001 // a very bear-y christmas

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Xiaolang Li shared a photo. 12/15 near Birch Hills

A general question: has anyone ever received something from Retrospec that was intended for somebody else? Or something you were certain WASN'T yours, even if the ticket said otherwise? Because I do have memories of a bear, but it definitely was not THIS one.

((pretend this bear is 100% handmade and doesn't have the Stieff logo or the name on it's foot, okay--))

Comments

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Ah, it's not that-- pink's not my favorite color, but I don't mind it, it's just-- it's the wings, and the style of it. It just seems a lot like her, that's all.[He frowns, unseen on the other side of the computer screen.] It looks handmade, though, so whoever made it must have put a lot of care into it. I just can't imagine who would go to that sort of effort for the me in my memories, though. [... Xiaolang YOU JUST SAID THE ANSWER BEFORE, how can you be so smart but this dense at times.]

[He pauses as he reads the last bit of Fai's message, though. A long strip of black cloth? That sounded familiar, but why would remembering it be signifigant--

--oh. OH.]

... is this the same cloth you wear as an eyepatch now? [He always thought it was weird that Fai never opted for something more sterile, but--]

[flowrite]

Hm. I guess it does look a bit like the necklace she got from Retrospec a while back, with the wings and all...

...so maybe Sakura gave it to you? You two seemed pretty close in my memory ;)

[Is he trying to make the poor kid apoplectic? ...maybe. It's cute.]

Yes. At least now I know why the other me had it. I don't remember anything about the other me and the eye thing, but I guess at least Retrospec was nice enough to send it before I needed it.

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[If that was Fai's intention, CONGRATS, IT'S WORKING??]

atsyfguohtdgiho
.;/dffyuc

She couldn't have

There's no

You said yourself she was a princess, didn't you?? Even if you think we were close, wouldn't that be a breach of some sort of royal etiquette? I mean... I don't know what I was to her, but I doubt I was the sort of bodyguard she'd want to gift that to.

[You know, given how roughly he treated her to get the cards away from her. Who'd want to give a bear to THAT?

The last part of Fai's message, however, is enough to sober him up from his flustered feelings, as everything clicks into place with chilling clarity.]

... your eye.

Retrospec took your eye. [And here he was, judging him when they first met for looking suspicious, too.]

I'm... sorry. I had no idea.

[flowrite]

...I'm sorry, have you met Sakura? :P Can you honestly imagine that she WOULDN'T give a gift to someone, no matter who they were?


It's okay. I wouldn't expect you to have known, since I haven't told very many people about it. Other people have it worse though, and I'm fine ♥

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You're making the assumption that the Sunny in our memories is the same as the one we know now. No doubt the one we know would probably send Retrospec of all people a gift if she could, but...

[Does he tell Fai? He should probably know, in case he remembers something equally as damning, but how does you tell someone's father that you've bullied their kid in another life?]

... I have my doubts about us being as close as you claim we were, that's all. I may have just been doing my duty. Nothing in my memory points to us being on any better terms than that.

And it's not okay. Just because others have it worse than you doesn't excuse the fact that they

[No, he's letting his emotions get the better of him. He needs to calm down, just a little.]

... how long ago did this happen?

[flowrite]

I know the Sakura in my memories was someone worth protecting. Someone the other me would have done just about anything for. So I can't imagine she was much different than the one we know in this life. But I'm guessing we'll all know more the more memories we receive.

[And yes, Fai feels kind of like a jerk for Xiaolang's reaction. No one should have to fuss over him like this--especially not a child.]

October. Just before Halloween.