Yet another ST fic

Yet another ST fic. Yeah.

(alternate titles: "Sequel to: ''Just another ST fic. Yeah."' or 'The Return of Kouran's Time Machine.' or 'A New Enemy from the Past.')

~All Sakura Taisen characters belong to Red, Sega and Bandai. Anybody I've left out?

Author's note: OK, I guess you guys understand the previous chapter... I mean, the thing which Iris got. Clue: Maria got it too. *ojigi* Gomen nasai, Maria-sama! Anyway, this chapter is SOOOO romantic! Saa, dozo~!

Translation: Konban wa - a basic Japanese greeting, the equivalent of good evening (hehe)

Chapter 8 - Changes

"You have woken up, my fair princess," Kanna bowed. "Who are you?" Sumire asked. "I am the Prince of..."

"They're doing really well," Yoneda remarked from backstage. "Hai..." Hanae replied, appearing suddenly beside him. "Ah! You scared me, Hanae...I'm an old man, you know..." "How is the building of the new wing?" she asked, smiling. "It's good. After all, it's only a small wing, for the Shikigumi and Shingumi's lodging and a few extra rooms..." "What are the extra rooms for?" "Oh...Just in case the PARI-Kagekidan comes over...With a certain captain of the Hanagumi..." Yoneda said with a twinkle in his eye. Hanae returned the grin as she read his mind. I'll have to congratulate Sakura then... Hanae thought, smiling to herself as she watched the play coming to an end.

* * *

Maria woke up suddenly, panting heavily. She saw Shinta asleep in the chair beside her and felt strangely relieved. She blushed and thought, Why am I... She then shook it off and looked at the clock. It's only 7 p.m.... She stole a look at Shinta. Good, he's not up yet... She tip toed out of bed and walked to the door. "Where are you going?" came a voice from behind her. "Uh...I.." Maria became nervous. "Maria...How many times have I told you to stay in bed this week?" Shinta said gently but firmly. Maria dropped her head. "Okay okay..." She then climbed into bed. Then she protested, "It's the fourth time this week! How come you just can't seem to sleep?!!!" Shinta laughed. "Come on, I'll give you a check up. If you pass my test, then you can go out, okay?"

"Congratulations, you've passed the test, but you've not fully recovered, you still have a runny nose... But you're allowed visitors, okay?" Shinta told Maria. She then went out of the room happily.

Maria then bumped into Komugi. "Maria-san, konban wa," the girl said quietly. "Oh...Hello. You must be...Komugi, right?" "Hai. I'm glad you're fine now. The play has just ended. Kanna-san, Sumire-san, Ryuue and Rose are all fighting. I think the stage is almost going to fall apart. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back." The little girl said all this VERY calmly, and she disappeared in a flash of orange light. Oh yes...The Shingumi are moving in here by Christmas...Oh well, after all, it is just a small wing.

As Maria approached the stage, she heard Ryuue and Rose quarrelling up a storm in English.

"What do you MEAN I acted as if I was a fool?"

"You were supposed to be a KING, you idiot, not a JESTER!"

"You don't have to contradict whatever I do, you witch!"

"MORON!"

"IMBECILE!"

"BAKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Then her gaze was riveted to Kanna and Sumire, quarrelling at the other end of the stage, having another one of their big fights.

"Kanna-san, you should have said 'What should I do' in Line 14 of scene 37, not 'What should WE do'!!"

"So?!"

"SO?!!!!!!!!!! What do you mean, SO?!"

"It's just a MINOR mistake!"

"MISTAKES are STILL mistakes, no matter big or small!"

"CACTUS WOMAN!"

"Why, you BRUTE!!!"

Maria sighed and wanted to stop them when a voice stopped her. "No...This is interesting." It was Hanae. "They've been quarrelling since the play ended half an hour ago."

"Kanna and Sumire can quarrel for hours!"

"Ryuue and Rose can quarrel for WEEKS! Sometimes I really don't know what to do."

"Weeks? That's something..."

Then Shinta appeared. "Well...Hana-chan, it's enough, isn't it?" Hanae giggled, then walked up to the stage.

"Okay people, shut up already," Hanae said, her voice a little raised.

"Cactus woman, listen..."

"No, I don't know why you fed Etsu again, but you DID! You overfeed her!"

Hanae sweatdropped at what Rose was saying. From plays to cats? That's JUST like them... she sighed inwardly. Then she sent a strong vibration through the stage and the four on the stage screamed with one voice, "EARTHQUAKE!!!"

Hanae pulled Ryuue and Rose aside and scolded them, while Shinta stood beside her. "Hana-chan..." "YOU SHUT UP! Now, you two..." Shinta meekly shut up and stole a look at Maria.

"God knows how many times you have quarrelled in all the years you have been here! And now I'm sick, you both shouldn't be so childish anymore! Oh, I give up..." Maria started sneezing. Shinta went up to her, thankful to escape the crescendo of Hanae's voice, steered her out of the hall and said, "You HAVE to rest, and I HAVE to go..." She laughed and let Shinta nag her out of the aisles. Sumire and Kanna stared.

"Ne, Hebi Onna, Maria is very close to Shinta now..."

"Yes. Even closer to him than to you... But maybe he understands her more..."

"No, he just understands her in a different way. I'm sure of that.

"Oh yes, where's Sakura?"

"How would I know?!"

