Chapter Three: Sakura Sanctuary
Saori just sat there on the couch. Those sea green twins staring off, and into oblivion as she just couldn't believe what had occured. The words she had said had seemed so alien to herself as she spoke them, and now Yuka was running off in he streets of the city without a clue how to exist within them. Of course a lot of people ventured about town with the persocoms on their sides, but she didn't. It was nicer to keep your creation to yourself, after all. And now giref, and anguish along with anger that had been directed at the persocom had turned over into worry and regret. She shouldn't have made her so perfect like that, let alone snap at her like she had. Yuka after all was made by her, now she would have to deal with that which she had created.
Getting up she darted across the room to snatch up the blue jean jacket, and ran off down the stairs of the apartment and off and out of the building. Hugging herself tightly at the cold bite that the wind held. She cursed herself a dozen times over for not getting a warmer jacket, but it was also rare that it ever got this cold in Las Angeles. Irony stemmed from the very concept of her thoughts. First she had been angered at Yuka for being so perfect, and now she was upset with herself for being angry. It was like she had dragged Saori from heaven and brought an angel onto the earth in which she walked now. And now, that angel was lost within the city of lost angels itself.
Gods, it was all her fault. She closed her eyes tightly as black strands danced across her face making it impossible to see the road ahead of her. The sandals she wore clicking across the pavement asshe ran to the street corner. Putting hands over her mouth she screamed out the persocoms given name and was awarded with a dozen stares given her way.
Please, I got to find you Yuka. At least to bring you back and fix what I did wrong. Saori thought bitterly to herself as she took each step further into this section of the city. Her arms resting at her side as the baggy jean jacket now slid off her shoulders and were left hanging on her elbows. Those sea green hues staring off down the one street at the crossroads she now stood at. The people around her having stopped staring to return to their own routines at the corner shops. Yes, go back to your own business everyone and don't pay mind to the mistake I made.
Saori moved quickly down the one street following more of her instinct then anything else. She had to think of places that Suki would go to, because most likely Yuka was unknowingly heading towards one of those locations. Especially that new shrine in the China Town district called Sakura Sanctuary. It was a real lovely place, and it was where Saori had first ran into her friend while sketching some of the birds that were there. After all, it wasn't even a far to distant memory for her.
- - - - - - - -
The cool spring breeze easily carried the scent of the cherry blossoms on each gentle gale. Those eyes were closed while relaxing into the sensations that smell brought through her creative mind. Saori was easily distracted in the work that she was placing into her sketch book while her kimono ruffled softly in the breeze upon the bench she sat upon. It was easy to get creative in these gardens and the songs of several different types of birds easily rang out through her concious to fuel it even more. It wasn't hard at all to sektch the many song birds that easily perched about the branches of the tree she sat beneath. The many limbs all around her containing multiple colored birds which looked like they were delicately created by the hand of some divine god.
Saori's head was bowed so that straight locks of black hair fell over her olive toned face. The softest blush upon the softly cute cheeks helpedbring out the sea green of her eyes. It wasn't normally that she got all dressed up to go someplace, but she figured for the shrine's opening it was the best thing to do. She took part in the festivities and became the subject of a little competition, but in the end she wound up on one of the benchs beneath the largest cherry tree there. And yet, instead of admiring the beauty around her, she was drawing.
The festitivites of course were still going on and a number of people were gathered about to recieve a shrine maiden's blessing. Of course one of the many people had also strayed off and this was Suki. Her sandaled steps carrying her across the garden of cherry trees towards the largest of the trees where she would see the sketching girl. Her black dress slacks fluttering softly in the breeze while her black blouse with it's lace frills hung loose around her form due to an attempt of trying to stave off the heat of the afternoon. That skin was a soft pale white, and her hair a golden blonde that was cut short in a sort of boyish style. The blue eyes glitterig with a some admiration of the girl while she moved over to take a seat with her.
"So why are you not taking part in the celebrations anymore?" Suki asked hte moment she sat down.
