She felt light on her feet, the sun's rays warming her face. She drew a breath nodding her head. Her eyes capturing the cheerful colors of the buildings. She peeked at Anastasia, striding behind her, Anastasia smiled catching her gaze.

Mikoto chuckled quietly as she studied the hand-painted words on the storefronts glass windows, candles, candies, cards, stationery and knickknacks.

"Wait… Here…" She lifted her voice, the ground scraping under boots as she spun quickly stepping up to the storefront. The sunny yellow door was propped open and the hand-drawn sign read open.

"Why…?" Anastasia quickly arched her eyebrows, "Wait!", creasing her eyes reaching out with her hand, "mikoto…"

Mikoto quickly spun on her toes, sticking her finger towards her, "stay…" She pointed behind her as she slipped into the small store.

The store smelled of perfumed candles, potpourri, homemade candies and more. She sniffed as she hurriedly searched the inside, "Sweet…" She mumbled as she stepped around the cluttered storefront floor.

The scented candles filled the cupboards, wind chimes hung from the ceiling. She brushed against the large tubular wind chime and the air reverberated with its deep resonant sound.

"Just a minute…" A woman's voice broke from the rear room, "look around…" Mikoto heard her laugh.

She smiled as she gazed at the counter lined with chocolate bars and candies, chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, flavored chocolate, spiced chocolate from around the world. She grinned as she noticed what she was looking for and move quickly across the wooden floor.

In the corner of the small building, piled on makeshift shelving stepped up to the ceiling was stationery.

"Send me a decree, will you…" she twisted her lips, nodding to herself. " I didn't have anything else…" she tried her best to sound like Anastasia.

A handwritten description and cost appeared next to the neatly organized stacks. The color, the weight, the sizes, the prices.

"Hello…" The woman's voice was closer, "I see you're looking at…"

"sssshhh..."

Mikoto quickly spun around, her finger held against her lips. The woman creased her eyes tilting her head, "why…" She softened her voice.

"She'll eavesdrop…" Mikoto spoke, twisting her lips, "she is very nosy…"

Woman looked at her with a peculiar expression.

"Am not!" Anastasia yelled from outside, "I am not nosy…" They could pick up the annoyance in her voice.

"Reaally!" Mikoto narrowed her eyes, "and how did you…"

"I know you… That's why…"

"Is that?" The woman spoke, rubbing her hands against her hips, walking to the front of the store where she remained for a minute and chuckled, "Anna…"

She leaned to the side, looking past hanging wind chimes and the shelves filled with candles, shaking her head. She lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers hello.

Anastasia tilted her head and smiled, returning the wave.

The woman laughed, "yes…" She closed her eyes shaking her head, "I can see why…" Her shoulder shook as she spoke, "she's not one for surprises…"

Anastasia's face tensed, her lips thinned as she tried not to let the smile grow.

"that is not true…" Anastasia whispered, her mouth grew tight.

"Yes… She is…" The woman spoke, "I remember once she unwrapped all her birthday presents then rewrap them thinking we wouldn't know…"

Mikoto smiled as she watched the woman walking towards her, biting her lip.

"So… No speaking then huh?" She slowly reached into her apron bringing out a pencil and pad.

"Crap!" Anastasia yelled.