Note:
Speak: Sakura's think.
Speak: Pearl's think.
Speak: Memory, Amethyst's and others' think.
The vacation in Wave is…..interesting, if Sakura may says. She experiences various new things, like how to catch a fish, what is the best part of seafood, tell the differences betwwen a fresh fish and an old one…. All the knowledge relates to fish, but she thinks that's cool.
There are not a lot children in the island, so Sakura doesn't have to worry about that. She spends time dancing by the seashore at night (Sand, golden sand under her feet. Sand makes Pearls. Sand destroys Pearls) or collecting the colorful shell, rocks nearby, puts it all in a paper box.
She loves sparkle, shiny things. If it's not White, of course.
Sakura notices there is a group of humans in Konoha (clan?) that always wearing white costumes. Their eyes are weird for humans, too, a pale lavender color, like they are blind or something.
She doesn't like them a lot, but she hopes the eyes aren't cracked.
She knows how much painful it is.
The highlight of this trip, Kizashi cockily says, is the Umi no Hi festival that is going to organized tomorrow, 2 days after their arrival.
It is a traditional festival, celebrates every year in Wave to praise the God of Sea. They offer foods to God, perform for them several impressive shows. Mebuki explains to the confused daughter. In Umi no Hj, the villagers do it all to ask for mercy, blessing, safety and protection of the mighty water, everything to help them get a satisfying year.
Like how Gems serving their Diamond. Pearl blankly states.
Jeez, Not that bad, though.
Sakura doesn't like that idea, but her parents are all enthusiastic about the fiesta, so she keeps her mouth and follows their wishes.
She is unimportant. Trivial. Replaceable. Worthless. They are all that matters.
("Know your place, little Pearl.")
"Isn't it exciting, sweetheart?" Mebuki brushes her daughter silky lock, dreamy sighs. "A big, funny celebration with fireworks, lanters, foods….. This is going to be a wonderful memory of our family, together….Nothing will harm us.….." Sakura feels her Mother shrudders, holding her tightly. "Not….. evenit…"
Ah, The Kyuubi.
She can understand now, the reason behind the woman's worried action. How she always fussing about Sakura's safety, how she babying her too much, how she spoils her and gives her nearly everything, how she wants her baby to be happy in every possible ways. (Even if..it can be... not very comfortable, sometimes)
It's just Mebuki's way to make sure that Sakura's alive in her hand.
Sakura doesn't want her Mother to be sad. So she wears the white kimono she brough for her, even if it makes Pearl freezes and Sakura flinches like she is in pain, lets her mother curls her hair into two large buns on two side of her head. All Mebuki wants, she obeys.
We just become a living doll. Amethyst grumpily murmurs.
That's our duty.
"Mebu Dear, can you jus-OMG MY DAUGHTER IS SO FREAKING CUTE I AM GONNA DIE!!!" Kizashi squeals unmanly right when his eyes notice the baby girl standing next to her mother, shyly. He hugs her, rubbing his face to her pink cheeks.
"F-Father…." Sakura speaks up, before she realizes what has she done, becomes sk pale.
No good. We speak up. We gonna be punish.
(Pain surged down Pearl's spine, bent her back, burned her Gem, eating her from inside to outside. Color dissapeared in ger vision, leaving just black and white.
Pearl's scream was muffled. Her eye was dried.
She got used to this. She deserved this.
"Oh Pearl, Why can't you just be a good Pearl?"
She was a failure. Pink was a failure.
It wasn't.)
"Kizashi, now, you are suffocates Sakura!" Mebuki slaps his hand off their daughter. "And I just make her hair, so stop that!"
"Mewnieeeeee."
"Lets go. Don't want to be late, right?"
"Ok!" Kizashi immediately distracted from the topic, puts an arm around Mebuki's waist. The other hand is in front of Sakura, and she closes her eyes, waiting for the torment.
It never comes. Not for now.
"Come now, Hime~ Papa will lead you to the light of day!" Warm, gentle voice is what she gets, unexpectedly. Looks at the large, rough opened palm, her own hand curled, unconsciously, a familiar act, place on Kizashi's.
(Pl...e...t...g...)
"…Yes, Father."
Crackling sound rings off somewhere in the center of Wave in that awkward moment. Kizashi yelps, pulling Mebuki and Sakura like a bull, flying towards it.
"Oh nooooo! It's going to begin!!"
The first thing welcomes Sakura is not the usual sight of ready boat, peaceful houses or empty street. The whole vilage, so loud, animated. Pile of people wandering around the street, which is decorated in bright color, Red and Blue and Silver and Yellow…. So many that she can't count them all. Round lanterns hung on the rooftop, delicious smell of food flows through their senses, make the stomach grumbles, demands for something to eat.
Her parents are enjoying their yakisoba, while Sakura holds the hot, red bean stuffed taiyaki with her hand, confused for a moment. Why is it called Fish Cake? It doesn't seem like a fish to her. Hot, dry, golden brown, no real scales. After looking at the pie for who know how long, both carefully and bashfully, she bites on the head of the cake.
...Oh.
This tastes good. Super good. How can you describe this heavenly food? The outside is just moist, fluffy, like eating a cloud. The filler is the soul of Taiyaki, warm, sugary sweetness of red bean just fits in perfectly with the gentelness of the cooked right crust. Tasty flavor crawls to the bottom of Sakura's tongue, melting her heart and puts her mind in serenity.
So goodddddddd.
