A Flower's Birthday:
"Ma istal quet' Eldarin?" The white man asked as he pointed his staff at a downed tree. It levitated slowly out of the dirt and floated further away until coming to rest beside another.
Sakura eagerly scampered over to the freshly cleared space and began planting little acorns, making sure to give them each a fair bit of space from one another. Meanwhile, she mulled over the words before finally offering, "Can you speak Elvish?" She received a nod as her answer, prompting her to try her own phrase. "Ná, astan quet' Eldarin."
The man raised one finger. "Istan, but otherwise correct." Sakura's shoulders slumped a little, then they received a comforting pat. "Now now, your pronunciation has improved tremendously. Even the vowels are nearly perfect." She pursed her lips at the "nearly" part; though not nearly as bad as her sister, Sakura Tohsaka had nonetheless inherited her family's perfectionist streak.
But as she'd come to learn over the course of her dreams, her teacher wasn't one to let her dwell on her failures. "Let's try another phrase, one a little harder: Melin tirië hendutya sílalë yá lalat."
The white-haired girl hummed, still burying acorns as she mulled each word over. The physical action helped her steady her thoughts. "I love… peering-no, seeing… eyes, your eyes… shine…" She tapped a finger against her lips, accidentally smudging a little dirt there. "…I love seeing your eyes shine when you laugh."
The white man knelt beside her, rubbing the dirt away with a proud smile. "Very good, yelya."
Sakura was surer about that one. "That means 'dear girl,' right?"
"Yes, but that one wasn't a test." A deep, hearty chuckle rang out in the forest as Sakura's cheeks flushed. Soon, the little girl couldn't help but join in with her own giggles; no matter how sad or exhausting her days were, even if Big Sister had been in a bad mood because of Father Kirei loitering about or Mother was too busy for time with them… One smile, one laugh from this old man in white, and Sakura felt like all of her troubles would wash away.
It had been a few months since she had first met him, but every night between then and now, her dreams had led her here to this dreary old forest. Of course, it wasn't quite so dreary anymore thanks to the soul living in it. A decent part of the trees had been upturned, the dead grass and nasty moss burned away to make room for fresh seeds. Some of this process happened while Sakura was here, other times the old man did by himself when she was awake. "I must occupy myself somehow," he would say when she asked.
While he certainly had more to show with his efforts than she did, Sakura gave her all in helping him any way she could. This was her dream, after all, making it her responsibility, and thinking of this sweet old man sitting alone in a dead, depressing place made her heart ache.
He had happily accepted what help she could offer, and the progress under his guidance was recognizable. The soil looked healthier, and the two had unearthed a spring of clean water about three weeks ago, meaning fresh grass was already growing. There was still a lot of work to do, of course: Most of the forest was still in the same state as before, including… that area. The white man had tried to venture there, but it seemed to… bar him. Sakura had seen with her own eyes how he made to walk towards it only to be stopped by some invisible wall or Bounded Field. Even his magic seemed unable to dispel whatever it was.
But he hadn't let that deter him or Sakura's mood sink too much. "One step at a time," he would say. Any other person, and Sakura might've considered such an answer a sign of laziness. But she couldn't help but feel in relief how a few more centimeters were cleaned by the time she had to leave again.
Another benefit from her time with the old man was learning about magic. Magic different from the magecraft Rin was busying herself with, though; Sakura had therefore refrained from telling her about her dreams and lessons. Who knew what she would say about all of this what felt like it belonged in a fairy tale?
The magic the old man was teaching Sakura had nothing to do with Magic Circuits. Instead, it revolved around a language he was teaching her. Quenya, as he explained, was used by Elves (sometimes, Sakura couldn't help but wonder how her mentor's amnesia worked) both for communication and casting spells. "All words carry meaning," he had explained to her in their first lesson. "Using them is a means of conveying intent. And magic is at its simplest a way of enacting one's intent upon the world around them."
He had then taught her the Quenya alphabet, followed by basic words and phrases. As a Tohsaka, Sakura was raised to take all studies seriously, but she particularly enjoyed learning this new language. Even putting magic aside, Quenya was something she alone knew in the waking world, and it was another way for her to communicate with the old man.
It was just so different from Japanese; the first time she tried saying the words, she kept stumbling over every syllable like it was a bunch of tongue-twisters. Sakura should've been frustrated, but she had just laughed alongside the man in white and tried again. And the more she tried, the easier it became. Now it was like just switching her tongue from one road to another. Like… she was meant to speak Quenya.
She was learning to cast spells too, though. "Kal mime pata ar lauca mime hon." She could still remember the first little ball of light she had conjured in her hands and the way it illuminated the pride in her friend's eyes.
Sakura sealed up the holes where she'd planted the seeds, giving the soil a good pat before stepping up. As she walked over to where some water was flowing through, she looked at the man in white. "Any luck in remembering your name?"
"I'm afraid not," he admitted while he cleared away some dead branches. "The closer I seem to recall it, the further it slips out of reach. And that is not the only gap in my memory. I can remember all of Quenya and how to cast magic, but I have no memory of how I know these things. My recollections seem to begin and end with my presence in this forest."
