recolle | [open]

WHO: Sakura + you; some closed threads in the comments
WHERE: Various locations in Recolle
WHEN: 3/3 and throughout the month
WHAT: Sakura's ready to drive herself into the ground with her new training regimen... also boys are stupid and so are medals.
WARNINGS: None!

I. Medal of Honor (3/3)

[And here she’d hoped to enjoy her first Founder’s Day Parade.

Being called up for the medal is as much a shock to Sakura as to everyone else, and she can hear her poor heart screaming once pushed and beckoned toward the stage. The others are there – her comrades from the tunnels, the real heroes who pulled double duty saving the Mayor and protecting her after she stupidly lost her memory – but then they’re lost in the applause and the spectacle as the crowd cheers.

The obedient smile on her face only barely passes as normal.

And once she’s got her medal? She books it down the stairs, across the pockets of people trying to congratulate her, trying very hard not to lose her temper or her tears in her bad mood, on the hunt for the first opportunity to be rid of the damn thing.

She’d love a medal… but only if she deserves it.]

II. Magecraft

[Her grasp on magic (no, magecraft) is such a fickle thing. Sometimes she’s able to call forth spells only her body seems to know, and other times the power just won’t come to her. An entire afternoon can be dedicated to making one flower move, and only the edges of the leaves will shiver.

It’d be a lot easier if she had a teacher, or at least instructions to follow. But for now she’s lacking in both and so manages the best she can on her own merits, mapping out which emotions offer the best results, or how certain nerves in her body flair to life when ordered.

Most days she practices in the park, settled underneath her favorite tree to take advantage of the sun and air, so passerbys, beware. When she’s having a particularly hard time making her potted flower move and her frustration builds, organic life-forms tend to twitch by accident. Trees shudder, the grass bends. Maybe your leg freezes up or your arm spazzes without permission.

If she knew what was going on, rest assured, she’d at least apologize.]

III. Archery

[Or perhaps you’ll find her with her bow and arrows.

It’ll likely be at the outskirts of the forest if you do find her practicing. Her pink tote bag accompanies her as always, but rather than being filled with her usual art supplies, it's stuffed with towels, bandages, extra arrows, and books on proper archery techniques. If she’s not shooting, she reads, and if she’s not reading, she shoots. Simple as that.

Given what Minato showed her, there's a heavy emphasis on shooting quickly -- as many arrows as she can manage in a span of three seconds. She'll worry about hitting targets later, and ignores how her body aches from being forced to draw back the string in rapid succession. So long as the arrows fly straight, that's a win in her book.

Occasionally she’ll get fancy with her shots (or try to), aiming higher than is advisable. Really, she doesn't know why she bothers when they always get stuck in the tree’s branches. Wonderful. But that’s just another excuse for practice; after she’s done sighing at her bad luck, she’ll place her hand on the tree and… wait? For something?

As if hoping the tree branch will shudder hard enough to dislodge her arrow so she can get back to shooting. If she fails and nothing happens, the girl gives a full-body flop on the ground like she's been shot, and sighs loud enough disrupt her bangs and wake the forest. The struggle.]

IV. Mr. Nice Guy

[But even with the endless parade of practice, practice, practice, Sakura’s still enrolled in college. That comes with its own set of expectations, though it’s not as if she dislikes it. In fact, her drawing classes are one of the few things she can love with her whole heart and not feel guilty for it.

There’s just… a problem. A 5'10" human-shaped problem with oily brown hair and a cocky smile who is always waiting for her outside the art building, and with such punctuality that she could set her watch by his inability to take a hint.

So uh, to your left, is that bush moving? That bush might be moving. And there are definitely pieces of purple hair sticking out every which way as Sakura cranes her head for a better look, just enough to keep an eye on the front door without being seen.

Don’t blow her cover if you see her, okay? Grant her this one favor, friend.]

V. Wildcard

[make your own scenario if you'd like! Or hit me up on ignitible and we can come up with something.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, it wouldn't do if I did that.

