Loving priestess ♡

I hope I can help! ✦ { closed RP w/ The Officers Academy | Church of Seiros Staff }

[gentlenekomata]

— rp blog for Sakura from fire emblem fates: revelation route, written by Ari (she/her, 27). Church of Seiros member, affiliated with the officers academy.

ミ☆ quick navigation; stat, thread tracker, about, mun, bonding

 A little bit of background about how I portray Sakura. Never done it, so I think it should be appropriate doing now ¯_(´・ω・｀)_/¯

❀. I follow Revelation route for inspiration and for her background, though sometimes I might change some minor events;

❀. She’s still the princess of her kingdom in Hoshido and so she does have some major responsibilities towards her people;

❀. She clearly remember the sufference from her period in prison, she’s got some marks left from that moment, but she slowly overcame it;

❀. She’s looking for her brothers and sisters (I’m waiting on you guys, you know) (｡•́︿•̀｡)

❀. Despite the ending in Revelation, she doesn’t remember much of how Anankos deceived her family, this explains the way she treats him;

❀. She’s a sweetiepie, but don’t be foolished by her charming smile – she has got a strong character and sometimes it might come out;

❀. About Engage characters: she’s connected with a bond ring, so I assume it’s alright for them to know her already, but not for her, she will have to learn everything from zero.

[gentlenekomata]

Sweet seminar | Darios & Sakura

⤷ Epidemic : gauntlet +1

[grxstnnefealltoir]

“Eaten with a friend is when they truly taste the best,” he adds with a soft chuckle.

The lecture begins and he takes mental notes - the last he would want is to spill chocolate onto the notebook gifted to him by Joachim. The temperatures, the different interactions of each chocolate with them; it’s all so interesting but it makes him hungry.

In all of Fodlan? Darios pulls the apron around his waist tightly, Fodlan is hardly shooting high enough. With all the materials they could get from all throughout the land, so much specialized chocolate could exist-

He’s getting carried away.

”Me?” Oh, he really should offer this back to her. It would be the noble thing truthfully… but this is an opportunity for innovation in a way. Nervously he smiles and looks off to the side.

He really shouldn’t be the one doing this. If he could choose-

“The milk chocolate and the cacao nibs could make for a wonderful base. A good treat is built atop a solid base. The contrast of smooth sweet chocolate with a bit of a bitter crunch in its midst-“

Darios gently pulls the bowls forward, a red haze along his cheeks. “Is that alright with you, Miss Sakura?”

[gentlenekomata]

As he gave put his own idea of the ingredients to use, Sakura was somewhat raptured by the seemingly confidence he had while choosing the correct combination of tastes; he seemed uncertain only a moment ago, yet the instant he began speaking about chocolate, his hesitation melted away, as if he actually truly understood the exhaustive explanation of the teacher.

"You seem to know quite a lot about sweets” she was genuinely impressed and while she looked through the ingredients, she gingerly picked the ones Darios suggested, “I actually would have picked the very same ingredients, they’re perfect for starting a base!” and she nodded in agreement, putting all the ingredients aside; since he chose milk chocolate and the bitter crunch nibs, Sakura opted for a very easy recipe that would actually love to try with him, especially since it would come out as a delicious surprise for whoever would receive it.

“How about making some milk chocolate crunch hearts?” she loved the heart shape, but she would accept even modifications of it, “It’s a very simple recipe that required the two ingredients you chose. Plus, we can add some white chocolate for décor” she giggled, giving a quick glance at the ingredients. “We just need to chop the chocolate and let it melt over a bain-marie. Later on, we’ll add the nibs” she searched for a proper knife and a cutting board, eyeing Darios to question the roles.

“Would you like to start us off with the cutting?” she kindly asked, knowing that she slightly fear using knives and most importantly, because she wanted to see how Darios could deal with this kind of task –a knight like him, doing a chop action on a chocolate bar. Sounds curious, isn’t it? But to Sakura’s eyes, he just was an incredible person who managed to embark on a purely culinary enterprise.

[diadic]

straddle bet

         ⤷    mission task:   pearlescent   ( reflective )

[diadic]

    “Sakura! You made it!” he celebrates, running to meet her halfway. Once the initial joy of succeeding in navigating wore off, however, came the time to be serious again.

“If I had to guess, we're in some hidden passage. I don't know if we're underground or just somewhere else but... Warp magic still has some limits. We have to be in the Shoals still,” he postulates, looking around the dark tunnel. Channeling heat to move through his body and up his arm, he snaps his fingers in his left hand, and from the tip of his index finger, a small flame ignites, granting a greater field of vision for the two.

“The people I followed here haven't come back in the time since, so there's probably a bit of distance between us now. But as we get moving, let's be careful, OK?” Leif taps his right hand's index finger against his lips in a shushing gesture. “We don't know where they might be... but if we can investigate without running into trouble...”

He takes steps forward, casting a glance over his shoulder, inviting Sakura to follow.

“...Though if we do get in trouble, I'll trust you to look after my back, got it??”

[gentlenekomata]

As soon as she heard Leif’s report about his initial investigations, she noticed with a glimpse of terror that the dim corridor stretched ahead, carved from stone and lit only by the tiny flame dancing upon Leif's fingertip –terrified since the faint light coming from them painted wavering shadows along the walls, making every corner quite eerie and unrealistically creepy. Yet, she knew that it simply was a long corridor underneath a large mansion, nothing to be too scared about.

The hidden passage that the young knight suggested was also a good hint for their further investigations: the only certainty the two of them had, was the large chest that the two men were carrying, no other clues were to be found, up until now –if a dark tunnel could be considered as an optimal clue for their researches. “I’m sure that magic has to do something with this fishy situation…” she pondered, thinking back at the warp she found in that room, carefully hidden in a specific spot in the room; perhaps they might find other magical warps or perhaps there were far more intricate enigmas hidden in that underground corridor. The only possible way to find it out, was exploring the dark tunnel.

