I do not own Sakura Wars or any of it's characters…'cause if I did, I wouldn't be calling this a fanfic and I would be sailing on the Caribbean in my private yacht, literally swimming in pools of money.

So, now that that's over, you can read the fanfic. Enjoy!

Oh, and this is set in sort of a past/future sorta way and it's based on if Orihime and Reni hadn't come in ST2.

Chapter 2

Kanna was the first one to notice Maria's strange behavior the next day. Maria had been the last one to eat breakfast that morning and usually she was the first. When Kanna had asked Maria if she was all right, Maria just smiled and began humming the song from Anastasia, I Never Should Have (Let Them Dance). "Do you know why Maria would be acting this way?" Kanna asked Sakura later on. Sakura frowned. "She has been acting rather strangely." she commented. "Do you think she might've fallen in love with someone? I mean, she has been humming that song all day…" "Maria? Fall in love? You've got to be kidding me." Kanna said. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Maria is the most stubborn-" Kanna stopped in mid-sentence as Maria came down the stairs wearing a tank top and a miniskirt, something that Maria never wore. "You might be right…" Kanna muttered when the blonde was out of earshot. "Let's get the rest of the Flower Division together." Sakura suggested. "Yeah. We need to talk." Kanna replied.

"Tell me again why we're holding a meeting and not doing a dress rehearsal?!" Sumire demanded. "Something's come up." Sakura said quickly. "Like what?!" Sumire asked. "I'll tell you and everyone else when the meeting starts." was Sakura's only response. Just then, Kanna walked in with Kohran and Iris. "Everyone present and accounted for?" she asked. Sakura looked around the room and did a mental count. Reni, Orihime, Kohran, Iris, Sumire, Kanna, and myself. "Yep. We're all here." she announced. "What about Maria and Ohgami?" Iris asked. "Maria's not here because she's the reason we need to talk." Kanna replied. "But I don't know about Ohgami…" "Let's get on with this meeting already!" Sumire exclaimed. "I have more important things to do." Sakura quickly stepped between Kanna and Sumire before they started arguing. "Sit down, both of you." she said. "We're wasting time." Kanna glared at Sumire briefly and then sat down. "Okay…" Sakura said. "Now that that's settled, let's move on to the main topic." "Which would be…?" Orihime asked. "Maria's strange behavior." Kanna replied. "Not just Maria," Kohran commented. "Ohgami too." Everyone become wide-eyed. "You're kidding…right?" Kanna asked. "Nope." Iris said. "It's true. Oniichan's got this love struck look in his eyes." Sakura immediately put two and two together. "Oh my gosh…you don't think…" she said. Kanna immediately caught on. "No way!" she exclaimed. "That couldn't be true!" "Will you stop that! The suspense is killing us here!" Sumire exclaimed. "Will you please tell us what's going on?" Kanna and Sakura grinned as they looked towards the others. "Maria and Ohgami are in love!" they said in unison.

"IN LOVE?!" Sumire exclaimed. "Oniichan is Iris' boyfriend!! He can't be in love with Maria!!" Iris screamed. "Sumire! Shhhhh!" Kohran said. "And Iris…let me put it to you this way…you're too young!" "IRIS IS PRACTICALLY AN ADULT!" "Right…" Kanna muttered. "Look you guys…" Orihime began. "Ohgami and Maria don't know that we know their secret. So it's best if we keep this under wraps." Sumire sighed. "I suppose so. But only if we absolutely must." "The reason she's disappointed is because she has a popular website." Kanna whispered to Sakura. "Website?" Sakura asked. "Yeah." Kanna replied. "www.Itellsecrets.com" both girls snickered. "What are you two laughing about?" Sumire asked. "Nothing." Kanna and Sakura said quickly. "Let's get back to rehearsal." Sakura said quickly. She didn't want Sumire to ask any more questions. "Maria and Ohgami are going to wonder where we are and might come looking for us." "Right." Kanna said. "Meeting adjourned."

Maria was backstage when she heard an unmistakable voice. "Hey." Maria turned around and a small smile formed on her face. Ohgami was standing in the wings, like he had been last night. It seemed that he had not noticed her smile, for he looked away from her when she turned around. "About last night…" Ohgami began. "I wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Maria finished. Ohgami looked up at her, a surprised look crossed his face. "Clearly that was a different answer than you expected…was it not?" Ohgami nodded. A confused look had now replaced the surprised one. How is it so easy for her to tell what I'm thinking? It's like she knows me better than I know myself. And yet, we hardly talk to each other. So how? "Something wrong?" Maria asked. Ohgami immediately snapped back to reality at the sound of her voice. "What? Oh…nothing's wrong." he said. "Hey, do you want to go to Café Noir tonight?" Maria looked surprised. Is this… "a date?" Maria asked aloud. "Well sort of…" Ohgami said. Maria mentally went through her schedule. I don't have anything planned…but what if Kanna or someone were to see us? What would I say then? That we just decided to go somewhere? That wouldn't work. I guess fate has given me this choice for a reason. I see no harm in going with Ohgami… "Okay, I'll go." Maria said. "Great." Ohgami said calmly. "I'll meet you down in the lobby at seven. Is that okay with you?" Maria nodded. "Yes. That works out just fine." "ALL RIGHT YOU TWO!! WHERE ARE YOU??!! WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO REHEARSE!!" Sumire's voice echoed throughout the Imperial Theater. Ohgami sighed. "I guess she means us." he said. "We'd better go and find her." Maria suggested. "You know what she's liable to think."

