Disclaimer: Sakura Taisen characters are not mine. However, the plot and original characters do, so please do not take them.

Key:

/Dominant personality thinking to recessive/

/Recessive personality thinking to dominant/

Thinking in general

Don't worry, it'll all make sense shortly…

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The Hanagumi were watching through the observation window as a doctor treated their fallen captain.

"I suppose now would be a good time for that explanation, Maria-san!" Orihime said haughtily as she turned to the Russian, her arms crossed accusingly.

"Hmm?" Maria snapped out of her reverie and faced the incensed Italian with a questioning look only to find the rest of the group looking at her curiously as well.

"Yes," Orihime continued, "The whole 'Sakura-san is out of her mind but she hasn't gone mad' conversation we had."

"Ah…" Maria glanced over to the sleeping Iris before turning back to address the group. "It seems that Sakura has been…possessed."

"And yet, she has become a blood-drinker, hasn't she?" Orihime queried in a low voice.

"It looks that way." Maria hesitantly answered.

The Italian sighed, "I hate to be the one to break this to you…" she rubbed the bridge of her nose with slender fingers "but…" She looked over to Reni, who nodded wordlessly and finished Orihime's sentence.

"It is impossible for blood-drinkers to possess a body." Reni ignored the sudden gain of everybody's attention, instead keeping her blue gaze trained on the Russian. "They can only turn another." Orihime nodded slowly in agreement.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kanna said loudly. "We just went from 'crazy' to 'vampire' in one sentence!"

"Three." Kohran interjected.

"Whatever, my point is, Sakura is no longer human at this point!"

"Well, technically, four sentences…" the engineer trailed off thoughtfully.

"Kohran, why are you so focused on correcting me when Sakura's been turned into a vampire?!" Kanna turned on the Chinese girl.

"Would you rather I started running around like you do whenever someone says there's a ghost nearby?"

"Ouch."

"That's what I thought." Kohran smirked, "Right now, we need to concentrate on trying to find ways to locate Sakura-han and turn her back to normal."

"Oi, oi…what about that strange demon? The one we ran into earlier today?" Kanna pressed.

"What about him?" Maria finally rejoined the conversation.

"He mentioned that she was feeling guilty about feeding on people."

"Many new blood-drinkers do." Orihime added. "I know because I've run into a fair amount of them in Italy and as a part of the Hoshigumi."

Reni nodded, "As have I. Central Europe has long been the main area for vampires and other blood-drinkers to group together."

"That still doesn't tell us how she was turned. She wasn't ever bitten, was she?"

"No." Reni answered softly, "To turn a person through a bite, they would have to be completely drained before being given cursed blood. She was never in such a state."

"Tainting the soul?" Orihime offered.

"We took measures to protect the soul while she was dead. It would not have been possible." Reni shook her head.

"Say," Kohran began softly, "Would blood-drinkers have any reaction to purifying rituals?"

"They are not affected by the same rituals that demons are. For example, demons can withstand the Western standard of holy water and presentation of the crucifix whereas blood-drinkers cannot. Blood-drinkers don't have any youryoku, so they aren't affected by the traditional purification of surrounding them with reiryoku."

"Ok…so why did Sakura-han, who we can safely assume is a blood-drinker of some sort, react to the practice yesterday if blood-drinkers don't react to anything else but water and a couple a' crossed sticks?"

"Wait before you confuse me even further," Kanna warned. "I thought we just agreed that blood-drinkers and demons were two separate things."

"They are," Maria said, "But I think to get down to the bottom of this, we'd have to find Sakura and…study her, so to speak."

Unsettled looks passed over the faces of everyone presently awake. The idea of viewing their friend as a specimen certainly went beyond everyone's comfort level. Kanna cleared her throat and glanced around until her eyes rested on the clock ticking loudly through the silence.

"Oh…h-hey, look at the time!" She chuckled weakly, attempting to break the uncomfortable pause after Maria's statement "No wonder we're all a little stressed, we've…chattered the night away…" she finished in a small voice.

"Yes!" Orihime said with a forced smile, "I think now would be a good time to retire to our rooms. Sleep will do wonders for a body!"

There were murmured agreements as everyone headed to their rooms. Maria carried the small French girl back to her brightly decorated room and tucked her in. She brushed a stray strand of blonde hair back from the girl's face and sighed. Iris had probably been affected worse than anyone else. Her beloved big sister had been killed, revived, and now demonized.

