Sakura Kinomoto blushed red as she walked through the academy. Why? Tomoyo had dressed her up in a princess outfit. As it was for princess lessons, after all. And, unfortunately for her, she was EXTRA adorable today.
Which was why, almost every twenty feet, some gaggle of teenage girls would come and glomp the poor child, going on about how 'adorable' or 'cute' she was. As was the life of the little card captor, alas, one she was used to. So, unfortunately, it meant she was about ten minutes late(a testament to how early she had planned to be.)
She knocked on the door, her cheeks burning red and the moment the door opened she bowed her head, hands folded in her lap and holding a small little bag. "H-h-h-hello. I-I'm here for ummm... to try the... lessons?" she said nervously, before standing back up straight.
Sakura Kinomoto nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. Then Tomoyo took a seat near the back, letting out a content sigh as she watched Sakura move.
The young wannabe princess gulped and moved to bow for the woman. "T-t-thank you very much for letting me come. I... I brought gifts. For everything." She put them on the table. Three little bags. Pink, with white hand stitched letters. Haruna, with a flower at the end. Prince, and then one blank one for the teacher. All filled with flower shaped cookies.
She gulped and sat down, on her knees at the table. She looked so tiny and frightened, lightly shaking as she waited for the tea to arrive, so terrified to mess up everything. It didn't help that tomoyo had dressed her up as a princess and now she felt so incredibly silly and out of place.
Sakura Kinomoto nodded, looking down. "S-sorry. I just, ummm, I-I've never met a real princess before and, and you're so pretty and cool a-and you even, ummm, y-you're so nice and umm, ummm..." Her cheeks were burning. She looked to Haruka. Oh dear, she was idolizing the princess now! And then she said that. Even called her a princess. She did a little wiggle in blace, cupping her cheeks in ehr hands. "I-it was nothing, really. Daddy helped me make them." They weren't perfect, in fact some of them were a little burnt. But they were good.
Tomoyo was recording it all, giving a content sigh of her own. "So cute when you're shy, Sakura..."
Sakura Kinomoto blushed and then... "B-but you're all magical and princessy and graceful and pretty and cool and... and you're so many awesome things! you're like... so over normal!" she said matter of factly.
She picked up her tea, gently cupping it in both hands. Odd, she seemed to have a little experience in such matters... though a glance to Tomoyo, who was doing it perfectly as well, might show where she learned such things from. The little wanna-be princess nodded. "Daddy always told me I should always, always try my hardest to thank people who helped me. and... you've helped me twice already. you helped me with the flower card AND when I was almost... in that snow storm. You're just so amazing, Haruka-sempai. You're going to make the most amazing princess of all time..." she gave a soft, content, happy sigh as she imagined that. "D-do you think when you do, I could visit your castle and see it?"
Sakura Kinomoto blinked, nodding. "W-what's wrong with running? I love running... is... is it not princessy?" she asked softly, poking her fingers together. "Wait, two hours? but it tastes so good! You did a great job! I can really taste the princess in it!" she said, then blinked. "Wait, did that sound weird?"
"No, Sakura-chan, you're adorable~"
And then Sakura turned even redder. She then blinked and looked down. "But... but she is putting so much effort into it. I... I can tell. And... and that's what makes Haruka-sempai so amazing. She's trying so, so hard to get everything right that... that I just know she's going to keep trying so hard once she has her people a-and they're going to love her for it and she's going to be the most amazing princess."
Sakura nodded. "A-and you're so good at it. You're so kind and nice and just... so sweet." She gulped. "And... and if you need help. M-my magic is getting stronger, a lot stronger! I might even be able to help you with the kingdom one day. If that's okay..."
Sakura Kinomoto nodded, hanging on every single word. She did occasionally ask questions, too. Well, with permission. She didn't interrupted. She actually politely raised her hands and waited to be called on, listening to every single word and hanging on them.
Occasionally giving Haruka these 'Oh my gosh you're sooooo cooooool' eyes. Meanwhile, Tomoyo was doing the same for Sakura so maybe Tomoyo wasn't the weirdest one. Well, okay, Sakura at least hadn't tried to dress Haruka up, yet. And it was all going so well... until Sakura spilled her tea. And her eyes went wide as it scattered over the table, making her recoil. "I-I'm sorry, I-I can clean it up in a second, I'm so sorry, I-I just..." She looked around desperately for a towel or anything.
Sakura Kinomoto nodded, blushing as she got to it. "Y-yeah. No one's day is ruined. Thank you," she said sheepishly, scrubbing up the mess and relaxing a little bit at their kind words. She smiled soon then... "Wait, you spill your tea?"