[A teasing smile. It's a good balm for her guilt as she hides the uncertainty of if she can keep the promise. She has plans, you see --
goals to reach, ways to improve and better herself. None of that gets accomplished if she's sitting home like a good girl.

But what kind of friend would she be if she didn't extend the effort to try? If it's the best she can truly offer, then it's up to her to hold herself to the standard]

... But you have to be careful, too.

Yes, Ma'am. But if something does happen, I'll have you to take care of me, right?

[She winks.

For all her impulsive, reckless behavior, she hasn't gotten over her head yet. The nonsense these last few months, ever since becoming privy to Retrospec, have certainly been pushing the limits, but can't return to fanfare if she gets hurt.]

...Maybe in a nurse uniform. Yeah, I can picture that.

[Can you hear the record scratch that just played in her head, Soleil?]

-- Huh?!

A nurse--

[NNNNNGH she is going to vibrate straight into the sun]

Yeah! That suits you to a T, right? A cute little cap and a short little uniform.

[Sakura is too cute when she is embarrassed. The temptation to push her luck is too powerful. Soleil is overwhelmed by the little fantasy she is whipping up.]

I get sick or hurt, but then you're there. Gentle Sakura tending to me, my head on your lap...I'm pretty sure I could recover from anything with Nurse Sakura tending to me.

[And a wink.]

S-Soleil-san!

[She is going to put her friend on probation if she keeps this up. Sakura flounders, uncertain what to do with her hands, until finally just lightly pushing at the other girl's shoulder to make her stop talking]

O-of course I'd nurse you back to health, but the outfit isn't necessary!

Oh.

[But Sakura looks amazing in that uniform in Soleil's mind right now? Like, seriously, this picture is pretty great. She would make an argument that it is necessary. It's integral to the healing process.

...Except Soleil is turning red. She rubs the back of her neck.]

...Would you really? Nurse me back to health, I mean?

... Well, of course I would.

[Of everything in this conversation, Sakura thought that would be the most obvious. Why would she leave Soleil wasting away if she could do something about it?]

I'm not a nurse, exactly, but Kaa-san did teach me how to make a good broth. And I'm decent at cleaning, so I'd make sure you'd have comfortable sheets while you were resting.

[GIRL HAS GOT A BATTLE PLAN]

[She has been joking about this, but Sakura admitting she would care for Soleil is a surprise, as well as humbling. She can't help but look nervous.]

Now I feel bad for teasing you so badly. Forget being a nurse. I may just need to make you my wife.

[Wait, what did she just say about feeling bad for teasing Sakura? ]

Really, that's too sweet of you, Sakura. We may have different ways of doing it, but lets keep taking care of each other, okay?

[Y'know what, just bury her in the dirt because she's going to expire at any point, especially if stuff like that keeps passing through Soleil's mouth. Sakura fidgets before blushing hard, throwing her eyes at something neutral, like a pile of rocks near her feet.]

... Okay. I'll be sure to.

[For what it is worth, she didn't mean to embarrass Sakura this time. She just has a natural inclination towards saying embarrassing things, having a maladjusted idea of what is and isn't embarrassing. ]

None of that. Even if you don't think you've earned that medal, you need believe that you will, which means acting like you will.

[She chooses now to bring that up? Pretty sure Sakura is embarrassed for an entirely new and different reason at this point.]

So, keep your head up. Show me that smile. Say it again, with feeling.

[They certainly came full circle. For a moment, Sakura doesn't look anywhere besides her designated spot on the ground, as if she hasn't heard Soleil's challenge.

-- And then, after taking a deep breath, places both hands on her hips and juts out her chin]

Okay! I'll be sure to.

There we go. That's the smile I love.

[She nods. Acting confident doesn't just make the problems go away, but it does make things easier, as though pretending makes it a little real.]

When things get rough, turn that frown upside down and remind yourself that Soleil believes in you.

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