Sakura nodded, sympathy flaring up for him again. "I've still got gaps in my memories, too. I know I was in the Matou family for a year and that I really didn't like being with them, but that's it." She rinsed her hands in the water with a frown. "I can't remember anything specific, just bits and pieces. A… voice, a dark one. I still hear that from time to time." She slapped her reflection before turning away. It was so frustrating sometimes. Sakura couldn't help but feel like a part of her was missing.
The man in white, though, seemed to take it all in stride. "Doesn't this… amnesia bother you?" She finally asked him.
He offered her a shrug. "It does. I often wonder who I might've been before… If I am meant to perform another task."
The latter suggestion made Sakura shiver. If he really was needed elsewhere and remembered that… He would have to leave. She knew he'd be a big help no matter where he went or who needed him. The proof for that could be found in a budding purple flower by her feet. "Then… how are you so relaxed about something like that?"
"Because what I do remember is meeting you, Sakura." She stared up in shock at the smiling old man. "And until I remember otherwise, what I know is enough."
There was a second message in those blue eyes of his, one he needn't say aloud: I am not leaving you just yet.
Sakura relaxed, her own smile returning. Her eyes drifted away from the trees and the sky still so grey and murky; she had no idea what they were supposed to do to fix that up. But even with it still up, she couldn't help but admire the widening green fields before her. Flowers of different colors and shapes bloomed amidst the grass, and even a tree or two had begun to sprout in some spots. How could she not appreciate such natural beauty?
Her friend had apparently decided to take a break, relaxing on a nearby stump and patting it with an inviting look. Sakura needed no further invitation to join him on the wood. She couldn't help but lean a little against his side and drink up his warmth. She knew he would never shoo her away.
It'd be a shame if the man in white never learned his name, but the longer they spent together, the surer Sakura was of what she wanted to call him.
"How is your family?" His question pulled her from her thoughts.
The girl adjusted her sitting so as to address him more easily. "Mother's doing okay. She's been dealing with a lot of paperwork, but whenever Big Sister and I offer to help, she smiles and tells us she can handle it." Sakura huffed a little. "Sometimes, I don't know who could be more stubborn, her or… Father." She sighed to herself; mentioning him hadn't gotten easier.
A nudge brought her back to reality, and she nuzzled him back before going on. "I took your advice and am learning how to brew tea for her. Mother always looks so happy when I bring her some… even if I keep adding one bag too many." She giggled a little before grumbling, "And every time Father Kirei is in the kitchen, too, I end up spilling some. Rin says he does it on purpose."
"Ah, yes, that priest who aids your family. He sounds like an interesting person." He shifted a bit in his seat. "How is your wrist, by the way?"
"All better, thanks," Sakura pulled back her sleeve to show him her full arm. "It was just a little hot water, and between you and Father Kirei, I didn't feel pain for long."
He still bent down to give a cursory examination. "My pleasure, the burn was not so great. I imagine I have seen worse injuries." His brows rose in amusement. "Now, if only I could remember them…" They sat there chuckling for a little bit.
Taking a moment to catch her breath, Sakura then added, "Big Sister's smiling a little more, too. I bet it helps that she's now the unofficial tutor of her class." She giggled again. "Everybody keeps rushing to her for advice on math, she told me she can barely get her own homework done." Sakura pouted a little. "I've got the same problems in Grammar."
"That simply proves both how bright and how sharing you two are," he assured her with a chuckle. "What of that book report you were struggling with? You, Rin and that friend of hers… Kotone, yes?"
"We got over the hurdle, and they're both going to be presenting it in a week. Rin thinks they'll get top scores for it." Sakura smiled at the memory. "She really has been in a good mood. I'd been worrying about her since her birthday, but… She's back to normal, I think."
A hum rippled through the air. "Well, some comments take longer to recover from than others. But good for you that you've been supporting her so much." He patted her shoulder. "I understand your bond with her is not quite the same as before you were sent away, Sakura. Still, it is up to you and Rin to decide how this bond will be moving forward."
"I know," Sakura's eyes drifted along the part of the forest slowly brimming with new life before them, "and coming here, you encouraging me… it makes me want to be a good sister. It's not always easy, what with Father and Big Sister's magus training with Father Kirei, but I want to try." She nodded to herself. "I like it when she smiles for real…"
She received another hum for that, the sound reminding her of how good a listener her teacher was. Sometimes, she could talk the entire night through, venting about how tough her day had been or telling him about his worries, and he'd just hum and nod, maybe ask one little question here or there, and by the time Sakura was done, she felt a lot better. I wonder if I'd ever be able to do that… Sakura sighed. "The things she's come up with for my birthday. Maybe I should just play sick tomorrow…"
"Come again?" She yelped a little when her headrest fell away, on account of the old man shifting in his seat to face her. "You mean to tell me you turn seven tomorrow, and you didn't think to mention it to me before, young lady?"
She flinched a little from his scolding, but when she glanced up at his face, she saw no anger. Sakura poked together her fingers. "W-Well… Big Sister and Mother… they're already making a big fuss about it… But I just got back and all… and with everything that's happened…"
She sank into herself a little. "I… I don't know if I'm worth all the excitement."