His gentle reminder to remain quiet earned a firm nod, that one more resolute and more confident than her usual self; she knew it was a scary situation and the tunnel itself had a really dark and gloomy aura, but knowing he was by her side, made her feel protected and safer. “I’ll be careful, don’t worry” she instinctively lowered her voice to a whisper, careful not to let it travel any farther than necessary “And of course I’ll be glad to look after your back, no matter what” and with that in mind, a last nod arranged them to start the exploration of the tunnel: she followed close behind him, her gaze wandering over the uneven stone walls, lingering on every crack and strange marking that caught the dancing light. Yet, one thing suddenly caught the attention of the petite priestess.

“Look.. seems like some sort of magical traces” she pointed out with her index finger, behind Leif, but she sensed them before she even got the chance to directly looked at them. To be extra sure, she decided to walked past the young man, crouching in front of the traces and gently bruising her fingers on the ground, testing the truthfulness of her thoughts. “Perhaps there’s another warp around this part of the tunnel?” she gave a quick look around herself, then she directly addressed Leif as she faced him, getting back on her feet.

“What do you think?” she asked, while dusting off some pieces of earth and sand stuck to her fingers.

[frigidsurge]

Sweet memories

[frigidsurge]

"I will flip the dough, alright? It's a good way for me to observe your technique and rhythm."

Those are both true even if it's not the core of the issue.

But this role invites a different issue.

She gazes down upon her hands.

Didn't think of that before.

Turning her back to the princess, she removes her gloves.

Pristine white, she maintains carefully.

Revealing all the callouses rough skin old burns and split nails she still does her best to matain trimmed.

Even if no ones supposed to see it

It seems necessary.

She washes her hands before returning

first she crosses them behind her torso and then hides them below the large wooden dish.

"I'm ready when you are."

A part of her wishes she didn't feel a need for this.

[gentlenekomata]

To Sakura she seemed a bit unsure, but if she chose the mortar, she couldn’t help but being helpful and happy with the choice she made: even if strength wasn’t pretty much required for the usage of it, you definitely needed a good sense of the rhythm and a good dexterity in moving and especially in moving the hands, as it was a matter of seconds for the mallet to land on the dough. Yet, the petite priestess trusted the young student and with a firm nod, she accepted the role of the mallet.

“I hope to be a good teacher, it’s been a while since I’ve used this mallet” she giggled a little as she finished the sentence, grabbing the mallet with both her hands, but before she could say anything else, she noticed that Tine was wearing a pair of gloves and the moment she noticed them, the young girl turned and headed herself towards the washbasin –at least she was very attentive to hygiene and clean. Sakura wasn’t sure, but she just waited for the girl to be back at her position, ready to show of the magic to Tine.

“Perfect, let’s start, shall we?” she asked and as soon as she noticed the prepared position of the girl, she started to land down the first blow, followed by a soft thud as the dough was still hot and malleable. “Another one!” she lifted the mall, but before returning down, she instructed Tine regarding her role: “There, now it’s time to turn and flip the dough, be careful!” she explained as she concentrated her focus on the mallet, not giving the hands movements too much attention as she was sure she was doing good. “Now, the second hit” and she let down the mallet with a soft thud once again, this time though, she gave herself the time to observe the gestures of the young girl, noticing something strange about her hands.

“Do you want to pause for a moment?” she asked, though shifting her gaze from her hands, as she didn’t want to be too intrusive and pricky.

[gentlenekomata]

Folded petals, tangled laundry | Sakura & Hinoka

⤷ Infamous

[scarletfireblossom]

"Thank-you, Sakura," she said with a smile as her sister dropped off her laundry. She hadn't needed to, Hinoka would have been happy to grab it herself later, but she wasn't going to brush off Sakura's kindness either. As ever, seeing her sister was a breath of fresh air in the chaotic path her life had taken. The young queen truly thought nothing wrong as she bade her sister farewell and brought her laundry inside.

She also didn't deal with putting it away immediately either, as she went back to sorting her pages, trying to create a simulacrum of order first. Only after she had done that did she even think of changing her clothes. It was her mind's focus on other things that made her fail to notice anything wrong as she picked out something from the clean laundry and went to change.

She noticed when the clothes she picked out didn't quite fit her. This wasn't her dress. Looking at it closer... Had Sakura accidentally mixed up their laundry? Hinoka quickly looked around and bit her lip. She didn't particularly want to get back into the clothes she had just abandoned... it was a little complicated to put on.... she could survive... getting to Sakura's appartment...

...... right?

You don't know where her appartment is yet. As good a time as any to learn. Hinoka inhaled softly and then picked up the laundry bag. Right. She wasn't that much bigger than her little sister.

Thankfully, asking where Sakura lived while at Garreg Mach was easy... Hinoka knocked on her sister’s door.

"Sakura," she called. "Have you a moment?"

[gentlenekomata]

“Gosh, what I’ve done!” she talked to herself as she rummaged in the bag, folded clothes becoming mixed together with petals as she soon realized where her own clothes might have ended up. “Oh.. Poor Hinoka” she lastly said as she pop out of the scented bag again, pondering if she actually have any other clothes to put on in order to reach Hinoka with her own bag of clothes; a quick glance around, the empty wardrobe only meant one single option –she had to put on Hinoka’s clothes.

Just for a short amount of time, right?, she thought to herself as she picked the clothes from the scented bag: she was kind of drowning in Hinoka's outfit, as the sleeves were too long, the shoulders too broad and the skirt too long. It was somewhat funny to watch, but of course Sakura wouldn’t mind going out like that just to bring to her beloved sister her precious clothes.

Knock knock

The voice from Hinoka was unmistakable and the anxiety in Sakura’s chest popped out in one second, knowing that she had to face the reality of the facts: was her sister angry? disappointed? amused? Many were the possibilities and as she tried her best to shrugged off the thoughts, she goofily reached the entrance door of her apartment, opening the door with a guilty smile.