"I don't think that will help us find them." Sakura said. "Well then you think of something." Sumire retorted. "I'm going to change into my costume. Tell me when you find them." "Little miss princess…" Kanna muttered as she and the rest of the Flower Division walked towards the stage. "Now Kanna…" Reni said. "I FOUND THEM!!" Sumire yelled. "Oh joy! Now we can live! All hail Sumire The Great!" Kanna exclaimed, her voice drenched with sarcasm. "Why thank you Miss Kanna The Chow Hound." Sumire replied, ignoring the heavy sarcasm in Kanna's voice. "You can have my autograph after the show like everyone else." "Are you two going to just stand there and trade insults or are you going to get up here with everyone else so we can start the dress rehearsal?" Ohgami asked. "I'll be there in a sec." Kanna replied assuming a fighting stance. "As soon as I dispose of Sumire." "You wanna make a bet on that?" Sumire challenged. "Grow up, both of you!" Maria commanded. "Get up here this instant!" Both Kanna and Sumire became speechless, and remained that way as they made their way up the stage steps. For once, neither of them had anything to say.

"Why aren't you guys in costume?" Ayame asked. "People are already buying tickets and Tsubaki is about to open the doors so they can grab their seats. Get it together you guys!" "You heard her." Maria said. "Everyone, get backstage this instant and get your costumes on." Sumire opened her mouth to say something. "Don't argue with me!" Maria snapped. "If you don't have you lines memorized…well, then you are truly a pathetic excuse for an actress." "Slave driver." Sumire muttered as she walked towards the wings. "Sumire!" Maria snapped. "If I hear that one more time, I will personally contact you father and see to it that you do not play the lead in any more productions. Am I understood?" Sumire, who had become a little shaken up, meekly nodded and quickly walked backstage. Maria turned to the rest of the Flower Division. "Anyone else?" she asked. There was total silence, they were all in shock from Maria's swift, disciplinary actions, and Maria took it as a "no." "Good." she said. "Let's get to work then." As everyone else rushed backstage, Ayame turned to Maria. "Are you sure that you still don't want to be captain?" she asked. "Positive." Maria replied. "Handling the others is very difficult." "Well it sure didn't seem too difficult to handle just a minute ago!" Ohgami commented. "I would've gladly given up my post here and left a long time ago had I seen this." There was total silence. Now that Ohgami had spoken his mind, Maria became silent. And yet, Ohgami could've sworn he heard Maria whisper something to him. "That's why I didn't let you see this."

"What are they doing out there?" Orihime asked. "I don't know." Sakura replied as she put her ear against the wall. "I can't hear a thing." "Stop it you guys." Kanna said. "You're eavesdropping on Maria's conversation…and that's not fair." "Why?" Orihime asked. "Because I'm the one who should be eavesdropping on the conversation. You got to last time." Kanna said. "Trying to listen in on other people's conversations?" Maria's voice startled the three girls. "Don't you three have better things to do with your time?" "Oops…sorry Maria." Orihime said. Maria dismissed the girl with the wave of her hand and then turned to the other two. "Sakura…?" she asked. "I just remembered-" Sakura was cut off. "Don't give me your excuses." Maria snapped. "Dismissed." Sakura ran off to join Orihime, who was watching to see if Kanna received the same cold, stony treatment. "Kanna…I can't believe that you would do such a thing!" Maria said. She looked very hurt. "I am very displeased with your actions. You shall receive punishment. After all, you are old enough to know better." Kanna looked away. "Yes Maria." she said softly. "You're right…I am old enough to know better…and I shall take my punishment without complaint." "I shall notify General Yoneda of your actions and he will deal with you." Maria said. "Now come. We have a show to do that must go on." After they walked past the place where Orihime and Sakura were hiding, a small smile formed on Maria's face. "Nice acting Kanna." she said. "I can see why you got the lead. You weren't bad yourself." Kanna replied. "I guess Sakura and Orihime didn't learn their lesson." "They will be dealt with soon enough." Maria replied. "Come on!" Ayame yelled. "Let's get to work." Maria and Kanna made their way to costume department and it soon became time for the show.