Open

[imaginex]

WHO: Sakura Matou + You
WHERE: All around, but notable places being the park and an animal shelter
WHEN: Late October
WHAT: Fevers are kind to no one, please don't look at those drawings, and thank the lord for kittens
WARNINGS: Nothing, but will update as necessary


I. Just Walk it off

[At first, she blamed it on the lack of sleep. Stressing over the fog was never going to do her any favors, either. Illness is perfectly natural under these conditions, but now a week has passed, and what she assumes to be a fever follows after her with more tenacity than the neighborhood ghosts. Sakura has tried every concoction and dubious family recipe that has promised results short of sending her to the hospital, but at this point it's gotten ridiculous and she's better served pretending nothing is wrong.

So that's exactly what she does. Grocery shopping, running errands, hitting up a local costume store, or just falling asleep at a local cafe - it's the daily routine of one Sakura Tohsaka, so pay no attention to her concernedly flushed face or that she is constantly in danger of running into things.

... Like you, for instance.]

しまった-- Ah, I'm really sorry about that!

[Just gonna pick up everything that fell out of her tote bag: a large bell, black paint, ribbons, devil horns... and a little automated device that goes "MOOO" when it bounces on the ground.]

II. Wind Shenanigans

[Sick or no, there isn't a force on earth that will keep Sakura from heading to the park so she can get some daily drawing finished. The spring semester is right around the corner, and she's got a portfolio to complete if she wants to attend Recollé U.

Luckily the fog is relatively light this early afternoon, pushed aside by a heavy breeze. It's unlikely she'll see anymore demonic figments of her memories, so she settles against a nearby tree, pulls out her sketchbook, and--

And the wind promptly snatches five loose pieces out of her tote bag, scattering them in all directions. Because of course it did. Cue her leaping to her feet and yelling in Japanese as she tries to chase down those drawings, oh God, she can't verify any of them work safe--

One of them ends up being snagged out of the air by a tree branch, and that's the first one Sakura heads for. She's got this, she climbed trees all the time in her youth. It probably looks strange for a girl in a skirt to be scaling one, but hey, stranger, if you've got time to stare, you've got time to help her down when she gets stuck.]

III. Welcome to Hell-nyaa (=^-ω-^=)

[You know what cures a bad mood? Kittens, that's what.

And seeing as she's been meaning to take a trip to one of the local shelters anyway, this seems the perfect time for it. More than ever, she can't stand being in an apartment by herself. She might be eighteen, but Sakura is painfully aware how she'll judge herself with no one else to do the leg work, so maybe a companion will quell that part of her...? Who even knows.

The shelter she picks is a bit of a zoo, pun not intended. One look speaks for how understaffed the place is, but the volunteers are sweet and nod her in the direction of the cats, who stare at her from inside the cages, some eyeing her with feline vanity while others immediately walk up to inspect her. A few even lick her fingers when she wiggles them near their noses.

So this is how she dies. Caught in indecision and already embracing her newfound future as a cat lady. Someone send help or she'll be here all day]

IV. Wildcard

[Y'know, if I forgot a thread we were supposed to do or you have an idea you wanna throw at me. +_+]

Comments

iii

[me_matey]

Need some help, there, kitty pryde? -May didn't really advertise it, but she was somewhat of a regular at the shelters too. Hell, back when she could do so, she was even a regular donator. Every now and again she'd still bring by food and other supplies, though the staff knew it was best not to ask where she got it...-

[imaginex]

[After being stuck in one of May's nightmares? One day Sakura was going sit her friend down and have an honest talk about her finances, because what the actual fuck girl.

But today was not that day. No, it was kitten day, and Sakura turned to her with bright, happy eyes... despite having no idea who kitty pryde was]

Do you work here, May-san? I was just stopping by and couldn't resist seeing some of the cats...

[me_matey]

Nope! I just stop by regularly to check on the little bitties. I've got a big heart, you know. -A playful wink.-

[imaginex]

Oh I'm sure.

Do you own any yourself?