“S-Sister..” she paused for a moment, before widening her smile with a genuine laugh, “You look so cute with my clothes!” she knew she was terribly wrong, but she couldn’t help but being happy to see her sister wearing her own clothes. “How about...swapping role too, just for today?” it was a silly idea, a bit foolish but to Sakura, in that moment, it was a pure moment of reunion and familyhood. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea strolling around the monastery, but living a moment like that together, was something Sakura craved for a very long time, by now.

[far-from-common]

Let's pound this Mochi to perfection with hammers

TOA Anniversary 2025 | Axe +1

[far-from-common]

The break is much appreciated; as much as big swings showcased her magnificence quite well, next time she shall try and not overexert herself so needlessly.

She gives Sakura a nod as she catches her breath, taking a moment to observe as she skillfully kneads the dough.

“It is quite an enjoyable activity, though I shall fully admit that I did not realize just how much skill it requires. Skill AND trust. Even someone as magnificent as me would struggle with this if I did not have a partner as reliable as you.” She gives her a smile, one that quickly turns into a smirk.

“Why, I can only imagine a certain troublemaker back home who would most likely end up bonked on the hand due to his stubbornness.” She chuckles. If she ever makes this food back home, Rennac is NOT going to be the one in charge of the hammer.

“Honestly, though, it has been quite incredible to observe your talent at this. Loathe as I am to admit it, that hammer bested me quite quickly, meanwhile you seemed like you could have kept going when we swapped.” She gives Sakura a sheepish grin.

“Still, I shall prove myself quite better at this next part!” She proudly says, picking up the bag of flour with a bit too much energy and accidentally getting some of it on herself.

“Ah.” She may be getting ahead of herself once more. “Perhaps you could demonstrate first? But just for a moment; that is all I shall need to learn and perfect this next task!”

[gentlenekomata]

Seeing how much the young friend was enjoining the preparations of this sweet made the petite priestess quite proud of herself: she couldn’t imagine how much passion someone might put into a single process, but feeling the interest and admiration of L’Arachel made Sakura feel a bit overwhelmed, almost bashful for the compliments she received from the green-haired girl.

Trust, she repeated in her mind as she joyfully smiled at the young friend, a serene expression hovered on her face as she nodded at the thoughts: it was indeed a work of trust and harmony and the two people working together to make that had to cooperate and be in synth in order to bring out a great dessert. In all honesty, L’Arachel did a very good job to be her very first time doing so and Sakura couldn’t be happier for all her efforts. Plus, the compliments and the funny comparison made the petite priestess smile even more.

“I’m sure you’ll be a great teacher to them” she giggled as she waited for her to be back with the flour, needed to flour your hands for the next step: shaping the mochi! As she returned quite rapidly, Sakura carefully listened to her request and with a firm nod of her head, she started the demonstration.

“We need to shape the mochi, but first of all, we have to choose the filling to put inside” she smiled as she turned her head to point out the several jars filled with jams and special fillings: there were several types to choose from –there was plenty to choose from!

“While you choose which one you’d like to use, I’ll show you the first step of this phase” she said as she  brought the sack of flour closer to her and delicately reached inside to get a handful of flour to cover her hands and to cover the area where would work the dough. “We need to separate a small portion from the dough and gently flatten it with our fingers” and as she said so, she proceeded in doing so: she picked a portion from the dough and she placed it on the floured table and after a moment, her fingers gently opened and flattened the dough.

“Like this!” she exclaimed as she was proudly observing her handiwork. “Have you got any questions?”

[peerlessscowl]

dawnsteps

[peerlessscowl]

@gentlenekomata, cont from here

It was not the first time his hands had covered hers, but in those instances before he had been guiding, taking the lead to ensure that they both made it through to the other side safely. Moving on instinct, to keep oneself and another alive, was a different matter entirely – not to say that he was an unskilled dancer, those lessons had remained with him whether he willed it or not, but there was a distinct tug at his chest as he relinquished the control over his motions to her. 

The music swelled in a manner that was nearly insectlike, the buzz of a hive at the base of his neck, unsettling and incredible in the same breath, something that felt alive of its own virtues. The melody was almost alien, something he needed learn as it happened, could not depend on rote movements for, and for those first few moments, his steps were always half a beat behind hers, his motions stilted and unpracticed. 

He nearly missed that she was speaking to him, so focused on moving in synchronicity with her. A gentle exhale that could have been mistaken for a laugh escaped him, and Raven nodded. 

"I believe that it was." The thought tightened in his throat. Where as the heir of Cornwell it was not so uncommon to have wardrobes tailored for his specific use, it had been quite a long time since that had been something that Raven, the mercenary, could have said to be true. "It isn't something that I'm used to wearing so much anymore. 

"You look beautiful as well. The dress moves nicely." 

[gentlenekomata]

Seeing how much focus he Raven was putting into that steps made the petite priestess even more proud and happy to be able to share such moments with him: as far as she remembered, the two of them certainly had several intimate moments, special she would say, but always with a tender hue of love, affection, complicity that always made the duo connected in tune. Yet, compliments still remained something the petite priestess fatigued to accept so vaguely, as pink hues coloured her cheeks.

“T-Thank you, Sir Raven, you’re always so kind” she timidly replied as the couple proceeded in the dance, slow and steady, perfect for chitchatting in the meanwhile, besides observing with pleasure that the man was quickly learning each step with quite easy and fast rhythm –he seemed more confident, more trusting.

“You already learned the basics, that’s really perfect!” she complimented him, while trying her best to sweep away the embarrassment she felt just few moments before. Another pace, a slow twirl and little by little the distance between their steps disappeared; where at first Sakura needed to guide each movement, soon their feet seemed to find the same rhythm naturally, the music carrying them across the polished floor with far less hesitation than before.

