A LOVE BEFORE TIME-Prologue

Disclaimers: All Slam Dunk Characters, Sakura Wars Characters yada yada DO NOT belong to me, as much as I wish otherwise. So don't bother going to a lawyer to sue me, coz I don't have any money. But, all situations written are figments of my imagination after reading several other fictions. So, don't say I didn't warn you!

Jess-san's notes: Very confusing story, but I still think the plot is pretty ok. Inspired by the fan-fiction 'To Love You Again', and Coco Lee's song, 'A Love before Time'.

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[Tokyo-Year 1920]

Boom! Boom! Boom! Crash!

Oogami's Kobu landed with a deafening crash alongside the enemy's machine. The impact of their fall was felt by the entire Hanagumi team. They had won the battle but not the war.

'Oogami!'

Maria was scrambling out of her Kobu. The instant her feet touched the ground; she raced towards Oogami's fallen Kobu. Reaching it, she hit and tried to open it repeatedly. The door slowly raised itself, releasing a wave of steam.

A dark shadow climbed out from the steaming machine. The young man looked ragged but wore a smile of triumph. He slumped into Maria's arms. Maria gently laid him in her lap as she sat on the ground.

Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. Oogami's hand reached out and wiped away her tears. 'So beautiful,' he whispered, breathless. 'Don't cry.'

Maria tried to will the tears away, but no avail. Drops of salty water dripped onto Oogami's parched lips. 'Don't cry, dearest,' he consoled her. It was the first time he called her in such affectionate terms in public since they started a relationship. Maria was always skeptical displaying public affection, even verbally.

'I cannot lead you all into battle anymore.' He stopped to take a breath. Already, he had difficulty breathing. 'But you must carry on the fight. Promise me that.'

Maria nodded wordlessly. She was still sobbing as she cradled his hand against his cheek. 'Don't worry, I'll always be there for you,' he gently whispered. Maria nodded silently again.

The scene from years back, flooded into her mind. Her former Taichou had died in front of her then. Will history repeat itself with Ichirou?

'I'll be with you again in another life, when we don't have to fight anymore. I promise you, I'll grow taller so you don't have to break your back when kissing me anymore,' he teased her.

'Lose that spiked hair style too.' Maria attempted to joke. Oogami's breathing grew more ragged as his chest rose and up and down frantically. 'We will meet again, this I promise you,' he said croakily.

'I believe you, Ichirou,' Maria said softly. Oogami started panting again. Taking a deep breath, he released it, and never to breath again. And thus, Oogami Ichirou, captain of Team Hana, died at the young age of 18.

'No!!!' Maria's heart rending wail broke through the cold drafty night. Only the howling of wind was heard. Maria felt a comforting weight on her shoulder. She looked up to see the tall, innocent red-head looking at her with tears in her eyes.

Her tears had never stopped flowing. Slowly, she bent down and gave her lover the final kiss. The soft lips were still warm, but yet the spirit had already departed. Cradling the lifeless body in her arms, she felt as though her heart is being shredded into pieces and it was as though the pain will never stop.

'A love before time,' she whispered into the darkness. Theirs was a love before it's time. Circumstances had prevented them from living their live together.

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[Tokyo- A year later]

Oogami's sacrifice had not been in vain. Team Hana carried on his spirit into battle and manage to defeat the dark forces, entombing them at the base of Mount Fuji.. But Maria had never forgotten her lover and friend.

Ri Kohran managed to build a hibernation machine. No one wanted to be her guinea pig, as her inventions so often go haywire. Maria agreed to test it. Life without Oogami was not worth living and she might as well sleep it away.

Ri set the dial to the year 1993. Maria entered the small and crude chamber. Gas flooded in as she was swept away into infinity of darkness.

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[Tokyo-Year 1993]

'Maria, are you alright?' A gentle voice floated above her. Maria's eyes fluttered open. A very old woman peered at her from above.

She was old, but handsome, exuding an aura of dignity. Her fiery red hair streaked with silver was tied back into a bun at the nape of her neck. Her face had not mellowed with the passage of time.



'Kanna,' Maria whispered weakly. Her old team mate smiled broadly. 'Yo, Ri. She's awake and alright!'

Another old lady came to see her. She was shorter and visibly younger than Kanna. She smiled sweetly as she looked at Maria through her thick glasses. 'Maria, welcome back.'

'Ri, your glasses seems thicker,' Maria remarked. Kanna guffawed loudly at her small joke. Ri and Maria exchanged glances. 'Isn't she supposed to be too old to act like this?'

'Kanna never changed a bit, even though she is a great-grandmother by now,' Ri grinned broadly. 'Her entire line of descendants ended up being red heads. Her youngest great-grandson is in university now.'

'She is a great-grandmother? But she looked as though she is in her sixties only,' Maria said in an amazed tone. 'So do you!'

Ri laughed. 'Maria, it's the year 1995 now. We are all in our eighties and nineties. Over the years, I managed to create a drug that can prolong our life span. Kanna took it, saying she wanted to wait for you to wake up.'

At this point, Maria smiled at the tall woman. 'I had to take it to make sure everything is alright when you wake up,' Ri continued. 'We are the only people alive from the original Team Hana now.'

'What happened to the others?' Maria asked. Ri bowed her head, 'Some of them died in the wars. Sumire is now living in New York, America. Sakura ten years ago and Iris are upstairs, awaiting your return.'

Kanna smiled wistfully. 'It would have been nice to be together today. We all took the drug but only three of us made it. And Maria, you are still as beautiful as ever.'

Me? Maria thought dazedly. Ri handed her a mirror and she stared dumbly at her reflection. She had not changed at all.

'I inserted a chemical to slow your aging process. If my calculations are correct, you are now only 21 years old,' Ri informed her. True, her blond hair was slightly longer but she did not carry the lines of age.

She sat up and surveyed her surroundings. 'Are we still at the theater?' she asked after looking around. It was different from the lab she had gone to sleep nearly seventy years ago. Everything looked so.futuristic. The decorations were of white and chrome.

'No,' Kanna said sadly. 'We are now in Kanagawa. The theater had been bombed in the World War Two.' 'Oh.'

'You better put this on. You'll look out of place in those.' Kanna said, handing her a set of clothes. 'And Yoneda managed to create a new identity for you before he died.'

'I see.' Maria stared at the clothes. They look alien to her. 'Do I have to wear this?'

'Yes,' Kanna confirmed. She was wearing a smart business suit. Maria got out of the chamber and changed behind a screen.

'Let's go home, Maria,' Ri said as she led Maria out of the lab.

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Jess: What do you think bout this prologue? Comments and reviews are welcomed. In fact, I insist!!! Heheh.Do tell me what you think.

Anyway, one of the SW sites told me that Kanna, Maria and Oogami are born in 1903.so by 1995, they will be 92 years old. Voila. And Slam Dunk was created in 1992, and at that time, Sakuragi and Rukawa, as freshmen were sixteen, three years later they will be in college!!! Voila again!!!

Anyways, keep guessing the pairing. Send in who you think is the pairing in this fiction before you read the next chapter. Please.Pretty please?