[Honestly curious since she'd think regular visits would almost be as good as owning your own bitties]

ii

[sketchythief]

[ He's been needing fresh air for a while, so he's been going for walks before the fog hits hard. This is why he ends up at the park and ends up witnessing papers fly in all directions. Luckily(?), one flew towards him, so he'll pick that up. He doesn't look at the contents because his main focus is to run over to Sakura to help her out. ]

Um... excuse me...

[ Daisuke recognizes her from seeing her profile picture on Retrospec. He holds up the paper he got in her direction. ]

This is yours, right? And... please be careful.

[imaginex]

-- D-don't look at it, okay?

[She vaguely recognizes Daisuke's likeness from their conversation on retrospec, and oh god, how old is he again? She'd be mortified if she weren't busy clinging to the tree like a cat who forgot how to climb down. And she hasn't even retrieved the stubborn piece of paper a foot away.]

And I'll be fine! This is... it's okay.

[Wow, that sure sounds convincing.]

Just give me a second, I'll be down after I-- [She doesn't even bother to finish, gritting her teeth and forcing herself to move, bit by bit until one of her arms is within reaching distance of the drawing. PLEASE HOLD, she's got this (maybe)]

[sketchythief]

[ He may be shorter than the average guy, but he is mostly a healthy high school senior!! That's what he would have said anyway. ]

I won't look at it. [ He lowers his arm and looks around. He grabs a small twig and puts it on the paper after he puts it on the ground for it to act as a paperweight. Hopefully the wind won't blow it off again. ]

Um... I can help you get it! It looks kinda dangerous from here.

[ He's suddenly anxious just from watching her. ]

[imaginex]

[Oh hey, that's actually smart. Good work there with the rock! She'd clap if her hands weren't busy, but even if they were free, a burst of wind (thankfully not enough to dislodge the papers) startles her into freezing. Her long hair streams out like a banner.]

N-no, really! I'm sure I'll be fine.

[She has no shortage of stubbornness apparently. It's to her determent and her favor today, as once the wind settles down, she's looking toward the paper with renewed determination. And--

And she grabs it. VICTORY]

Ah, see? Just took a little timing, that's all!

I

[digthefuzz]

[Kurt himself was just on his way to a store on a day off from class. He was moving in a bit of a hurry, to try to avoid any more weird or scary surprises lurking around the city, so he's not completely blameless when he stumbles into Sakura. He steps back a moment as he rights himself.]

Whoa! [But after a moment of surprise, he's quick to raise his hands and try to look reassuring.] Oh- Sakura! Hey, hey, it's my bad. It's okay. You don't have to-

[Then he blinks as he notices the items that have fallen on the floor. His eyes focus on the small device, which manages to bounce on the floor several times, letting out stray 'moo's in the process.]

...Don't have a cow, man?

[imaginex]

[Sakura's english is meticulous in the way a second-language learners sometimes are, but she couldn't pun to save her life. At Kurt's comment, her head tips to the side in wonder]

Oh no, it's not a real cow!

[As he... can see... very obviously.]

It's part of my costume.

[digthefuzz]

[He gives a reassuring laugh.]

I was starting to suspect it wasn't a real cow! [He walks over towards th fallen items and bends over to try to pick them up.]

It's a costume, though? Whoa, is this what you'll be rocking on Halloween?

[imaginex]

Yes! A friend of mine gave me the idea.

[Or more specifically, he sounded surprised by the idea of anyone wanting to be a cow for Halloween, and Sakura took that as all the more reason to impress the world with her DIY skills.]

Nothing too fancy -- I'm only going to paint a shirt with the spots. Then I'll paint the horns, make the ears, and glue the bell onto one of the ribbons.

[She put a lot of thought into this.]

II, if double me is alright!

[falsepretentious]

[Byakuya simply happened to be on his own walk through the park. He found i peaceful, and sometimes it helped him to think.

But he happens to notice something else nearby: a familiar-looking person scaling a tree. Byakuya folds his arms and steps up closer to the tree, without looking directly at her. Rather, he sighs.]