Saori immediatly froze up where she sat and looked over at the girl who sat right next to her. It was the first time someone approached her in a public place without making some insult directed at her, and she had no clue how to respond except to blush a slight bit more.
"I saw you when you were dragged from the crowd to be selected for that little game. What was it?"
"They were going to have people compete to win a date with the chosen maiden." Saori answered softly and looked back down into her sketch book. "But the person who won was some girl, and I decided to skip out anyways because I didn't want to take part anymore in some silly game."
"Well, just because you're not amused doesn't mean you should cheat them out of their prize. Anyways, I don't like having my prize hiding from me."
"So you were the one who won, and all you can think of me as is some sort of prize?"
"No, I am not so center minded like all those people are. I'll tell you what, instead of being a prize you can be a won friend. Anyways I sort of like thinking that I got to save a damsel in distress from a situation she didn't want to be in from the start."
Saori blushed even more and hid her face more so within the shroud of sheer black locks of hair. Those eyes focusing in on the bird she had drawn. The little finch bird's feathers delicately accented in a flurry of pencil lines as it was pictured in flight. It's head held up proudly as it decided it would take flight into the world despite the obvious dangers that were presented around it. However, Saori knew the birds were trained somehow to stay within the gardens. Be it magic, or long hours of work, she would never know and yet it saddened her that a bird would be kept in such a cage with a whole world waiting patiently around it. It's how I feel, Saori thought.
"So you want to go for a walk, and get away from this place?"
- - - - - - - - - -
So gullible. She hit her head against the telephone post as she stood there. Her eyes closing tihgtly to hold back any sort of tears. It was a difficult thing to face the past, and she had done it when she had started work on Yuka. The persocom was molded after a more feminine idea of what Suki would have been like without the tomboyish edge. After all, it was the tomboyish edge that had dropped her straight into trouble, and got herself killed. That small frame of hers just keeping where she was as she let herself slide down onto the side walk and release all the tears that were being held back.
"I'm such an idiot." She whispered to herself. "I can't even do anything right. I shouldn't have even started working on Yuka. I had my desk top computer, it was good enough. I didn't need to go make some persocom."
- - - - - - - - - -
Yuka had stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led upwards towards the shrine. Her cerulean hues staring up at the structure that was just up the stairs. Those eyes closing as she boyed her head softly with blonde locks falling past her face. She didn't know why she had come to this place, but it was something she had walked herself too. Each stair she took with gentle steps. Her boots clicking softly against the stone material and soon the clicking grew faster as she started to run straight up the stairs. Her breathe coming in heavy pants as she darted onto the grounds of the shrine. The soft breeze catching her hair and the fabric of her clothing, and she easily smelt the sakura scent that clung to each silken whisp of wind.
The location simply took hold of her mind, and forced her to stand still as she stared forward at the shrine's main building where a single maiden tied up some ribbon and bells upon the praying shrine in a gift to the spirit of the place. The soft chime of her own silver bells singing out softly to match the song of the birds around her. There is no voice sweeter then that of the bells, except that of singing birds. It was something she had remembered Saori saying as she strung the small bells through out her hair for the first time.
The shrine maiden turned to look over at the persocom and that soft smile came upon those soft lips for a moment before walking over towards her. That voice that spoke out was even sweeter then her appearance, "Hello, miss, can I help you?"
Help me? The thought resounded in her head. Yuka didn't know if she needed help or not. She was a persocom and there was no need for someone to help her. There were all those directories and help files within her operations systems that taught her what to do at the right moment, but it seemed in that instant it all had failed her. Collapsing to her knees, the persocom didn't feel the cobblestone ground scrap up her legs as she began to cry without a single tear falling from her eyes.
"I want her to love me." Was all she could think of saying, and that was when the soft hand of the rested on top of the crown of golden locks. "And yet she only seems to hate me. Please can you help me with that?"
- - - - - - - - -
"So, have you caught any trace of the persocom's signal?" Asked a voice across the telephone reciever. "Is that right? Then we shall head to the Sakura Sanctuary immediatly."
"What was that?" Asked a female voice from off to the side.
"We got where she is, and it's time to get her and bring her to Mr. Clarke."
