A/N: Ok, here it is. Sorry for the wait. I've had and interesting few weeks… Anyway, plz review!

Disclaimer: I didn't write TRC.


Fai held to Sakura's hand as they continued down the busy street. He pulled her closer to him to avoid her getting run over by a passing cart. "My! It seems everyone takes their carts seriously around here!" He said.

Sakura smiled at the vendor as he tipped his hat to her. "I know! They must have been planning this for months. Maybe not even on this world!"

Mokona hopped onto Sakura's head, "Mokona bets there are hundreds of worlds here!"

Sakura and Mokona continued to chat as they walked down the street, and Fai let his mind wander. In his newly lightened heart, he was actually enjoying just… being. Not running or stressing… just walking with Sakura and Mokona, to do some shopping. This was going to be a wonderful mommy/daughter experience for them.

He wondered absently what it would be like if she was his daughter and then laughed at himself. Even though he knew better, but he couldn't help having such thoughts. He loved the thought that a person as pure and kind as her still existed in such messed up times. He looked at her and smiled. Even if she wasn't his daughter, he'd always think of her as such.

Sakura glanced up at him, "What's so funny, Fai-san?" O

blivious innocence all over her face.

Fai glanced up higher as they reached the corner of the block, "Oh, nothing, Sakura-chan. I was just… Oh! We're here." He exclaimed.

Sakura followed his gaze up to the sign on the purple brick building. "Midnight Lilly's. Right where Yuki-chan said it would be." Sakura said.

It was a small building; shorter than the others. But there were tall windows that reached up to the ceiling on either side of the door. The shimmering burgundy curtains were held open with, dusty golden ropes allowing light inside. When they looked through they could see that there were identical windows on the on the other side of the corner too. In the store they could see racks of clothes, masks and tables with other oddities all around.

Sakura pressed her hand against the window, "I don't see anyone inside… Do you think they're open yet?" She asked.

Fai jolted slightly. "Oh, yeah…" He said remembering he hadn't exactly asked Yuki when the shop actually opened.

Mokona tugged on Fai's hair, "Mommy! How could you be so forgetful?"

Fai scratched his head, "Oops…" He said, laughing embarrassedly.

Sakura laughed too, "It's ok Fai-san, let's just see…"

Fai reached past her to try the door. It clicked opened with the soft jingle of a bell inside. Fai poked his head inside, "Anybody home?" He called out.

"Just opened! Come on in!" A light female voice called from the back. Fai and Sakura stepped completely into the shop. "I'll be out in a second!" The voice called again.

They looked around more thoroughly they saw a counter with a very ancient looking cash register and a cat that had made itself comfortable on top it. There was a doorway to the left of the counter, with multicolored beads hanging from the doorframe, lead to the back of the shop.

"Pretty!" Mokona exclaimed and hopped onto table near by. He plopped a sequent hat onto his head, and the brim seemed to swallow him up. "Oh-no! Who turned off the lights?" He exclaimed.

Sakura turned laughing, "Mokona-san!" Fai squatted in front of the table, lifting up the edge of the hat. "It's a tad big for you, don't you think?"

There was the soft rattling of beads as a woman walked into the main room. "You like it?" She laughed quietly. "It's one of my very own creations…" She was a small woman, with long brown hair braided behind her back. Sakura couldn't help but notice that the woman somewhat favored Noriko.

Fai extended his hand, "It's lovely. As are you, miss." He bowed slightly.

She smiled and curtsied, "Why, thank-you, sir. And who might you be?"

He stood up straight, "My name is Fai, and this is Sakura and Mokona." He said motioning appropriately.

Sakura waved shyly, "Hello." Mokona waddled to the edge of the table, "Hi!" The woman smiled, and shook Mokona's hand… paw. "Pleased to meet you, my name Sanne*. Welcome to Midnight Lilly's!" She said gesturing behind her. "What can I do you for?"