What on earth are you doing?

yeeees this is good

[imaginex]

[No, please don't judge her. Sakura visibly wilts while clinging to one of the sturdier tree branches]

I... I'm climbing a tree.

[Obviously. Though she's quick to amend:]

Some of my papers scattered and one's up here, so I thought I could... reach it.

[And it is within reaching distance, okay! Sakura isn't afraid of heights, either. It's just to her dismay that she's only realized how out of practice she was after climbing within injury-distance, should she slip]

[falsepretentious]

[Whoops, he may just be feeling judgement anyway. Byakuya softly shakes his head - glancing towards her just to make sure things aren't too perilous for her at the moment.]

It sounds like your paper made quite the escape. [But it makes sense, considering that he felt the strength of the wind not long ago. Because of her wording, he goes on-]

And is reality aligning with those thoughts of yours?

[megabond]

[As he promised, Augustine was at the shelter helping out the animals and other volunteers as always. Eventually, he notices Sakura playing with some kittens around her."

Can I help you?

[imaginex]

Yes, actually!

[Having recognized him from their retrospec conversation (thank god for those userpics) Sakura gives a formal bow at first, old habit and all. Afterward she straightens and rocks eagerly on her heels]

I decided I really do want to adopt a kitten.

[megabond]

[Hearing her decision, he smiled as he pets some of the kittens around Sakura.]

That's good to hear. And I did remember you want a black kitten, correct?

closed to Yu

[imaginex]

[In a moment of insight (or perhaps just impulse), Sakura realizes she's made a mistake. With the number of hours she works, plus the threat of school looming just over the horizon, it'd be a terrible idea to have a kitten in her apartment. The poor little thing would be all by its lonesome, waiting for her to come home.

Obvious solution then? Get another one. It'll require dipping into money she absolutely doesn't want to touch, but the need is great, and her brand new kitten deserves a playmate.

And naturally, this will need a... professional touch. There's only one person she knows who's that cat crazy, and hence the reason she's waiting by a pet store for Yu to show up.]

ii

[vitis]

[ john's managed to collect only two of these stray papers; he's yet to look at any, more distracted with the process itself. what's especially distracting, however, is... the rustling of someone in a tree. and looking up (thankfully, he doesn't see anything potentially compromising), that sure is sakura.

his surprise only lasts a second or so before it abates to a smile. ]

Yo! [ waving with his freehand. ] How's the view from up there?

[imaginex]

-- Great!

[Faaaaaantastic. That's why she's got a death grip on the bark while she makes slow and nervous progress towards a piece of paper swaying mockingly in the wind, punctured by a tree branch.]

Um-- how are you?

[Adding some chirp to her voice like this is a perfectly acceptable way to have a conversation.]

[vitis]

I'm good! Just got off'a work, it's nice to come down for a stroll here.

[ ... he actually does think she's doing that for like. fun or something, ffs. climbing trees is fun. or she just really cares about the environment, like him, and goodness forbid there be some trash(?) in a tree. ]

[ oh— wait. ]

[ probably not trash. john looks at the paper's more properly, putting two and two together. ]

These yours?

ii

[gudaguda]

Tohsaka-san...

[ says Sakura as she watches this entire shenanigan happen. Normally she trains with her sword at the park and usually she wouldn't pay no mind if it weren't for the fact that she nearly slashed one of the papers in half until she realised it was just paper.

Instead she picks up two of them, holding them in her hand as she walks over to the tree. ]

[imaginex]

[Sakura is certainly doing a Thing right now. Sorry Fujiwara-san. It's a miracle she managed to climb as high as she has unsupervised, but then again, the cause is great. She's been working hard on her portfolio and isn't about to remake these sketches if she doesn't have to...!

From her vantage point, she's able to spot the other girl's approach, flashing her a stressed but kind smile]

Ah, hello Fujiwara-san!

[gudaguda]

Tohsaka-san...

[ She repeated, the worry in her voice definitely more apparent. ]

Are you... okay?

[ And that's followed up with her holding the sketches she caught up in her general direction. ]

I'll hold on to these until you get down...