"Right."
Saori just sat there on the couch. Those sea green twins staring off, and into oblivion as she just couldn't believe what had occured. The words she had said had seemed so alien to herself as she spoke them, and now Yuka was running off in he streets of the city without a clue how to exist within them. Of course a lot of people ventured about town with the persocoms on their sides, but she didn't. It was nicer to keep your creation to yourself, after all. And now giref, and anguish along with anger that had been directed at the persocom had turned over into worry and regret. She shouldn't have made her so perfect like that, let alone snap at her like she had. Yuka after all was made by her, now she would have to deal with that which she had created.
Getting up she darted across the room to snatch up the blue jean jacket, and ran off down the stairs of the apartment and off and out of the building. Hugging herself tightly at the cold bite that the wind held. She cursed herself a dozen times over for not getting a warmer jacket, but it was also rare that it ever got this cold in Las Angeles. Irony stemmed from the very concept of her thoughts. First she had been angered at Yuka for being so perfect, and now she was upset with herself for being angry. It was like she had dragged Saori from heaven and brought an angel onto the earth in which she walked now. And now, that angel was lost within the city of lost angels itself.
Gods, it was all her fault. She closed her eyes tightly as black strands danced across her face making it impossible to see the road ahead of her. The sandals she wore clicking across the pavement asshe ran to the street corner. Putting hands over her mouth she screamed out the persocoms given name and was awarded with a dozen stares given her way.
Please, I got to find you Yuka. At least to bring you back and fix what I did wrong. Saori thought bitterly to herself as she took each step further into this section of the city. Her arms resting at her side as the baggy jean jacket now slid off her shoulders and were left hanging on her elbows. Those sea green hues staring off down the one street at the crossroads she now stood at. The people around her having stopped staring to return to their own routines at the corner shops. Yes, go back to your own business everyone and don't pay mind to the mistake I made.
Saori moved quickly down the one street following more of her instinct then anything else. She had to think of places that Suki would go to, because most likely Yuka was unknowingly heading towards one of those locations. Especially that new shrine in the China Town district called Sakura Sanctuary. It was a real lovely place, and it was where Saori had first ran into her friend while sketching some of the birds that were there. After all, it wasn't even a far to distant memory for her.
- - - - - - - -
The cool spring breeze easily carried the scent of the cherry blossoms on each gentle gale. Those eyes were closed while relaxing into the sensations that smell brought through her creative mind. Saori was easily distracted in the work that she was placing into her sketch book while her kimono ruffled softly in the breeze upon the bench she sat upon. It was easy to get creative in these gardens and the songs of several different types of birds easily rang out through her concious to fuel it even more. It wasn't hard at all to sektch the many song birds that easily perched about the branches of the tree she sat beneath. The many limbs all around her containing multiple colored birds which looked like they were delicately created by the hand of some divine god.
Saori's head was bowed so that straight locks of black hair fell over her olive toned face. The softest blush upon the softly cute cheeks helpedbring out the sea green of her eyes. It wasn't normally that she got all dressed up to go someplace, but she figured for the shrine's opening it was the best thing to do. She took part in the festivities and became the subject of a little competition, but in the end she wound up on one of the benchs beneath the largest cherry tree there. And yet, instead of admiring the beauty around her, she was drawing.
The festitivites of course were still going on and a number of people were gathered about to recieve a shrine maiden's blessing. Of course one of the many people had also strayed off and this was Suki. Her sandaled steps carrying her across the garden of cherry trees towards the largest of the trees where she would see the sketching girl. Her black dress slacks fluttering softly in the breeze while her black blouse with it's lace frills hung loose around her form due to an attempt of trying to stave off the heat of the afternoon. That skin was a soft pale white, and her hair a golden blonde that was cut short in a sort of boyish style. The blue eyes glitterig with a some admiration of the girl while she moved over to take a seat with her.
"So why are you not taking part in the celebrations anymore?" Suki asked hte moment she sat down.
Saori immediatly froze up where she sat and looked over at the girl who sat right next to her. It was the first time someone approached her in a public place without making some insult directed at her, and she had no clue how to respond except to blush a slight bit more.
