Dream Lovers

- Some Sakura Taisen, Sumire/Kanna angst drabble

A/N:
Really, imagine fastfood, what it looks, how it's made, how it's eaten, transfer it to literature and you get the genre of this story. Because of the author's need to write and eagerness to post this is completely unbeta'd. MS Word had a look at the spelling, but oh wells, we know what that means.
Constructive criticism is highly welcome, but please don't take this thing too seriously. The wrapping doesn't really need to be better than the content :P

Find some S/K graphics here: http/www.cjb.cc/members/kyanite/kansum/index.htm

xxx

xxx

Slowly and graceful Sumire descended the stairs, finally ready to have breakfast. Before she entered the room to sit down with the rest of the Hanagumi, she stifled a yawn, lady-like hiding it behind the back of her hand.

The fights last night had been an annoying disruption of her beauty sleep. She wondered briefly why the slugs always chose the night for their shady activities. She concluded that they must be too ugly for the daylight and added with some superiority the thought, that maybe they should get some beauty sleep as well during the night, instead of attacking the capital's oblivious citizens.

Just when she was about to sit down she noticed what everyone was having for breakfast.

"Bread? We're having dry bread for breakfast! But I need a well-balanced meal before I can start straining rehearsals with this troupe of inferior actors!"

She looked around for someone to blame, but all she found was hanging heads, everyone was silently chewing the bread, and not even Kanna was going to counter her accusations. Kanna. She looked around, but didn't see the Okinawan, who happened to be the troupe's rather talented cook, that much she had to admit.

"Where is Kanna? Isn't she supposed to be the first down here to cook the meals?"

Again she was met with silence, but this time, Maria looked up.

"She is in her room. And she will stay there. Please do not disturb her."

Sumire frowned, and then started to throw one of her smaller fits,

"What are you saying? Is she thinking she can get out of rehearsals by hiding in her room? I will not allow such cowardly behavior to get into my way or ruin the success of the show. She knows we have little time to practice this time. We need her down here."

She looked at the pitifully empty, unset table.

"You go on and gnaw on your bread. I am not afraid of this idiot muscle head. I will go and get her. If she was never afraid of me, now she should be!"

Sumire stomped off in direction of Kanna's room, determined to do whatever it takes to drag her first into the kitchen and then on stage for practice.

xxx

Her attempt to knock was stopped by an elegant, gloved hand and when she looked up she saw the stern face of Maria.

"Wha- "

The Russian was never for many words, and especially now she didn't really want to say anything. But upon the determination that showed on Sumire's face she decided she had to say something. Still holding the actress' hand, she said with a very low voice.

"No."

Aforementioned determination sprang into full action and right into Maria's face.

"What do you mean by 'no'. If I'm not allowed to knock I can also just run into her room and scare the sleepyhead out of bed. It's impolite and unmannered, but it's not like someone like her who lacks manners, anyway, would care about that, now would she?"

She tried to free her hand from the strong hand and reached for the door knob with her free hand, ready to enter the room unannounced and without permission. Usually she would refrain from that to avoid any too disturbing encounters with Kanna in a rather inappropriately dressed or even undressed state, but it was past breakfast time and she was in need of some decent food before she could start a day full of struggling on stage with the amateurs around her.

"No. You cannot enter." The deep voice held her back.

Sumire just threw her head back and laughed.

"What now. Does ape woman have a bodyguard now? Is she afraid of me? Hahaha, I knew she was no match for someone like me!"

A frown appeared on the Russians face.

"No, she just wouldn't want you to see her like this."

Sumire just couldn't stop mocking and continued.

"But why, it's not like she ever made a secret of her teddy bear pajamas or her white shorts or her naked-"

She couldn't really bring herself to say it. But Maria knew what she was about to say and had the otherwise cold Russian blushed for a moment before she resumed her stoic expression.

"It's nothing like that. Please, do not disturb her," her voice almost held a pleading tone, "she really needs to rest."

Sumire was fed up with Maria's vague answers.

"Maria-san, just what is going on here! I demand an explanation why my stage partner and the second lead in the current play of the Hanagumi thinks she doesn't need to attend the most crucial rehearsals before the premiere! And why is the acting captain of the division and head of the troupe excusing and supporting such unprofessional behavior!"

The Russian found herself staring into the flaming eyes of her star actress, caught between the responsibilities of a leader and those of a friend.

"Kanzaki-san, I will repeat myself. Please do not enter this room. The fights last night were hard and Kanna needs to rest more than anything, and this also includes rehearsals with the troupe, and especially you."

The blonde's words rang in Sumire's ears. More than anything. And she immediately remembered what brought her up to this door in the first place. Kanna had not been downstairs for breakfast. There was nothing short of death that would keep the Okinawan eating machine from getting her share of the available food, which most often was a good half of everything.

The fights were hard. Sumire could not remember anything special about the events from last night.

"Please, Maria-san", her she did nothing to hide the mockery in the fake plea, "these poor deluded people were hardly a match for the Hanagumi. Had they been a bit faster, the police could have taken them out on their own. There is no way this could have affected ape woman enough to forego her cherished morning ritual of stuffing herself like a mannerless peasant. Ahahaha, I forgot, she is a mannerless peasant."

The cool Russian started to shake, betraying the anger she felt towards the uncaring attitude of her best friend's stage partner. Silently asking for forgiveness, she couldn't keep to herself any longer what had been weighing down the mood of the rest of the troupe ever since she had returned with Kanna last night.

"Sumire, after you left for your precious new moon sleep as soon as there were no more of those pitiful foot soldiers in sight, the artillery attacked and Kanna was caught between two fighting machines that were just about to chase after your precious star butt."

For once, the star actress was at a loss of words, and gaping like a stranded fish she stared at the acting captain, who couldn't stop herself and continued with her rant,

"She held them back but before anyone could get to her she was thrown from her Koubu. I don't know what happened to her then, but she looked pretty bad when I could finally pick her up and carry her home."

The expression on Sumire's face had changed completely. It was almost showing fear, but of course a star actress never shows fear, no matter how afraid she might be.

"So that idiot fought them with her bare hands?"

"Those things certainly looked like it."

"And..."

"And she most certainly looks like it, too."

"So..."

"You better not go in there. She wouldn't want that."

"Wouldn't... ?"

Maria heaved a sorrowful sigh, which in itself was worrying, considering that the introvert woman rarely showed any emotions at all.

"She hasn't regained consciousness yet."

A determination like earlier manifested in Sumire's face.

"Let me in, I need to see her!"

"But she doesn't need you to see her like this. You're the last person she needs right now, so please, just leave her for now."

Maria's words stung. But there was nothing Sumire could do right now, the Russian was Kanna's best friend and would protect her, no matter what, now more than ever just because she probably blamed herself for having been unable to prevent Kanna getting hurt that badly in the first place.

"I see. Will there be a rehearsal today at all?"

She tried to get back into professional mode, obviously trying to divert her attention from things she couldn't change. Not now, anyway.

"There will be. At the very least we will have to find a replacement."

"A replacement! You cannot just replace her! She's the second lead!"

"We will have to. Otherwise we would have to cancel the show and this will displease many important people. Not to think of the grudge the regular audience will have."

"I see. Well then, I suggest we get going the sooner we have a replacement, the sooner we can start rehearsing with the new cast."

Maria was surprised how quickly Sumire had turned from worrying back to business. For a second, she had believed Sumire truly cared about Kanna, and she had almost allowed her a few moments at her stage partner's bedside. But with things going like this, it was best for Kanna if the Kanzaki heiress did not see her in her current state.

xxx

TBC...