“I used to dance to this melody a lot when I was a kid, I extremely loved sharing the dance with my brothers” her eyes shone lightly as she spoke about them and in a moment like that, Raven kind of reminded her of her brothers, in some way. “They were so attentive and I was so goofy at the time…” she giggled, slightly moving on the side, making a twirl. “Nobility certainly has got its happy moments and that was one of them”

She never denied her noble origins, even if many times she felt a little suffocated inside; she learnt to live with it, to respect it and to put a line between her personal life and her duty as a princess.

[gentlenekomata]

the stick quest: path to bravery and swordship | Sakura+Panette

⤷ Anniversary 2025: sword +1

[classybrawler]

Sakura’s attack, whilst not connecting, was quite the tactical marvel; their opponent is clearly too hotheaded for her own good.

Making her way over as fast as she could as stealthily as she could, Panette was quite close to reaching the enemy stickswoman, only for an errant branch on her path to alert her with a snap. She goes for a quick strike but alas, it is blocked by the opposing stick before it strikes true.

Roll: 1d20 = 6, hit!

“Hah. You think a simple sneak attack will take me down? Please. All you’ve done is made me even more determined to win!” Her opponent says, putting in even more force into her stick in an attempt to bring Panette down. As much as Panette would love to win against a pure strength match, she knows how strong an enraged opponent can be.

Not to mention it sounds quite exhausting.

A raptor’s swiftness shall serve her well instead; she puts some extra energy into her pushback, and as the stickswoman pushes back even harder, Panette moves her body out of the way and willingly moves her stick down, causing her opponent to stumble forward, giving Panette ample opportunity to strike her stick with as much power as she can, sending it flying out of her hands and her opponent toppling onto the ground. 

Roll: 1d20 = 14, hit!

Quickly kicking the stick over towards Sakura, she brandishes her own against the fallen enemy, gently poking her in the back. She withdraws the stick quickly, walking over to face the girl with a smile on her face.

“That was quite the sparring match!” She says, holding her hand out to help the girl get up. She could taunt, of course, but hey, it’s not like she’s never trash talked during battle either.

And if she continues to be a jerk when beaten, she’ll just whack her with the stick again.

[gentlenekomata]

Despite the perfect strategy, Panette didn’t manage to hit the girl on the first place, she seemingly was on the verge of losing the duel, being put into a disadvantageous situation, but seeing the fire bursting in her glance, Sakura couldn’t help but cheer on her newly acquired friend and companion, as she was sure she would outmatch that enraged opponent.

“You can do it! You’re stronger than her!” she yelled from afar, lifting her arm in the sky as she pointed the stick up in the air, as if it was some sort of auspicious tool to wish the girl to win the fight –and it did work. Soon after her incitement, the orange-haired girl forced herself against the opponent and causing her to stumble forward, making the stick of the enemy flew over and after a firm kick of Panette, the weapon soon reached the feet of Sakura, rolling in the dusty terrain.

“I’ve got it!” the petite girl triumphantly said as she grabbed with both hands the stick of the opponent, waving it in the air as a sign of victory and within few moments, she as well reached the two girls, as she observed Panette helping out the other fighter getting up on her feet once again.

“You fought well, it was an interesting sparring” she humbly said to the enemy, then she shifted her gaze and attention on Panette; she genuinely smiled as she looked at her, realizing how much care and respect she showed to the opponent despite the arrogant tone the other used towards them. It wasn’t only a matter of maturity –it was also a matter of chivalry and elegance, both bonded into that tiny body of her, enclosed in a satisfied smug.

“Perhaps courage wasn't always loud. Perhaps… sometimes it’s simply believing someone would stand by your side” her tone was soft, serious, but her voice trembled a little as she spoke, feeling the pride and admiration towards Panette so loudly that she could almost cry in happiness. “Is this the truth behind the seek of the Perfect Stick?”

[gentlenekomata]

sweet reunion | Sakura+Diamant

toaball 2026, continuing from here

[heriteur]

"Brave knight?" He chuckles, "You almost make me sound like a storybook character. Really, I'm just me."

But even he knows that isn't true, not really. There were so many titles attached to him—prince, king, commander—that it was impossible for him to be a simple person at this point. Still, it was a nice thought.

Though it seemed Sakura was insistent on sharing, despite his gesture. He really did not have a love for sweets, yet he found it difficult to reject her sentiments. Her kindness was not to be wasted, and this surprising boldness was a refreshing look on her.

"Well... alright. You win. I suppose I can take the one with cream and almonds." Cream was fine, and he didn't mind nuts. Diamant just hoped it wouldn't taste too sugary. "Thank you. You can be quite persuasive sometimes. It seems your patients might have their work cut out for them."

[gentlenekomata]

His modesty was another trait that Sakura admired, especially in a young am like himself: it was rare to find such elegance and chivalry now days and Sakura only watched it and learned it from her brothers, especially from Ryoma –he was her hero, after all, the one who kept the kingdom united and promoted peace. But now, another example of justice, honour and kindness found a place in her heart.

“There, there, I’ll get you a plate” she giggled, offering the one sweet he chose, wondering why he was so hesitant at first: simply gentleness or perhaps a lack of appreciation for sweets? “There are also more salty dessert if you wish, I’ll swing by to get you some later, if you want” she offered herself as she quietly listened to his compliments. “Taking care of others has always been my passion and being helpful makes me feel truly resourceful for everyone” she simply stated, thinking that what she just said was the most common thing to say and admit –she was too pure for this world, sometimes.

“What’s your aspirations, sir Diamant?” a question out of the blue perhaps, but she felt like she needed to return the kindness in his manners, treating him like the extraordinary person he was.

[gentlenekomata]

what lies within ; Sakura+Raven

ethereal ball mini thread

[peerlessscowl]

Don’t go too far ahead, he’d said, and been promptly ignored.