"I saw you when you were dragged from the crowd to be selected for that little game. What was it?"
"They were going to have people compete to win a date with the chosen maiden." Saori answered softly and looked back down into her sketch book. "But the person who won was some girl, and I decided to skip out anyways because I didn't want to take part anymore in some silly game."
"Well, just because you're not amused doesn't mean you should cheat them out of their prize. Anyways, I don't like having my prize hiding from me."
"So you were the one who won, and all you can think of me as is some sort of prize?"
"No, I am not so center minded like all those people are. I'll tell you what, instead of being a prize you can be a won friend. Anyways I sort of like thinking that I got to save a damsel in distress from a situation she didn't want to be in from the start."
Saori blushed even more and hid her face more so within the shroud of sheer black locks of hair. Those eyes focusing in on the bird she had drawn. The little finch bird's feathers delicately accented in a flurry of pencil lines as it was pictured in flight. It's head held up proudly as it decided it would take flight into the world despite the obvious dangers that were presented around it. However, Saori knew the birds were trained somehow to stay within the gardens. Be it magic, or long hours of work, she would never know and yet it saddened her that a bird would be kept in such a cage with a whole world waiting patiently around it. It's how I feel, Saori thought.
"So you want to go for a walk, and get away from this place?"
- - - - - - - - - -
So gullible. She hit her head against the telephone post as she stood there. Her eyes closing tihgtly to hold back any sort of tears. It was a difficult thing to face the past, and she had done it when she had started work on Yuka. The persocom was molded after a more feminine idea of what Suki would have been like without the tomboyish edge. After all, it was the tomboyish edge that had dropped her straight into trouble, and got herself killed. That small frame of hers just keeping where she was as she let herself slide down onto the side walk and release all the tears that were being held back.
"I'm such an idiot." She whispered to herself. "I can't even do anything right. I shouldn't have even started working on Yuka. I had my desk top computer, it was good enough. I didn't need to go make some persocom."
- - - - - - - - - -
Yuka had stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led upwards towards the shrine. Her cerulean hues staring up at the structure that was just up the stairs. Those eyes closing as she boyed her head softly with blonde locks falling past her face. She didn't know why she had come to this place, but it was something she had walked herself too. Each stair she took with gentle steps. Her boots clicking softly against the stone material and soon the clicking grew faster as she started to run straight up the stairs. Her breathe coming in heavy pants as she darted onto the grounds of the shrine. The soft breeze catching her hair and the fabric of her clothing, and she easily smelt the sakura scent that clung to each silken whisp of wind.
The location simply took hold of her mind, and forced her to stand still as she stared forward at the shrine's main building where a single maiden tied up some ribbon and bells upon the praying shrine in a gift to the spirit of the place. The soft chime of her own silver bells singing out softly to match the song of the birds around her. There is no voice sweeter then that of the bells, except that of singing birds. It was something she had remembered Saori saying as she strung the small bells through out her hair for the first time.
The shrine maiden turned to look over at the persocom and that soft smile came upon those soft lips for a moment before walking over towards her. That voice that spoke out was even sweeter then her appearance, "Hello, miss, can I help you?"
Help me? The thought resounded in her head. Yuka didn't know if she needed help or not. She was a persocom and there was no need for someone to help her. There were all those directories and help files within her operations systems that taught her what to do at the right moment, but it seemed in that instant it all had failed her. Collapsing to her knees, the persocom didn't feel the cobblestone ground scrap up her legs as she began to cry without a single tear falling from her eyes.
"I want her to love me." Was all she could think of saying, and that was when the soft hand of the rested on top of the crown of golden locks. "And yet she only seems to hate me. Please can you help me with that?"
- - - - - - - - -
"So, have you caught any trace of the persocom's signal?" Asked a voice across the telephone reciever. "Is that right? Then we shall head to the Sakura Sanctuary immediatly."
"What was that?" Asked a female voice from off to the side.
"We got where she is, and it's time to get her and bring her to Mr. Clarke."
"Right."