Fai grabbed Sakura and hugged her to his side. "We need some cooler clothes! Literally. Yuki mentioned your shop..."

Sanne laughed, rubbing her chin. "Gotta love that girl. Well, you know this shop is primarily for women, but…" She clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh! What the heck? I think I can find something for you too…"

Mokona hopped up and down, "What about Mokona?"

Sanne picked him up, "Ha! Sure little guy. You, too!"

-

"Ok, here I am." Sakura said stepping out of the dressing room.

She was wearing a pair of blue jean shorts and a white tank top. On top of that she wore a short sleeve plaid button down, that was slightly too big for her petite frame.

"S-so what do you think?" She asked quietly.

Mokona clapped his hands and Sanne smiled proudly. She spun Sakura around by the hand, "Oh! You're just a cute as can be!" She squealed.

Sakura blushed, "Th-thank you. I guess I owe it all to you."

Sanne shook her head, "Clothes can't change natural beauty." She said touching Sakura's cheek. "However, they can reflect a wonderful personality."

Mokona hopped up onto the shelf they were standing near. "Mokona agrees! Sakura-chan is very pretty! Inside and out!" He said, his pink glitter bowtie shimmering.

Sakura and Sanne laughed at him. There was the rattling of beads as Fai stepped into the room. "Hyu!" He grinned.

He had on light blue jeans and a t-shirt, and even though he was dancing in a circle, Sakura immediately knew why he was so excited.

"I love it!" He said running his hands down the front of his shirt. It was a light pink shirt with muddy brown paw prints tracking up from his waist. Across the entire front of the shirt "I LOVE MY BIG DOGGY" was painted in black box letters.

Fai laughed and turned to face them, holding the ends of the shirt out. "This is perfect for me and Kuro-puppy, eh, Mokona?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Mokona hopped up giggling, "Ha-ha! Kuro-daddy is gonna get so mad!"

Sanne turned to Sakura, "Kuro-daddy?" She whispered, confused.

Sakura blushed, "Um… He means Kurogane... a friend of ours." She smiled nervously, "Fai-san has made a game out of finding ways to upset him…"

Fai laughed, "Oh, he's not upset! He's just shy with mommy when other people are around." He said motioning to himself.

Sanne laughed aloud, as Sakura blushed harder. "Oh! In that case…" She reached over the counter. "Why don't you give him this?"

Mokona hopped onto Sakura's shoulder as she and Fai approached to counter. Sanne held a thick leather wristband, with to snap buttons to clasp it. On the side there was a metal plate with thick black letters that read: You're not the boss of me. (My kitty is.)

Sakura sighed as Mokona giggled in her ear. She smiled in his direction, and reached up to pat his head. "Stay with me when Fai-san gives Kurogane-san that…" She whispered.

Fai grabbed it and laughed, "Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!" He held it above his head. He turned to Sanne. "How much do we owe you?"

Sanne walked behind the counter, "Tell ya what... You let me keep your old ones, and you can have those."

Sakura looked surprised, "Will that really be enough?"

"Sure. Everyone loves to swap clothes from different worlds around here. I could get a pretty penny off those." Sanne replied, nodding towards the dressing rooms.

Fai shrugged; the clothes were from the last world they'd been on. Not the ones from their homes, anyway. "I can't see why not. Sure, Sanne-san, you can keep them."

Sanne grinned, and opened and closed the cash register for good measure. "Lovely! If you guys need anything else…"

Fai smiled as he walked towards the door, "We'll defiantly come back!" He said.

Sakura waved as she followed him, "Thank-you, Sanne-san. I'll tell everyone who needs clothes to come here!"

Mokona waved excitedly, "Mokona too! Sanne-san has the prettiest things!"

Sanne smiled at them, "Ha. Thank-you! We'll be waiting, then…" She said petting her cat. As soon as the door swung shut, she jumped up excitedly to examine her new costumes.

*Sanne mean's "Lilly" in Dutch.