They then got into a heated argument with the genre being Sakura's whereabouts. The hall was really noisy...-_-;;

* * *

"Goodnight, Maria... AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Shinta asked in shock as Maria pointed her gun at him. "Just...practicing..." she said rather innocently, putting down the firearm. "As your doctor, I COMMAND you to sleep now. As your friend, I WANT you to go to sleep now," Shinta said firmly. "Are we friends?" Maria asked, pretending to be aloof. "That is all up to you," Shinta said with a smile. "Okay, I give up! You win! Next time when I get sick, I better not ask you to be my doctor...You're too strict," Maria confirmed with a nod, in mock seriousness. "Goodnight, and don't talk so much," Shinta teased. Maria slept in a few minutes, and Shinta watched her quietly. I love her so much... He then sighed and went out of her room, switching off the lights.

"Ah! Hana-chan! Um...How are the two rascals?"

"Fine. I just gave them some little punishment-"

"HELP!!!!! SHINTA!!! ANYBODY!!!! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hanae laughed evilly as the cries for help continued...

* * *

"It's all your fault, you white woman, we're stuck in this tree!"

"Let's not get racist..."

"I'M NOT RACIST!"

"Oh shut up."

* * *

Shinta was packing in his room. Hanae then entered it, without knocking, as usual. "So, Shinta...How are things?"

"Hana-chan...What do you mean by 'how are things'?"

"*oh, what the heck* I mean, between you and Maria!"

"Oh. That. Actually, I'm not packing for the new wing or anything... I'm moving back to America."

"YOU CAN'T! Why?"

"I haven't received any signals from her... I love her too much. Seeing her everyday will put more burden on me, so I'll just end my misery once and for all. I won't see her when I'm in America. That's better."

"No, it is not! What about everybody else? What about me?"

"What about you?"

"You promised... You promised me that although Tetsu was gone you'll take care of me! Then now, you're leaving me alone... Don't look at me like that! *reads his horrified mind* Dream on! I won't like you in that way... You're always my big brother, it's hard to find some one to replace that... How am I supposed to see my sister-in-law if you move to America?!"

"I can always marry a local there."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MARRY A LOCAL THERE?! MARRY A RUSSIAN, FOR GOODNESS SAKE! AND YOU KNOW WHICH RUSSIAN I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"Don't be so naive, Hana-chan! I haven't screamed at you before but I will do so now! I shall walk my path, and even if I fall, it's MY path. Do you get it?!"

"You're just afraid! Afraid to tell someone you like her!"

"I told her!"

"You didn't wait for her response, you big idiot! I HATE YOU!!!!!!"

Hanae left his room in anger. Shinta plopped down in a chair and massaged his temples, frowning. Am I really...Afraid? he thought. Nevertheless, he continued packing.

He went to see Maria for the last time that night. She was still sleeping soundly. He sighed and put a letter on the desk. Then he went back to the textile shop. Tomorrow...I'll be going back to America... Maria...I love you.

* * *

Maria woke up from another nightmare. She looked around the room for the only person that could comfort her with simply his presence: Shinta. Then she glanced at the clock. Almost 7... she thought. Then she stood up. Shinta doesn't usually leave the room at this time... She was puzzled. Then she caught sight of the letter.

Dear Maria,

I have to leave. I can't bear loving you and looking at you at the same time, seeing your carefree expression. I don't know whether you have the same feeling as I have about you. I am, as Hana-chan has said, afraid of telling you how I feel. Telling you again. I was hurt that day when you pushed me away. But I still love you. I will always love you. I have always loved you...

Miyaue Shinta

Maria gasped. She got changed and ran out of her room. Nobody was up yet. Then she ran all the way to the textile shop.

"Hanae! Hanae! Where is Shinta? I must see him. I...I need him!" Maria cried. Hanae was sitting at the counter. "You're rarely so flustered, Maria. Shinta just left for the harbour- Hey! MARIA!" The Russian had already run off.

Maria was devastated. She couldn't find Shinta anywhere. She asked around and found out that only 3 passenger ships had left the harbour that morning. Then she turned around to run back to the textile shop - When she found him.

* * *

Going up to him, Maria asked Shinta, looking at him straight in the eye. "Why didn't you tell me? Why?"

"I was afraid you didn't like me. Very afraid..."

"Shinta... I...I really need you. You can't leave!"

Shinta was apparently shocked by this. "You...You need me?!"

Unknown to them, Sakura, Sumire, Kanna and Hanae were hiding behind a tree, watching.

"This is so romantic!" Sakura exclaimed.

"VERY! Ohohohoho!" Sumire laughed.

"It's so...ew. Mushy," Kanna stated.

"Shh..." Hanae kept them quiet.

* * *

"Why...Why didn't you tell me you needed me earlier? Why wait till now?"

"Do you hate me, Shinta?"

Shinta hugged her, surprising her. "No, of course not. I told you in the letter, I'll always love you..." Maria pressed her face against the warmth of his shoulder. "Shinta... I love you too."

* * *

"I CAN'T LOOK!!!!" Kanna screamed.

"Ah...If only...Oogami-san..." Sakura said dreamily.

"Ohohohoho! I have to get a man as romantic as Shinta as my husband, yes..."

"DREAM ON, HEBI ONNA!"

"What do you mean by that?!"

Hanae was just smiling to herself, just happy to see Shinta and Maria together. And, not to mention, her future sis-in-law...

"CACTUS WOMAN!!!"

Hanae sweatdropped.

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Chiyone: Taichou's birthday's coming soon!

Rose: How can we celebrate it? We'd better not include Ryuue, he'll make a mess of it...

Orihime: So are we invited to a party of some sort de~su ka?

Shinta: Of course! I just wish the whole of the Shingumi is here to celebrate Hana-chan's birthday...

Chiyone: JIKAI! Chaos In The Teigeki! Who are THOSE people?

Lobelia: It's none of your business...