Of course…it didn't sit all that well with her either, but as acting captain of the Flower Division, she had to be the backbone of the group. If she fell prey to her emotions, the outcome would be similar to her last true battle of the Revolution. In other words…it would be disastrous. She couldn't allow that to happen.

She thought back to the incident during the opening night of "Love is a Diamond", where her traitorous comrade had held the lives of countless people hostage in exchange for her own. She had gone fully prepared to end the conflict. Instead, she found herself sorely outmatched and would have surely died had the swordswoman not shown up when she did.

"You..."

"Yes?"

"What do you think of destiny?"

"…I believe destiny is your own to make."

It was those words that echoed in her head as she breached her Enfield, emptied it and mimed putting the bullet in. It was those words that convinced her to never kill in cold blood again. The empty barrel rotated and stopped with a click as she pointed it at Valentinov. Sakura rushed toward her, not understanding the gun wasn't loaded, stopping short as the Russian pulled the trigger with a click.

The traitor's slate gray eyes rolled back into his head as he fainted. Maria didn't spare his prone form a second look as she turned away, walking towards Sakura. The bullet in her hand felt strangely warm as she deposited it in the younger woman's hands. Sakura's chocolate brown eyes widened when she finally realized what the Russian had done.

"The bullet wasn't in there?"

Maria had only answered with a small smile.

"You make your own destiny, right?" [1

The present Maria sighed again. She wasn't sure if Sakura had ever known just how much she had helped her during that time. If not for her words, Maria was sure that she would've killed Valentinov and subsequently reverted back to her 'Kuassary' persona. And now, she felt she owed the same to Sakura.

The sun's first rays peeked over the horizon and Maria moved over to the window to close the curtains. She gently pulled the drawstring and the fabric rustled softly down to block the morning light.

"Rest well, Iris." She murmured softly to the sleeping girl and left. On her way to her own room, she passed Kanna in the hallway. The Okinawan offered a sympathetic smile, but it faltered slightly when she noticed Maria's tired expression.

"Hey," she put her hand on the Russian's shoulder lightly "we'll find a way to bring her back to our side."

Maria only nodded and murmured a soft thanks to Kanna as she continued down the hall.

A small voice echoed through her mind as she shut the door behind her with a click.

'She saved your way of life and you helped bring her back. Seems pretty even, doesn't it?'

"No," Maria whispered, her hand still resting on the cold metal. "That doesn't even begin to repay her." She sighed "I helped Iris bring her back."

She sat down on her bed "No…I owe her so much more…"

The rest of her thoughts trailed off as she lay down and fell into a troubled sleep.

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The limp body fell to the ground with a dull thud as Sakura stood up to face the intruder.

"What do you want this time?" she narrowed her crimson eyes at the black haired demon, the rising sun behind him giving his head an ironic halo.

"Well, you seem to be fending for yourself all right," he said eyeing the man on the ground, ignoring her demand. "Yakuza?"

"Yes, but you didn't answer me--"

"Is she aware?"

"If she wasn't, I wouldn't be feeding on the scum of the city now would I?" She sneered. "Now answer my question!"

"What makes you think I want something?" He asked innocently.

"You took advantage of me, took advantage of the state I was in, fed me the captain of her unit and had me control him for you." She crossed her arms, "I couldn't possibly think of any other reason to believe you wouldn't do the same this time."

"Hey, I had no idea he was your captain until I returned him." He protested, holding up his hands defensively.

"Sure you didn't," she crossed her arms. "Of course, at that point, I wouldn't have cared less if he was a demon lord. She cared, o-ho, yes she did. Gave me grief all day today about doing your dirty little deed. You're a blood-drinker too, aren't you?"

"Yes, but unlike you, I have lived many years and since then learned to control my bloodlust. You, my fledgling, are just that. Too young and inexperienced to survive by yourself." He shrugged his shoulders, "I'm just trying to help a fellow demon."

"I'm touched," she replied sarcastically, "However, your help is not needed."

"And what happens, in a week's time, when your power will be strong enough to register on their instruments? Or the little girl's psychic perceptions?" he walked towards her slowly, but she stood her ground. "The alarm will go off in that wonderful theater of theirs and they will track you down and kill you."

"So? I'll just use her as a hostage and they won't dare attack."

"Ah, so you don't know?" he smiled good-naturedly at her confused face.

