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 11
"Good morning Iris. Did you sleep well?" Kanna's greeting to the little girl was the first thing Maria heard when she walked out of Ohgami's room in order to get more ice. "Good morning Kanna! Good morning Maria!" Iris replied cheerfully. Maria nodded as her greeting and walked on. "Why is Maria not talking?" Iris asked curiously. "Oh, with Maria, you never know." Kanna replied. The little girl shrugged and then ran down the stairs to the dining hall, bumping into Maria. "Oops…sorry M-" Iris never finished her apology, for Maria just held up her hand to silence the child. "Don't worry about it Iris." she said. "I wasn't looking where I was going." Maria ruffled Iris' already messy hair, then continued walking away from the stairs. The seven-year-old just stood on the stairs, for she was so surprised that it took several minutes for her to collect herself. "Was that Maria?" she asked to Jean-Paul. The brown teddy bear just stared back at the French girl. "It didn't seem like her either." Iris replied, as if someone had answered her question.
Maria put some more ice in the plastic bag and then left the kitchen. "You're certainly up early." Sumire commented as Maria passed by. "Is that unusual?" The Russian asked. "No…it just doesn't seem likely." Sumire replied. There was silence, and Maria knew that Sumire was holding back on something. The blonde shrugged it off and was starting to walk back upstairs when Sumire called something out that made Maria's blood run cold. "How was your little sleepover?" The blonde whirled around. "What did you just ask?" There were literally icicles dripping off of the words. "Um…I, uh…Oh my gosh! Look at the time!" Sumire exclaimed as she looked at her blank wrist. "See ya later Maria! I have to go get my…hair done! Yeah, that's it! I have to get my hair done! Well, uh, see ya around!" The aristocrat zoomed out of the room before Maria could say anything. So Sumire knows about last night…was she the one who set it up in the first place? Because I know the key was under the mat. Oh, well. Her actions are only bringing Ohgami and myself closer together.
"I'm back." Maria announced as she walked into Ohgami's room. Ohgami was still sitting on the bed, and he smiled when he saw Maria. "All right Nurse Maria, go ahead and fix me up." The blonde raised her eyebrows at the comment. "Nurse? I'm just doing what you would do for me." she said. DID I JUST SAY THAT? Oh boy, that's probably the most used line in those cheap romance stories. Now Ohgami's going to think I'm quoting from those sorry excuses for books.
In another room, three people were holding a meeting. Their discussion topic? Maria. "So the ice queen has melted, eh?" "Hey! Don't call Maria that! It's completely untrue! But yes, she has changed. And it's amazing how different she is." "Ohohohoho! And to think! If it wasn't for me and my genius plan, she wouldn't be this way." "Uh, oh. Cactus Woman's got a glint in her eyes. What's going on?" "You did something else didn't you?" "All right! Out with it! What did you do Sumire?" "I…I…" "Go ahead! Tell all!" "I slipped a note under Yoneda's door about Maria and Ohgami." "YOU WHAT??!!" "So that's why Ohgami asked me about Yoneda being mad at them." "That wasn't part of the prank!!" "I know…" "What if you get them in trouble?" "Sumire won't get them in trouble, 'cause she's gonna march right now, over to Yoneda's office, and tell the truth." "WHAT?!" "Eh, heh, heh. Good one Kanna. Allright Ms. Kanzaki, MARCH!" "Now wait just a minute Orihime, you were the one who had the idea to do a prank in the first place!" "But you were the one who had the idea to make Maria sleep in Ohgami's room." "Wow Kanna, you're just coming back with piece after piece of evidence. Have you ever thought of being a lawyer…or a CIA agent?" "If we're done talking about careers here, do you think we can get back to the main topic?" "No. 'Cause it's settled. Sumire…MARCH!" Completely disgusted, Sumire stomped out of the room. "Orihime, follow Sumire and make sure that she gets to Yoneda's office without taking any "detours" beforehand." "Okay. see ya later Kanna."