This woman was a menace.

“Hey - ” It held no bite, a hand reaching but mostly his own forward momentum keeping pace with Sakura as she plunged headfirst into the unknown pool and allowed her impulse take them ever forward. "I know it's a beach party, but I hadn't expected you would be so willing to get yourself wet."

Most who cared about events like these didn't dress practically, they dressed to impress, and Sakura certainly wasn't any exception, the frills and flounces of her dress fluttering to the surface of the water as she moved further into the pool toward the cavern she had spotted behind the waterfall.

"Hang on," he said, as though that would make a difference, as though her pace would halt at all at his direction - nevertheless, as he said it, he unbuttoned the overcoat he wore and lifted it up, over her head, so that she could pass under the waterfall relatively unscathed.

A sigh, then, "Let's get on with it."

The shock of cold water and immense pressure from the roaring falls Raven survived with gritted teeth, and when they emerged from the wet dripping and cold, he shook his head to clear it - of the noise, of the dripping water, and instinct to shake the darkness away as well.

"Wh-?"

The darkness that wasn't there. Whatever he'd been expecting here, it wasn't this: shelf upon shelf of tidepools, little clusters of life hidden from the surface, glittering faintly bioluminescent, flitting this way and that beneath the surfaces of the little ecosystems.

[gentlenekomata]

She heard his voice, but it seemed so faint inside the cave that it almost slipped from her mind as quickly as she pace towards the large waterfall: she felt something behind the water, as if a call was luring her inside, through the wall of water, even though she perfectly knew that with the dress she was wearing, further movements would definitely be more and more difficult, the more she soaked herself with the crystalline water.

Then, she felt something over her head and as she turned to inspect, she heard a soft sigh and an affirmative phrase, a confirmation to proceed and a very apprehensive tone as he surely knew that she couldn’t help but following her natural instincts and discover what hid behind that waterfall. “Thank you, Sir Raven” she timidly said as she felt the coverage above her head, a soft smile before the two of them rushed the rushing water and found themselves on the other side of the rocky wall: instead of pitch darkness, strange masses of bioluminescence floated in several tidepools scattered around the area, making the whole atmosphere feel quite unnatural and magical, as if it was a place in between the present and the future, stuck in a state that felt somewhat empty.

“Are you alright?” she turned to gaze upon Raven, ascertain he was doing okay after the soaking rush and as she returned her attention to the tidepools, the glow beneath the surface deepened, spreading in slow waves like breath returning to something long asleep; it was a strange feeling, almost mystical, but all she could do right now, was holding her breath in awe, surprised yet confused by the bizarre sensation.

“Did you… feel that too, Sir Raven?” she hesitated, not actually sure about what she has just experienced; it felt like something tried to communicate with them, an unknown force perhaps, but definitely something utterly unnatural and mysterious, but certainly not… harmful?

Sakura pondered a little about the glowing masses, but even more about a sudden change she noticed on the north wall, where enigmatic symbols appeared carved into the stone. Her expression immediately changed and a veil of stupor appeared on her lips as she covered her mouth in surprise.

“W-What is happening..?!”

[hermidetta]

[ HOSHIDO ] - A synchronized dance that must be done by two people. To a slow and gentle melody, the pair moves with fluid purpose, evoking the image of a crane in flight.

As soon as Sakura heard that familiar music, she dashed into the ballroom, swiftly following the movements of the dance, even though she soon realized that she needed someone else to properly perform that synchronized dance famous in her homeland.

She scanned the crowd around the ballroom, but when she was ready to give in, she eventually spotted a face she was not familiar with, but too many time she actually wished to know better. With a firm and secure pace, she approached the girl with a radiant smile, arm extended to present her hand to her. “Would you like to dance, with me?” she sheepishly asked, observing the beautiful dress she had and already imagining how cute it could be whenever she would move and twirl on the dancefloor.

“I’m Sakura, it’s a strange situation to introduce ourself, but it might be fate” she giggled, hoping for a positive answer from her.

the first thing that catches bernadetta's eye is the pink of her hair. it reminds of the small flowers that bloom in singles, not clusters, peeking out from the foliage of bernadetta's favorite sundew plants like blushing maidens.

and now, two of them. the first, giggling as she introduces herself. the second, blinking with a half open mouth as she's processing that sakura is talking to her. a dance? it isn't that bernadetta doesn't know how to, but—

“m-me? uh, i don't really know this one!”  she feels like she must warn her.  “i'd just get in your way...”  but sakura's smile is as lovely as can be, unimposing hints of sheepishness at its corners that bernadetta can recognize when she looks closer. wait, when did she get closer?

(the truth is this: bernadetta von varley, who watches so many people from afar, has wished many a time for some chance to know her better, too. if fates existed, maybe theirs were just bound to intertwine sooner or later after all.)

so she finds herself stepping along with sakura before her nerves can talk her out of it, led by the hand, trying her best to follow the motions of a dance from the other's homeland. if bernadetta missteps or makes a poor excuse of a crane, at least sakura hasn't made fun of her yet.

but something about her gentle laughter lets bernadetta believe she wouldn't do that at all. and by the end of their imperfect dance, it's the both of them who have ended up giggling together.

“that turned out better than i expected!”  by luck or otherwise, but that didn't matter now. what better way to celebrate a budding friendship than with a flower to match her cute dress? before sakura can part for the night, bernadetta twirls its stem a bit anxiously before clearing her throat.  “um, this is for you. and... thanks! i-i'm bernadetta.”

[gentlenekomata]

Her innocent glance mad

Her innocent glance made the petite priestess smiled in excitement, having found such a pure and gentle soul among a large crowd of people dancing and twirling in the ballroom. “You won’t get in my way; you are going to be with me, in this way” she tried to joke, not exactly her strong point to be utterly fair, but she did her best to ease up the tension and make the other girl feel at ease with her and with the dance.

