***
She was now locked in the fitting room, where a large mirror was displayed in front of her. The red curtain, crumpled at the entrance of the fitting room, was the only thing preventing anyone from being able to see this girl, except for the two girls muttering on the other side of the curtain.
'Haa... What should I do?'
"You look like a scared goat. Are you also going to be all petrified and lying on the floor like a goat?"
This time Gray preferred to avoid Add.
It was when the strange cube's voice stopped that the curtain opened and Sakura appeared poking her head out.
"We have this dress for you. Try it on."
A white one piece dress and a very country style hat, something perfect for this summer.
"We'll bring you something else later."
"Oh, wait-"
Before she could ask Sakura how to wear these kinds of clothes, she disappeared back the main room to look for more sets of clothes that could match Gray's pale skin
"This is getting worse and worse..."
She sighed holding up the dress. In the end she resigned herself and took off the cloak, which fell to the floor along with her skirt and sweater.
There she looked in the mirror and saw a body that was not hers.
It is true that she has a beautiful appearance, but this beauty does not belong to her. Still, she shook her head to erase those thoughts from her mind and lifted the white dress high.
"This is going to be difficult."
***
"We should help her."
Reines wanted to enter the fitting room, but Sakura stopped her.
"You're being too curious, don't you think? Let Gray learn on her own. If she needs help, she should ask for it herself. Then she'll be able to trust others."
"Hm... that's fine. Although she somehow reminds me of you seven years ago. You were so shy, but you were so angry when someone offended my beloved brother."
"Well... that's normal, isn't it?"
"Yes... unlike us magus, you are someone more common. And that's not bad. I like that you're like that. You're very different from the others. Keep it up, little sister. Maybe someday you can find that man who lights your fireplace."
"Again you're saying things that are out of line. Besides, even though you know I like that person, I don't want to see him again for that reason. I need to thank him for what he did for me. Even though it took a while, when I needed him the most he was there for me. I have to return the favor somehow."
"Well if you get to see him, spread your legs and he'll be happy to come in"
"... Shut up..."
***
The curtain opened and Gray showed herself in her dress as white as the clouds in the sunny sky. With that hat on, she wondered....
"Does my face look much?"
"Yes. You're very beautiful. If only you weren't wearing that hood all the time you'd know it."
Reines was right, but Gray didn't take this well.
"Your underwear is white, isn't it?"
Sakura walked up to Gray to get a closer look.
"How you have very white skin and the dress is also a light color, I thought your underwear would show through the fabric, but that doesn't seem to be the case."
"Don't tell me you don't change your underwear either?"
Reines said. This again sparked Add's laughter.
Gray had enough of this and closed the curtain. A split second later, the screams of Add being shaken inside his cage were heard full of agony.
After that, the curtain opened again.
"Monster... it's a monster..."
Add whined with his eyes showing spirals. Gray just folded her arms at the sight of it.
"Well, all that's left to say is that it looks great on you, do you want to try on the next one?"
Sakura's kind suggestion made Gray nod her head in response.
So, then, Sakura showed her a set of clothes very similar to the ones she wears for training.
"I'm sure it will be more comfortable for you."
"Uh, yeah..."
The curtain closed again and, after a few short minutes, opened showing Gray wearing a beret over her gray hair. She wore a tight black long-sleeved blouse that marked the outline of her torso and breasts. On top of that tight, but comfortable blouse, she had another looser, more comfortable blouse. Her skirt was wine red and square patterned as was her beret. The loose blouse had a lighter color similar to gray that went well with the long black stockings on her legs.
"You were right. This is more comfortable."
Sakura knew what clothes to wear to fight. Though it's not recommended to wear such nice clothes for that, as there are tailors focused on that aspect in the magus world.
"If you like it, we'll buy it for you."
"Yes... thank you..."
"Huh... even the ugliest ape can look good with a change of clothes."
Add's loud voice one last time. With that, a vein swelled in Gray's forehead. The curtain again closed and Add's howls of suffering echoed loudly, making Reines appreciate these forms of torture by the gray-haired girl all the more.
"I can't get bored with you two here."
Reines is having fun.
***
The most important part of a woman's outfit is the underwear. Both Reines and Sakura knew this, so they decided to buy a lot more things for Gray regarding that.
They were now in the lingerie section. There were many items of clothing that Gray considered to be indecent. Every time she looked at everything in the store, her face would turn red with embarrassment just imagining herself wearing all that.
"I'll have to buy something for myself too."
Sakura walked over to the bra area and browsed around a bit. Reines joined her to look together and all Gray could do at that point was follow them silently.
"This one here is really cute."
Sakura picked up a white lace bra with cute patterns. Reines looked at the bra size and shook her head.
"It's cute, but it won't fit you."
"Really?"
Gray walked over to look at the bra size with a little embarrassment, but when she saw the number on the tag, her eyes almost popped out of her face. If Reines said that wouldn't fit Sakura, then nothing might be able to hold up those big mountains.
That's when this country girl finally realized how generous life has been to Sakura.
'Big... they are very big...'
She and Sakura were supposed to be the same age, but the difference was too much.
She looked at her chest thinking that this was fine, but something deep down made her angry. envy maybe? She didn't know. What this girl would be thankful for in the future was not having to deal with two large masses of flesh hanging off her chest. Sakura's back and shoulders usually hurt because of her gift... her curse....
'I'll pretend I didn't see anything...'