"I don't see any swelling…I think it's just bruised." Maria announced after examining Ohgami's hand again. "Good. My hand was starting to get numb from all of the ice." Ohgami said. "Oh! I'm sorr-" Maria stopped when Ohgami smiled, and she realized that he was just joking. She shook her head as the corners of her mouth began to twitch. "Ah, so Maria's trying to hold back a smile!" Ohgami exclaimed. "Am not!" Maria protested as she turned her head to look at Ohgami. "Yes you are." he replied as he pulled Maria next to him on the bed and began to playfully smother her with kisses. "Ohgami! Cut it out!" she exclaimed. "Then say it!" Ohgami replied. "You were going to smile." "Okay, okay!" Maria said. "I was holding back a smile." "Not good enough!" Ohgami replied as he continued to smother Maria with kisses. She couldn't hold back her emotions any longer, and Maria began to laugh. Ohgami stopped, and stared at the Russian. She's laughing…I've never heard her laugh…and I know that no one else has either. Have I just done the unthinkable? Making Maria laugh is certainly under that category. What an angelic sound… Maria stopped laughing and looked up at Ohgami. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "It's just…I've never heard you laugh. Why now?" he asked. Maria smiled warmly at Ohgami and quoted his words that he had said last night, at the park. "I wanted to share this with someone special."
"All right Ms. Kanzaki. Tell the General what you told myself and Kanna!" Orihime exclaimed as she shoved Sumire into Yoneda's office. "What's the meaning of this?" Yoneda demanded. "You girls are supposed to be on kitchen duty!" "We'll get to that in a minute…just as soon as Sumire tells all." Orihime replied. So, under the pressure of Orihime, the aristocrat confessed to everything. She might've gotten away with some stuff if it wasn't for the persistent Italian girl. "Well?" Orihime asked after Sumire had confessed. "What are you going to do about it?" Ayame, who had been thinking the entire time, spoke up. "We're still going to hold a conference with Maria and Ohgami-" "After all she's told you?!" Orihime asked, her eyes wide as dinner plates. "Yes." Ayame replied shortly. "Now I do believe that you two have kitchen duty…" Sumire was tugging at Orihime's sleeve and begging her to leave. After not too long of this, the Italian girl, defeated and dejected, left.
"It's almost eight now…should we go downstairs?" Ohgami asked. "I would…but not in this." Maria replied, referring to her nightgown. (She was wearing Ohgami's robe before.) Besides, I prefer to stay here with you. "You can still wear my robe." Ohgami said. He got up and fetched it from where it was lying, on one of the lounge chairs. "Here…catch!" Maria looked up just as the robe hit her in the face. "Oh my gosh! Maria!" Ohgami exclaimed as he ran over to the blonde. Maria had thrown the robe off of her, and she began to chuckle. "Huh? What's so funny?" Ohgami asked. "You're getting back at me for injuring you hand, aren't you?" the Russian woman asked. "Well…if you want to put it that way…" Ohgami replied with a grin. Maria got up off the bed and put the robe on, but realized that the tie was gone. "Ohgami...where's the-" "Should be on the floor somewhere." Ohgami replied as he went in search of a hairbrush. "My, my. You certainly keep things in order don't you?" Maria asked dryly. "Oh yes I do." he replied. The blonde sighed and went back to looking for the tie… and she found it underneath one of the chair cushions. Before she could tie it around her waist, Ohgami grabbed it and did the job for her. That sneak…he'll do anything to get his hands on me won't he?
"Come in." Yoneda said when he heard a knock on the door. Maria and Ohgami walked in cautiously and sat down in the chairs. "You wanted to see us, sir?" Maria asked coolly. "Yes. Well, I've just talked with Sumire and it seems that I owe you two an apology." Yoneda said gruffly. "But, I also owe you a warning. No, absolutely no public display of affection. The media would have a field day. Understood?" Maria and Ohgami nodded simultaneously. "Yes sir." Ohgami said. "Well then…you two are dismissed." Hand in hand, Maria and Ohgami walked out of the office. "They never listen." Yoneda mumbled. Ayame walked over to her desk and cheerfully called out, "They're in love. Of course they're not going to listen!"
Ohgami and Maria walked back upstairs and when they reached the hallway, Ohgami reluctantly handed Maria her key. "Kanna gave it to me." he said. "Thank you…" Maria murmured, keeping her eyes glued to the floor. Ohgami tilted Maria's head up and smiled. "Don't be ashamed of who you are, where you come from, or what goes on in your life. Always hold your head up high and always let those eyes of yours sparkle." He let go of Maria's hand and walked to his own room, only stopping once to turn around and call out to the Russian. "See you later Jade Eyes."
