervous? awkward? it seems she didn’t know what to do but, with Sakura herself she was doing her best to seem normal. You can bet that if she runs into any of her friends on the island after this she is telling them she met someone who looked like her.

Turning her gaze to the table, Sakura picked up a bracelet and shows the girl as well. “Necklaces aren’t really my thing but, this bracelet is cute. Don’t you think? Oh, i’m being rude. Since we are talking I should properly introduce myself.” Placing the bracelet down, she turned to fully face the other a smile on her face. “Nice to meet you! I’m Sakura. Kinomoto, Sakura.” She figured this was better then just being awkward. This would hopefully make it more comfortable to chat now that names would be known.

She doesn’t know what, exactly, she had been expecting when to happen when the younger girl would take notice of their similarities-- fear and confusion or, perhaps, an onslaught of questions the princess would not be fit to answer-- but the reaction that she does receive causes a great relief to wash over her. She can work with this, pretending that such a situation isn’t far from the norm. The remark causes a smile to tug at her lips, unable to hide it. Similar but different... It’s a simple observation but holds so much weight and truth to it. 

Her tone is considerably softer when she speaks once more, gaze filled with fondness as she smiles back, ❝ Yes... I think you’re right. ❞ Glad for the change of topic to come up so quickly, she shakes her head before gently placing the pendent back down in it’s original spot, ❝ Thank you, but, I’m not too fond of necklaces either, ❞ She presses her fingertips lightly against the choker around her neck, ❝ Rather, I only ever keep this one on so I wouldn’t want to have to swap it out with a new one. ❞

Just as she can feel her guard lowering, an introduction comes up and she noticeably stiffens once more. She doesn’t want to introduce herself by the same name, beyond certain that it would be the one thing to set the other off and fill her with unease and yet it’s incredibly difficult for her to announce herself by anything else. Her true name, the one given to her by her parents, is only known by few and not a single person within this city save for her companions. What’s more is that she’d been taught growing up to keep it to herself, to guard her name and never reveal it to just anybody. Yet this girl, Sakura Kinomoto, isn’t just anybody despite the surname throwing her a bit off. She can’t recall ever coming across a Kinomoto rather as herself or through the memories of her clone. ❝ That’s a very pretty name... ❞ Of course she’s fond of it, she carries the name of her other self with pride until it can be rightfully returned to the correct owner.

❝ Mine is... ❞

        “  i was scared that this oddity would lead to another bout of violence so i’m quite happy to see how fun it seems to be,  especially with all of the planned games.  would you care to lend me your aid in a few of them?  i certainly need it.  ”

 (  @patientprincess​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​      ❤ ‘d     for an event starter   !!  )

❝ Oh... ❞ Sakura trails off for a moment, cheeks flushing when she realizes that she’s been caught in the act of staring at the girl’s appearance. 

❝ Please wait! ❞

Her last intention is to frighten the stranger when she suddenly manifests in front of him from seemingly nowhere, arms outspread in a panic to block him from going any further despite knowing he’d be able to just as easily walk right through her given the ability of her ghost costume.

❝ Um, wait, please...! I’m not a ghost! ❞ The last thing she had expected when wandering into the woods on her own had been to get chased by a stranger and though she had heard mentions of the ghost hunting challenge it had clearly slipped her mind how easily she could’ve been mistaken for one given her choice of costume for the holiday.

The chocolate bar branded with the Ofiuco sticker remains stowed away safely in the otherwise empty grocery bag that hangs off her arm as she tags alongside the boy, quickening her steps to keep up with his pace. Getting paired off together for the scavenger hunt had been a relief on Sakura’s end for he certainly seemed reliable enough and she could only hope that she was doing just as well at holding up her end of the teamwork. 

❝ I wonder where the next candy will be? ❞ She muses aloud, cheerful in the midst of the activity, ❝ I hope we can collect a lot more! ❞

❝ Are you lost? ❞ Lucky enough to be able to rely on her friends within the city to gather a couple of desencsion candies for her, the princess had decided to stand by and wait for them, letting her attention be dragged to the maze in the meantime. Though dark, she had been able to get from the beginning to the end with relative ease all in thanks to being able to simply float right through it and to the middle where the prize lay awaiting. 

❝ A... Picture? ❞ She repeats slowly, tone rather doubtful as she stares at the object in the stranger’s hands in quiet awe, ❝ You can take one with that? Of me? ❞ The latter is added on quickly for clarification. She had certainly never seen such an intriguing piece of technology back in Clow Country and thus was far from used to being approached for such a reason. 

❝ I don’t mind! But... ❞ She trails off, suddenly remembering her current predicament and gestures down to her translucent appearance.

❝ Um... Excuse me... ❞

While it may be wise to mind her own business within the city, the sight of the boy who seemed similar in age asleep on the bench in the park in the late evening had caught her attention rather quickly while she’d been strolling through. And soon, a desperate search for descension candies had now turned into a desperate attempt at waking him up before nightfall. Only able to rely on her voice rather than reaching out to give him a gentle shake due to her ghost costume, her voice rises several octaves as she calls out once more, hoping this time she will be loud enough to do the trick. 

“Princess..?”

“You’re.. see-through.” it’s more concern than it is confusion, but Kurogane can easily chalk it up to Sakura being in the exact same scenario that he’s in. She’s been changed, not only in dress but in her physical form; or in her case, maybe.. lack thereof. Though he had apparently wandered over to an area that was full of ghosts, Kurogane definitely wasn’t expecting Sakura to be one of them.

“.. ‘guess you fit in over here pretty well,” more than him, at the very least. “You’re– fine, right? No one’s hurt you, have they?” 

                                                       ► *:  ( @patientprincess​​​​  )

❝ Oh! Kurogane-san! ❞

Surprise colors her expression, eyes widening momentarily before a sheepish smile settles onto her face, ❝ Um... Yes... Somehow I am. ❞ She had heard plenty of rumors about candy being given out for free on this holiday but apparently everyone had failed to mention that they had such wacky side effects and she had soon found herself second guessing partaking in the customs of the city. Now that the initial shock of her own appearance ❪ or lack thereof ❫ has had time to wear off, she drags her gaze across the other’s appearance, ❝ And you’re... ❞ She practically has to bite down on her tongue to refrain from calling him adorable, knowing fully well that he doesn’t take kindly to such compliments and that Fai will make certain to poke and prod at this sore spot of his for an unforeseen amount of time enough for the both of them to make up for it, ❝ ...Different as well! ❞