Thus she turned around and searched through everything for something she could use. If Reines is willing to spend her money on it, we should be grateful and accept this opportunity.
Though the only thing that caught her eye was the plain, white lingerie. For her that was enough.
"How boring!"
Reines suddenly jumped up behind Gray.
"Better wear this one."
She said showing him a semi-transparent black ensemble.
Gray seeing this took a step back denying over and over again.
"No, no. There's no way I'm wearing that!"
"But since you're wearing the clothes I bought you, why don't you wear this too? Your white skin will contrast nicely with the black color of this outfit. You'll look cute and sexy, can you pass up the opportunity?"
"Uh, I..."
"Sakura has more of a similar one too."
Reines smiled mischievously. It's no secret to her that Sakura has quite a few sexy outfits. She herself took it upon herself to look at everything her little sister keeps in her closet drawers.
This ultimately made Gray think long and hard about it.
"I can't imagine wearing that."
Yes. Yes she can.
***
They finally got out of the lingerie store. Gray now had a set of underwear she would never in her life wear. Maybe...
While Gray secretly felt embarrassed, Sakura left the store quite satisfied. She bought a few things that she will wear in her day to day life. Among them, some new bras, as the ones she already had were growing out of her.
"How long have we been here?"
Sakura asked. To which Reines looked up at a part of the ceiling that was made of glass.
"It looks like we're already past noon."
The sun was already a little past its highest point.
"I guess we could go to lunch. I'm already a little hungry."
Sakura's suggestion pleased Reines. Something delicious to eat before finishing shopping could be something nice.
Even Gray supports this suggestion.
"Then we won't wait any longer."
***
"Tell us the story of your prince charming, Sakura."
Reines brought up the topic while taking a bite of the dessert on the plate.
Sakura almost spit out the fruit smoothie she had in her mouth after hearing that. Gray, for her part, showed interest in this as she ate a cookie. If Sakura's past is revealed, it will likely be intertwined with her mentor's past.
"Prince Charming?"
Just like in the stories in the books. Gray did show interest in this.
"I've already told you that many times. No need to mention it again."
"But our friend Gray doesn't know."
"Friend..."
Gray whispered. Then she snapped back to reality after thinking for a brief second and looked at Sakura expectantly. Stories were something she liked. If there's an interesting story to be told, she wanted to hear it.
"Well, it's not like it's a secret either."
Sakura closed her eyes as if going back in time. For her to remember this was as beautiful as it was sad.
"The first time I met him he was like a ghost merging with the darkness. The moonlight that came in through the open window seemed to illuminate him as if he were something more extraordinary. He had a mournful expression on his face, as if he carried a great sadness too heavy for his shoulders."
With a soft smile she remembered that moment.
The day that person appeared at the window of her house.
That was the story of a little girl's innocent love for a boy who showed himself to be someone important in her life.
He was strong, funny and kind.
Even though his hands were stained with the red color of corrupted souls, he kept moving forward without stopping.
Even if he didn't deserve redemption, he didn't mind forcing his way through.
It was a whole year that she was together with him, and that year was more than enough for her to understand that this boy is the one she wants to be with for the rest of her life.
Even after she went to live with the Matō, while she was suffering in the depths of that house, Toru was still fighting for her wish.
He was a hero...
"He was my hero..."
Sakura ended up looking at the dessert with a sorrowful expression. She didn't tell them the whole story, but she did tell them how she felt throughout that story.
She was excited, in love and happy. When he was there she was happier than she had ever been, but at the end....
'Like a tragic love, eh...'
Gray thought. That person was very important to Sakura, so much so that she, remembering him, made her sad.
And inside her mind, Sakura thought of Toru as someone who didn't abandon her until that moment. The fact that Toru had abandoned her after the war was inevitable, she knew that he didn't survive that war. Her dream was to see him again, but that had become impossible.
Silently she ate dessert after that and closed her eyes making a wish.
'If there's a chance for all this to change, I promise I won't let you go again...'
And so this afternoon between girls came to an end with the story of the tragic love of a little girl who feels abandoned by the world. That little girl has grown up and is slowly becoming a woman. Yes, it's been a long time coming, but no matter how much time passes....
'I'm still going to miss you'
...
Gray looked at the silent Sakura and then noticed Reines looking at her with a gentle smile. Gray didn't let Reines' smile fool her, as she could clearly see how she enjoys Sakura's failed love.
"We should go back home..."
"Yeah, you're right. I'm tired."
Sakura got up from the table and went to pay the bill.
***
After that, the ride home in the car was pretty quiet. Add took care to make sure no one was bored, though.
Trimmau also got out of the briefcase to attend to her mistress's needs.
In the end, it was all in all a normal day, but a bit hectic.
-The next day-
The alarm clock resounded repeatedly. Sakura opened her eyes and realized that her face was glued to the pillow. She sat up sitting on the bed and blinked a couple of times.
"I had a dream..."
In her dream she saw a sad person... but... who was that person? The memory of that dream was erased the moment she opened her eyes.
'Haa... it doesn't matter anymore. I have to get breakfast ready. My father and Gray left for the night to settle some business out of town, so I'm alone today.'
Still sleepy she got up and headed for the bathroom. She turned on the sink faucet and washed her face with plenty of water. When she turned off the faucet she realized something....
"Uh...? It can't be..."
On her left hand, three blood-red marks showed themselves. Her eyes widened in shock and she remembered the marks Waver had on the day they boarded the plane to flee from Fuyuki....
"Command Spells..."
To be continued...