"Know what?"

"Naturally, naturally, you weren't around for this but she was. The Ayame incident ring any bells?"

There was a measured silence from the young demoness before she answered, "Yeah, what about it?"

"If you can't already tell then you'll find out soon enough." He laughed as she growled softly at him.

"What is it with you and dodging questions?" she glared at him as he looked at some graffiti on the walls, "HEY, I'm asking you something!"

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" he glanced back at her calmly.

Her rant was cut off as the man stirred slightly, groaning as he raised a hand to his neck. Both demons glanced at each other before watching the man sit up and look at each of them in turn. He gave a start as he saw Sakura standing in front of him.

"N-no! You just stay away from me! I won't bother you no more! I swea—hrrk!" He was silenced as the dark haired demon swiftly encased his blade in the man's chest and drew it, gleaming red, back out. The body fell back to its horizontal position with a sickening splat. He stared at the bloody blade before offering it, hilt first, to Sakura who turned it politely down.

"Already ate."

"And I'm on orders not to ingest human blood." He muttered under his breath as he wiped the blade off on the dead man's clothing. "Pity, really."

"What?" Sakura looked at him strangely.

"What what?" he asked back with an innocent face.

"Why can't you feed?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, I'm sorry but I cannot answer that question. However…if you consented to join my lord's army…" he trailed off suggestively as he sheathed his sword.

"No." she firmly answered.

"Oh that's a shame, it really is. Tell you what, I'll give you six days, then I'll come back. If your answer is still no, well…we'll negotiate something then, 'k?"

"Whatever." She waved him off.

"In the meantime, if you ever do need my help…" At her sudden death glare, he held his hands up defensively, "If! If!" he lowered them as she exhaled slowly, keeping her crimson eyes narrowed. "Give a call, why dontcha?"

She sighed, "Will you go away if I agree to this unlikely scenario?"

"Yes."

"And how would that work?" she crossed her arms.

"Call my name and I will come!" He smiled goofily as he poked his own chest with his thumb.

"And your name is…?"

"Pani-chan!"

"Pani-ch…what?" she asked incredulously. "That isn't your real name! Tell me that's not your real name…"

"Of course not! I want to be able to reveal my true name with a flair so that everybody will stare at me in awe as I strike a pose, like so!" He placed his feet shoulder-width apart and stretched out his arms as if receiving praise from a crowd of adoring fans.

"Mm-hmm." Sakura slowly said, nodding her head in rhythm to emphasize her sarcasm. "Y'know, if you ever needed another job, I'm sure the Baragumi would be glad to take you in."

"O-ho, no thank you, m'dear." He returned to a normal stance, "In fact, I think I'll conveniently forget you ever said that."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"Don't you dare start." She glared at him.

"Fine." He smiled.

"…"

"And with that, I shall take my leave." 'Pani-chan' chuckled victoriously at her stony-faced look.

"Hmph, see if I care!" she crossed her arms again and turned, walking towards the opposite end of the alley. Sakura turned her head back to glance down the half-lit alley to find nothing but the carcass of the yakuza. "Ch…Smartass."

/I refuse to be used as a hostage/ the inner Sakura cried out. /And find your own name/

/You really are persistent, aren't you?/ demon Sakura queried back. /I told you that there was no point in my finding a new name! I am you!/

/No, I'm me! You're just some demon who took over my body when I died/ she scowled mentally.

/Ah, I would beg to differ but you wouldn't get it…/

/Hey! I'm not as dumb as I seem/ Sakura growled/Explain it already!/

/Fine. I'll explain it simply/ she began in the tone parents take when explaining something to a small child. /I am the embodiment of all your fears, regrets, doubts, etc. A demon may have breathed life into me, but I am still a part of you./

/I guess that makes sense…but I still don't like it/

/No one said you had to./ demon Sakura mentally shrugged. There was a mutual silence as she slipped back into the stream of people outside the alley, leaving the dead man behind to be discovered later.

/Now…please to tell me about this…Ayame person?/

[1 Quotes referring to OVA 2 'The Fearful (?) Assassin from New York' are taken directly from subtitles. AKA i not mine /i . This includes any mention of Valentinov.

A/N: Ay, this chapter was hard to write! If you find anything that ends strangely, let me know and I'll try to fix it! I've also just figured out how to add breaks with so if multiple e-mails were issued, I apologize!