She looked stunned! "But... but you're so graceful! And mature! And noble! I can't imagine you ever spilling anything!" Oh my gosh the view she had of Haruka was covered in gold and diamonds.
Sakura Kinomoto blinked, then nodded. "O-oh, right. Sorry. I just, ummm..." She fiddled with the napkin in her lap. "Sorry... I just... I've never met a princess before and... and you're just so awe inspiring." She squirmed in place.
"I-I hope I'm not being... annoying. I-I just have been so nervous. I mean, actual princess lessons. I mean, if Yukito-san heard about these and..." Her cheeks turned so, so red.
Sakura Kinomoto nodded, sighing softly and contently. "I can't believe how lucky I've been. To think I felt like I was just ruining everything releasing those cards. But I've managed to meet so many amazing and spectacular people thanks to them. Sometimes I wonder if that's what was supposed to happen," she said with a sigh. Then blinked.
Could that have been clow's intentions all along? Nahhhhhhh. She very delicately picked up her tea and sipped again, following along with the instructions as best she could. And she was doing a decent job! She'd have made a good princess. A horrible queen. But a good princess.
Sakura Kinomoto blinked a little bit and then... "Well, there's Mara-san, Yuuki-san, Hannah-sempai, Haruna-sempai, Haruka-sempai, Spark-sensai, Jack-sempai, Alexis-san, Naru-san, Caped magician man, Kaeru-chan..." Oh gosh the list went on for like, a minute and a half. How in the world did she keep them all organized?!! "So many awesome magical girls! I hope one day I can be as awesome and amazing as all of you! My magic is geting a lot stronger! And, and Spark-sensai is teaching me how to defend myself in case I get attacked and I even managed to summon an image of one of the cards, well, n-not an image, but make its physical form!"
Sakura Kinomoto shook her head. "no, probably not. Most of them I met when I found the cards. I can still imagine most of their faces when I hold the cards. It's like... each and every one of my friends is their own little star that supports me whenever I have to do anything. Even when it's something scary like fighting or running or dealing with the really, really powerful cards. I just imagined all of the super strong and brave and amazing girls who have been there for me, every step of my journey and... I don't feel scared anymore."
Sakura Kinomoto blinked a few times, then... slowly, the smile faded. "I... I don't know. I'm so happy I've made so many friends and met so many people. But I've destroyed so much, too. Millions and millions of yen have been destroyed, all because of my mistake. People have gotten hurt. I'm sure there were places with insurance but... but even though everything has turned out so good for me... there are still others suffering for it. For my mistake."
She stared into her tea. "Is... it okay to want something like that? To be happy with how things turned out? Knowing that it caused problems for other people?"
Sakura Kinomoto blinked and then lowered her glass, barely getting it down as her hands began to shake. "M-maybe? I mean, I-I've already... forgotten once," she said softly. "According to Haruka-sempai and... and the magician man... I'd done this a year ago. Apparently I was... doing it all then. Trying to get the cards. but... I only started a few weeks ago. And everything... before that is just... gone. Forgotten. As... as if nothing happened. And... And I'm so scared I'll forget it again..." Ohhhh, haruka just hit the right nerve.
Sakura Kinomoto yelped, blushing and looking off to the side. "I... I guess. I just.. I don't... I don't want to forget everyone again. You're all so amazing andd... and I love all of you so much. If I lost again... if... if I lost all of my friends who mean so much to me..." She shook her head, giving her best big girl smile.
"R-right. You're right. I-I need to be strong and brave l-like all the rest of you, right? T-this time I'm sure I'll do it right! and... and won't just be a bother, o-or someone that has to be protected. I'll be strong enough to help you all!"
Sakura Kinomoto nodded, grinning wide. "I... I'll never, ever give up on my dream, no matter what!" she said with a big grin, smiling up at Haruka.
Then her cheeks got a little red and she smiled. "You're an amazing princess... you're so kind and nice and... and give a warm fuzzy feeling inside..."
Sakura Kinomoto blinked a little bit, then squeaked. Her cheeks turned red. "Y-you... you mean I can drink tea like a PRINCESS?" she asked, cupping her cheeks again with wide eyes. Ohhhhh, it was the best thing ever! "I-I can't wait to tell daddy!"
Tomoyo nodded. "Well you've always been very princess-like, Sakura-chan," she said happily, giving her own soft sigh of joy as she watched her friend swoon.