She stared down into the dirt, kicking herself for souring the mood. But a tap on her shoulder made her look up and be met with a sly smile. "Well…" the white man hummed to himself, a twinkle in his blue eyes that excited her. "We'll just see about that."
The next night, Sakura had been so giddy she couldn't fall asleep at first. Part of it was from all the sugar: Rin had called in a favor from the bakery twins so they'd convince their dad to whip up a birthday with at least four layers of different chocolate, not counting the frosting. Mother had looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or fume at the sight of it. The cake was good, of course, but it had also netted Sakura a dentist appointment as a birthday gift.
The party had been fun, too, with a bunch of her friends showing up bearing presents. It was about the same number of people as there had been at her big sister's party (Sakura had caught Rin sighing in relief at that), and best of all, Father Kirei had been busy with some sort of ceremony at the church, so he couldn't make it. That and the new bicycle from Mother had been the best gifts Sakura could've asked for.
But once she had finally drifted into a slumber, she found herself back in the familiar forest. Almost exactly the way she'd left it, too. With the way A-the man in white had been acting before she left last time, she'd expected him to turn the whole place into a flowery castle.
Well, it's not like I gave him a lot of time to set anything up,Sakura conceded while she skipped along the path in search of him. She smiled as her white hair bounced about in front of her eyes; for some reason, she honestly preferred the brightness to her usual black when she was awake. It made her feel different, like she was more than just Rin Tohsaka's little sister. Of course, Mother would probably tear out her own hair if Sakura tried dyeing-
She stopped. There in front of her was a bunch of rocks arranged into the shape of a flower and an arrow pointing right. Giggling at the picture, Sakura followed the direction and quickly found herself in the clearing where they had first met. At-Her mentor awaited her with a gentle smile and a bunch of weird things stuck in the ground next to his staff.
"Welcome, Sakura." He chuckled at catching her staring at his little arrangement. "I was left with little time to celebrate this day, but I figured," he moved his staff's crown to the first thing, "this little arrangement would suffice." A little spark shot from the tip to a string- no, a fuse, Sakura realized with widening eyes-
The first firework shot up through the trees, so fast she could barely follow it, and it exploded into a flash of bright red sparkles that lit up the whole sky. Sakura gasped in delight as five more swiftly followed, adding another red and blue and yellow to the mix. And mix they did, as she watched in awe; these sparkles lasted longer than others she'd seen for New Year's or other celebrations, and wherever two of different colors met one another, they melded together to form a smaller flash of the combined color. Red and yellow turned to orange, yellow and blue to green, blue and red to purple. Sakura whirled around in her spot, trying to keep track of all the splashes of color across the dark sky.
Eventually, they had to die down, but they left surprising little smoke in their wake, she noted. In fact, the sky had actually cleared up quite a bit. A brighter shade of grey. "Around a month ago, I discovered I knew how to make these little wonders," her friend explained proudly, "I had been saving this knowledge for a special occasion." Sakura stopped spinning to just smile and stare up. Finally, she turned away to thank him…
Just in time to see him step aside to reveal one more firework. This one was a little bigger and rounder… and pink. "Seeing as you turn seven years old today, I prepared seven fireworks." She was shivering in excitement, drawing a low giggle from him. "And as I recall, you once told me your name means cherry blossoms, yes?"
Sakura clapped both hands over her mouth so as to cover her squeal. He beamed at her before activating his final gift. The firework launched upwards, only unlike the others, it released a gentle whistle in its flight.
And when it reached the sky, it burst out into a bright arc. The pinkness clustered together with the smoke trail widening, making it all look like a broad Sakura tree stretching across the clouds. And then it sprinkled apart into little "petals" that fluttered down all around the forest. Sakura gingerly reached out to catch one, and it twinkled at her touch before fading. Her giggles turned into full-blown laughter as she chased the "petals", sparkles dancing around her while she skipped about under happy pink heavens. And when the show ended, she stopped and looked back at the one who had set up this amazing show for her, the one who was smiling broadly right back at her, staff in hand, white clothes and hair shining pink.
At this point, Sakura could only think of one single thing to do: She ran over and launched herself laughing into his arms, embracing him as tightly as she could. Tears streamed down her cheeks and onto his clothes, but each and every drop was one of wonder and joy. How do you do it? She wondered with her head snuggled blissfully into his shoulder. How do you keep finding ways to make me feel so happy, feel like there is beauty in life… and that I deserve to enjoy it?
She didn't dare ask out loud for fear she'd break the moment. She just pulled herself reluctantly back to flash him the biggest grin her face could make. He just chuckled and said four words: "Happy Seventh Birthday, Sakura."
The words, the fireworks' embers still burning away the gloom in the sky… All of this confirmed right then and there she knew what to call him. It was among the first words in Quenya he'd taught her, and she couldn't think of a better word to say what this old man was to her.
Still, she figured it was best to say it properly. "H-Hantanyel órenyallo…Atto."
A blushing Sakura's words were answered with a face of absolute shock.
Followed by a smile brighter than all of these beautiful fireworks combined, even including all the ones launched on her subsequent birthdays.