“Follow my lead, it’ll be a piece of cake” she drew closer as she felt her trust growing in her glittering eyes, a gentle nod, a soft grip of her hands, placed in the right places and she started to move, gesturing her with her head and her hands, “Trust me, trust the process” she simply said and the couple began to twirl, move, dash and slowly making its way through the dance floor, obtaining what Sakura was hoping for: fun.

As the music ended, the couple did their last twirl and Sakura bowed her head in sign of gratitude. “You did wonderfully, I’m amazed by your talent!” she giggled, catching her name as she exchanged a flower for the ball. “Bernadette? I’m Sakura, pretty pleased to finally made this lovely acquaintance with you” she sweetly said, though adding one more question before they actually parting their ways.

“Soon a famous festival will be hold” she still wasn’t sure about the preparations of it, but she deemed to be a perfect occasion to deepen her knowledge, “Would you mind helping out together?”

[gentlenekomata]

Sweet bonds and sticky rice | Sakura+Raven

⤷ Anniversary 2025: axe +1

[peerlessscowl]

Raven nodded, watching in silence as Sakura grabbed herself a chair to assist in reaching the bowl – if the corner of his mouth curled upward, just slightly, what of it? 

"Well, if you're sure." The process was straight-forward, but involved. One person beating a pile of grain to mash or meal was one thing, and could even be mechanized faithfully – he had seen the ways the mills worked on his father's land – but two people working in tandem required attention and cooperation. 

It was true he was stronger than her – he also didn't want to hit her hands, reaching into the bowl to knead and adjust the dough. 

"Ready," he confirmed, and lifted the mallet up above his head and struck downward. 

It got into the bowl, at least, but was not his most graceful strike, glancing off the curve of the mortar and slipping against the wall to land softly against the side of the mound of dough. The little indent it made reformed itself slowly as he released a little, "Haah," of amusement. 

"Another," was all he said before heaving the mallet upward once more, somewhat stiff and uncomfortable in his hands, and striking downward – this one missed entirely, knocked against the rim of the basin, and he tsked in irritation, then recovered to give her a wry smile. 

"Looks like I'm making you do all the work. Apologies." 

[gentlenekomata]

As soon as the man confirmed, Sakura prepared and positioned her hands in a safe and stable position, ready for any eventuality; the first swing went smoothly, Raven did a great job and Sakura could feel the excitement in his face as he pulled up the mallet, giving the petite princess the time to quickly shape the dough. It already became quite malleable, the first strike was the most important one, because it helped with the entire process of modelling and crushing, making the dough softer at the touch, as well as a bit sticky too.

“You did greatly Sir Raven!” she complimented the young man as her hands flipped the dough few times, before he announced a second round, the mallet thudded down, this time missing its target: getting the rim of the basin was a common mistake for a novice and Sakura couldn’t help but giving a reassuring smile at him in sign of apprehension and understanding for the little incident just happened.

“Let me do one swing, just to see if I remember how to do it, heh” she giggled, gently cleaning her hands by rubbing them together and patiently waiting for him to hand over the instrument, “Right, be prepared!” she announced, getting the hand of it before anything else and giving Raven the time to settle for the new role. The weight of the mallet was considerably higher than  she remembered, but she wanted to give him a proper demonstration, as well as giving him the chance to try the other role as well.

“Just flip it right after I hit it with the mallet” she made a slow nod, waited for him to be ready and after few moments, she lifted the mallet in the air, a sigh and a swung down, precisely hitting the dough with a moderate blow. “I did it!” she exclaimed with enthusiasm, slowly pulling up the mallet in order to give Raven the time to do what he have to with the softened dough. Everything was going pretty smoothly.

“Do you want to do the very last hits?” she asked, wondering which role Raven preferred, after he tried them both. In the end, a few more strokes and the dough would have been ready – it didn't need too many, since it was also a small amount of dough.

[gentlenekomata]

where is my mantle? | Sakura+Ophelia

⤷ Infamous: non-mission

[umbralward]

Ophelia may have spent a little too long in the sauna. She may have fallen asleep in her meditation, curled up in her towel and relaxed to the core. Some secrets simply are taken to the grave.

A problem arose when she finally roused: Ophelia finds that her clothes are missing. They’d been neatly folded and set aside - freshly laundered, too, for maximum relaxation. Despite Ophelia being the only woman in the sauna currently, the clothes left in the changing room are decidedly not hers.

Clothes don’t matter. She quickly rustles through the remaining garb in search of her true target, and finding none, she quickly pulls it on with little thought so she might track down where hers went.

The towel falls to the floor at some point, and Ophelia disregards it in favor of her new quest.

Her new garb, unexamined (mostly) doesn’t fit right. The stockings squeeze her thighs more than she’s used to, but the fact that it’s a loose skirt prevents it from restricting her movement. More uncomfortable is the top, squeezing her chest not only tightly, but in a restrictive way she doesn’t usually allow her outfits.

She’s not used to having her chest so hidden from the sun’s rays, but nor is she used to going so far without her Glittering Heartstone! 

It must be with her garb. That is her only lead, after all, and certainly this quest will be as simple as finding her outfit and retrieving her stone.

She hears a call, and turns her head, seeing -

It’s another girl, dressed in her uniform, though being a slighter build than Ophelia, she looks even smaller in the loose clothes draped across her.

“A-ha!” Ophelia exclaims, grinning. She wastes no time at all in closing the distance between the two. “Lady Fate would not hide my quarry from me for so long; you’re the one who stole mine uniform!”

She points, adopting a powerful stance with her other hand clenched into a fist at her hip. “And thus, the kidnapper of my Glittering Heartstone is revealed! What say you in your defense, before Ophelia Dusk rains her vengence upon you?!”