Sakura likes this cake.
So she walks around, watching some girls dancing on the stage, not the same dance to her but good enough. There are some games with cute prizes, like catch the fishes with rice paper, throwing ball at the targets or just simpky selling souvenirs, cheap jewelries, pictured, postcards….
"Challenge yourself!!! Throw the ball!! Knock down as much cans as you can!!"
"Ladies, visit my shop!! You need something to match your beauty!!"
"2 Ryo one chance for cute, cute fishes!!"
Festival…it's…it's….much complicated and more interesting, more than she believed. So lively. Friendly, noisy.… So….humans.
Try that!!
What?
The thing next to you!! With the ball!
Sakura turns. It is a small stand with tons of cans set into a big tower on the wooden shelf. The owner of the stand, a tall man with spiky dark hair, kind black eyes and a white rope tied around his head, notices her look, smiles warmly.
"Hello, little girl. Wanna try?"
"Yes, please." Sakura politely nods.
"Ok. Here is the rule. I will give you three balls." He shows her the colorful squishy subjects. "Try to throw it at the cans and knock them all down, ok? If you manage to do it, I will give some gifts."
"Hai." Sakura accepts the balls, carefully aims the cans tower. Her hands, due to the workout, are not clumsy and weak like other babies, so it takes just a little try for Sakura to success the game.
So much easier than shatter a gem. Pearl sighs.
"Wow! Congratulation, little lady!" The man grins, pats her head with his big hand. "Aren't you a talented one? Now come here, pick something you like."
The prizes are not expensive, valueable nor priceless. Some gleaming shell made into accessories, pictures, teddy bear or candies. Immediately, she tiptoes, picks a rope pink bracelet with a rosy marble as the single charm.
"What do I owe you, Mister?" Sakura gives him the money, but he shakes his head.
"Nah, can't take money from a pretty girl like yah. It's on the house." Sakura thinks his smile is pretty. Like gleaming sunshine on surface water, the cooling salty breeze of the ocean. "Don't worry, not something too precious. You gain it yourself."
"Thank you." She bows to show her gracefulness, because Sakura is a good girl, turns away and visits another shop. She hears someone calling the man's name, teasing.
"Hey, Kaiza, tries to be such a gentleman again?"
"Shut up guys."
Kaiza. She will remember his name.
The night is so mesmerizing that the pinkette decides she must do some more research about 'festival'. Study about this can help with her mask as a human, and their kindness.
The time Kizashi and Mebuki tell her that they should go back to the small house, Sakura has eaten 7 taiyakis, joined in some games (fun) , gotten 4 more prizes in a plastic bag. Her small face flushes, beaming with rare joy and pleasure, as she walks back home, hand in hand with her Father( not Diamond).
"Did you have fun, Sakura?" Standing in front of the small building, Mebuki lovingly looks at her daughter, the normally stoic and mature child, acting her true age.
"…..Yes, I did, Mother." A servant should not have fun. Sakura doesn't care for now.
This is….new. Must make a note.
Let do that again sometime!
Again.
"Well, that's good, because we have more fun for you!!" Her Father winks at Sakura's wide eyes expression, shaking the paper box he hides behind his back the whole path back to home. "Happy birthday, Hime~"
Birthday?
The day we were made, idiot.
Oh.
"You are 4 years old now." The mother hugs her Gemling, tight as usual. "You grow so fast, baby. Sooner or later, you will become a pretty lady and have your own family."
"No boy will get near her, for at least 30 more years." Kizashi glares at his so damn charming, lovely baby. Oh, he can imagine the fan boys follow and praise the ground she walks on now.
Overpotectice father mood, on.
"Don't be silly, Kizashi. She will make her choice. For now, baby, Happy birthday."
Glances at two new presents in her tiny hands, Sakura can feel her eye heating up, like there is something trying to come out. Blink the feeling away, Sakura asks.
"Are there…mine?"
"Of course! Open it."
She does as he wants. What meets her eye makes her completely becomes speechless. Inside her palms, there, lying a gorgeous, silver brooch, it's top a fuchsia pink, carved from shiny pink stone, designed like a blooming rose. What blows her mind, however, is the long scarf. Red, pure red, like the crimson liquid flowing in her veins, silky scarf. Automatically, she wraps it around her body, let the slender fabris kissess her skin as she grasps onto the presence of that familiar feelings filled her mind.
("Here!! I get this for you Pearl. It fits your dancing!! I hope you love it!"
My Diamond... How could I not love something given from you? I loved you, loved everything belonged to you...so much that I did everything for you.
Have you...ever loved me, My Grace?)
This is perfect. Perfect for her dancing. Perfect for her performance.
We can please them with our stage now.
"….I love it." Emotion makes her voice wavering. "Thank you so much….Mother. Father."
"Everything for you, Sakura."
This is the most wonderful day in Sakura's life since she becomes Opal, the most magnificent day in Pearl's life since she becomes Pink again, the best of the best of the best day in Amethyst's life since she loses her light.
She wishes this will last forever.
The door leads to their house opens, suddenly, startles the happy family.
A croaky, granting voice talks, so unpleasingly that she frowns and hides behind her parents.
"Kizashi, don't you know how to greet your creditor?"
She knows that voice.
She. Knows. That. Voice.
Oh Stars...Nononononononono…
Kizashi's shaking words prove her doubt, gravelly put an end to Sakura's Pink childhood.…
And begins her first nightmare.
"G…Gatou?!!"