[gentlenekomata]

The sight of her clothes was relieving, but the defiant glare she received from the girl wearing them wasn’t exactly what she expected from a stranger: apparently she didn’t seem to be that happy with this discovery and the more she got closer to Sakura, the more the petite priestess felt a terrible sensation, even if she actually didn’t do anything wrong, except from swapping by mistake their own clothes.

“I… I did it by mistake!” she soon after fell silent un terror, not knowing what to do or say in order to make the other girl comprehend her position; instead, she backtracked a little, few steps just to be sure to not be so close to that apparently enraged person.

“G-Glittering Stone?” she looked perplexed, but as a reflex, she put her hands in her uniform pockets, rummaging inside in hopes of finding what the dark-haired girl was looking for. Nothing, she found nothing. Eyes shifted back at the girl, a hint of anxiety flickered from her lips as she trembled a little –what could she say in her defence?

“I haven’t seen no stone while I picked up these clothes from my basin” she muttered, trying to remember where this artifact might be, falling back on the most obvious solution: the same basin where she had collected the clothes. It could be a clue, or at least it could be a reasonable response to give to the other girl, in the hope to make her understand her position.

“Perhaps it’s still in my room” she timidly added, leaning a little to the right to see if she was wearing her mantle, “I can help you finding it, it’ll be my utter pleasure!” she bowed her head in sign of apology, knowing that she might be the one who miscarried the basins with the clothes.

[gentlenekomata]

♡ June activity check ♡

Skill points

activity

Activity Check – any +1

Completed thread – Flying +1

total — [ 80 + 2 = 82 ]

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Points allocation

given to Gauntlet [ C -> C* ]

given to Flying [ C+* -> B ]

Claims

rank B Flying reward -> Alert Stance+ [pending]

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

On going threads

waiting for you;

A sweeter beating - Saizo | gauntlet +1 @hoshidosflame Sweet seminar – Darios | Epidemic, gauntlet +1 @grxstnnefealltoir [on hiatus] nyathing to be concerned about – Tsubaki | Anniversary 2025, authority +1 @petalblight Almost like home – Ryoma | axe +1 @peerlesssamurai smoky reunion – Corrin M | Infamous, reason +1 @duskofendflame

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

have to reply;

the taste of home – Emma | Anniversary 2025, axe +1 @shiningfalcon what lies within – Raven (ethereal ball mini thread) || Sweet bonds and sticky rice – Raven | Anniversary 2025, axe +1 @peerlessscowl Straddle bet – Leif | Pearlescent @diadic folded petals, tangled laundry – Hinoka | Infamous @scarletfireblossom [on hiatus] the stick quest: path to bravery and swordship - Panette | Anniversary 2025, sword +1 @classybrawler Let's pound this Mochi to perfection with hammers – L’Arachel | Anniversary 2025, axe +1 @far-from-common Where is my mantle - Ophelia | Infamous Sweet memories - Tine | Anniversary 2025, axe +1 @frigidsurge + several ball asks

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵ ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Dropped threads

Valse de salon - Siegbert | Infamous

Completed threads

Special delivery: pigeons at your service! – Mitama | Anniversary 2025, flying +1 (completed, 3024 w.)

[gentlenekomata]

smoky reunion | Sakura+Corrin M

⤷ Infamous: reason +1

[duskofendflame]

Corrin wasn't exactly... well versed in magic. Not as much as his Nohrian siblings at least. He got the gist of some basic things, but he certainly wouldn't dare to call himself an expert. He stares out idly over the burning fields, unsure of how to handle this. If there were enough water nearby, maybe he could do something about it easier, but nothing surrounds the area but open fields

A familiar voice jolts him out of his thoughts, the young king quickly spinning on his heel to allow Sakura to grab him. He missed all of his family terribly whenever he was away from them, but both of his darling younger sisters seemed to sting the most to be apart from.

"Hello Sakura, I'm glad to still see you here," He didn't think that he had left for that long, but perhaps that didn't seem to be the case. Ah well. He had done what he needed to do back home, and he was back now! Didn't matter too much as long as he was here.

"It certainly isn't the best situation," He sighs, looking back towards the burning fields, "But I'm sure we can figure something out if we work together!"

[gentlenekomata]

His enthusiasm gave Sakura a little booster in her mood, making her believe they were actually there to be useful and to truly help those in need; yet, first thing first, the fire –it wasn’t exactly natural, or that was what the petite priestess thought as she immediately sensed something magical hovering around the area, especially coming from certain flaming areas.

“I’m not completely sure, but I feel something… unclear about those flames, as if they were made of magic or came from a unknown spell” she pondered aloud, sharing her thoughts with Corrin, in the hope to strike some more useful ideas from him. “It feels like this land is burning out of normality and I sense more dangerousness in that…” she lowered her voice, as if she didn’t want to anger the mysterious flames, but the more she thought about it, the more she felt stressed: not only people were endangered, but also the entire field was put in a very risky position. Then, something crossed her mind.

“What if we… could purify this flames with healing magic?” it was a strange idea, almost illogical that something like that could be purify, but what if those flames were actually made of evil magic? The thought of it became clearer and clearer in her mind as she spoke, searching looking for confirmation in the gaze of Corrin.

“Could you help me out with it?” she gently asked, wondering if her brother had some knowledge of Faith magic: here in Fódlan magic was treated a bit differently than Hoshido, but she quickly learned the way to learn both the two type of magic – Reason and Faith.  Luckily for her, the catalyst for white magic was always the same, a staff, so learning the usage of it was actually easier than she thought. “We must make an attempt, these people and this land deserve to be saved!” puppy eyes stared at the brotherly figure for a long moment, before she could receive an answer from him.

[gentlenekomata]

Special delivery: pigeons at your service! | Sakura+Mitama

⤷ Anniversary 2025: flying +1

[verseandrhyme]

"There was no reason in particular." Would the name somehow been better if she had held them here for hours pondering over it? Mitama has never had a pet before, she has no experience with naming things or anything like that. Hasu was simply what came to mind in the moment, and if the bird and Lady Sakura thought it fitting, then she would not argue. At this moment in time, she has no reason to think that her and this bird will ever recognize each other again, after all.

Newly named and freshly tended to, Hasu lets out one last coo before flying off her shoulder and back up to the rafters. Mitama watches it silently for a moment before turning her attention back to the princess.

"A schedule?" Ugh. The last thing she wants is to repeatedly deprive herself of rest by giving herself more labour to suffer through. The birds are not that bad, but their appeal is nothing compared to the delight of staying in bed and letting the hours roll by while doing nothing.

But, unfortunately, greater than her desire to sleep is her aversion to the idea of disappointing. So, after a moment of silence, Mitama nods and does her best to smile. "I imagine I would like that quite a bit. Thank you for making time for me."

Who knows, if she persists long enough, perhaps she might even learn how to find that bird again. Only time will tell but, for now, she is happy at least for a new memory worth revisiting. "I am grateful, Lady Sakura."

end

[gentlenekomata]

The meaning of the name was actually pretty cute in Sakura’s mind, as it reminded her of a lotus, a beautiful plant that grew even in the most difficult situation; perhaps Mitama thought of that because of the state of the hatchery, perhaps she wanted to give a powerful yet gentle name to that little bird, as a reminder and token of fortitude and fortune. Or perhaps she just liked the sound of the name –anything would be fitting for Sakura and the bird itself has approved the choice as well.

As it achieved the sound of its name, the little bird departed from Mitama’s shoulder and flew nearby its peers, happily cooing as it probably enjoyed the hard work the two girls put to clean the place and to make everything perfect and functional for them.

“I’m glad they’re enjoying the freshly clean hatchery” she giggled, before returning her attention to the pink-haired girl, listening to her brief sign of gratitude –she has always been so simple and soft in every word or that was what Sakura thought of Mitama, a girl of not too many words, but with a good heart. She smiled at her as she accepted the suggestion and thanked her for being able to do all of that together, like two friends would do, like a family would do.

“Hasu will be grateful for your help, I’m sure of it” she glanced at the rows of nestles, eyeing the bird that chose Mitama as a faithful partner. “Next time I’ll make a little décor for it, so this way we could easily recognize it among the others” she lastly added, before glancing one last smile at Mitama.

“I am the one grateful for your presence Mitama. I’ll be looking forward to our next task!” she eagerly said, hands clasping together as she drew closer to her, one last smile. “You are amazing Mitama, never forget it. What you did here, was something incredibly important, especially for them” and she turned to point the birds seemingly watching the couple from afar. “You have a good heart, like I always thought” and she let a soft giggle depart from her lips, as she lastly cupped Mitama’s hands in hers.

Azama would be proud of her.

/e n d .

[gentlenekomata]

the taste of home | Sakura+Emma

⤷ Anniversary 2025: axe +1

[shiningfalcon]

Riveted, she watches the skill with which Sakura wields the mallet. “Ohh!” she murmurs with wonder. Each swing looks so natural; if she weren’t royalty, Emma could believe Princess Sakura been born to make mochi. Then again, the life of a princess was about as distant to her as the life of anyone else here—for all she knew, being able to produce a national good so beloved as mochi was a vital part of the royal education. Or, she was just that graceful naturally.

Emma really could believe it either way.

Naturally, when the Hoshidan Princess suggests the Sky Knight in training help her with rice, the latter nods with fervor and a smile. “Yeah! Let’s get that rice cooking,” she readily agrees, head pivoting left and right searching for it. There it is—she takes a couple steps down along the counter, lifting the bowl of soaking mochigome and carefully carrying it with both hands, following Sakura’s footsteps. “And while it steams, I can practice my moves with the hammer! That way, by the time it’s done, I’ll be worthy of your trust.”

Delicately, she places the bowl of rice down on the counter in front of her so that Sakura can prepare it to be steamed. She returns to her earlier compliment, which still sticks with the girl.

“Heheh, I'd still feel weird calling myself a real Sky Knight, though. I’ve still got lots of training to do.” she says sheepishly. Even in spite of all the battles she’s faced, it feels like a shirt one size too big for her. “I still make mistakes all the time, and need people to show me how to do things right. I’m hoping that by the time I go back to Hoshido, I’ll have earned it!”

[gentlenekomata]

The enthusiasm of the young girl definitely put Sakura in an excellent mood, extremely grateful to share such intimate and wonderful moment and experience with a person that she considered part of her life and home. With a firm nod, she leaded the way and as she waited for the petite knight to come by with the bowl of rice, she eagerly approved the decision of Emma, who actually was very earnest to learn the correct usage of the mallet.

“This sounds like a good plan!” she chirped as she picked the bowl from the counter, pouring it inside the steamer and putting everything on the boiling water, mentally setting a timer as to not let the rice steam cook too much –otherwise, the consistency of the dough would be a bit too...sticky and soft. As she turned to face the petite brunette, she returned to the previous argument, the compliment didn’t go unattended by her, apparently and Sakura was absolutely pleased by her cute reaction.

“I bet that both Ryoma and Hinoka would love to see you in action!” she blurted as she happily trotted towards the counter where the mortar was placed, “Plus, Sky Knights were actually my favourite heroes, I always admire the elegance and the simplicity with which they manage to tame beautiful creatures like kinshi and then to fly among the clouds to protect our people…” she had a dreamy look while she picked up the mortar, though not losing the attention needed to place the instrument in the correct place to begin the crushing of the future dough.

“I excuse myself for my nosy attitude, but…” she paused, gaining as much respect and gentleness as possible, “Why have you chose to train as a Sky Knight, Miss Emma?” she was genuinely curious about her story and since they had to wait a little bit, she took the opportunity to learn more about what she already deemed to be a friend.