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.
Jacques, Fifi, Clarice, Sophie, Mikel, Reina, Ravina, and Peter are all my characters. (Even if Fifi is a dog!) NO TOUCHIE!!!
Chapter 24
Maria's been kidnapped? That can't be…she's too smart for that. Or is it possible? Maybe I'm the reason…Maria's opened up to me like never before…*sigh* Admit it Ohgami, you're the reason. You let her trust you and then you have to go and get hurt to prove your love for her…smooth move Romeo. Now on top of that, you weren't watching out for her, so she got kidnapped! Yep. It's all my fault. With his right hand, Ohgami searched his pockets until he found the sapphire box with the engagement ring in it. I've got to find her…I don't care what it takes. Carefully, he got up and out of the bed, then, he slid open the glass panel on the window and hopped out.
"…And then the blonde girl got away in a black Sedan. I think someone else was driving…no, I'm sure someone else was driving. But I couldn't see them because the car windows were heavily tinted. So have I helped?" Everyone in the hallway at the moment was still staring at Kanna, trying to comprehend everything. "WELL?!" Kanna asked, putting her hands on her hips, trying to mock Sumire. "MISS KANNA!" Sumire exclaimed, standing up, completely outraged. "Oi, don't even start with me, Hebi Onna." "KANNA! HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!" "All right, all right you two." Ayame said. "Might I remind every one of you that you all still have a weeks worth of kitchen duty each since you all found it amusing to eavesdrop on my conversation with Maria yesterday. I don't think you would want any more chores to do other than your regular ones." Sumire sat down on the floor, staring daggers at her rival, but then giving Ayame an innocent look when the petite woman looked over at her. After a few minutes, Ayame turned to Kanna, who was standing up with her arms crossed and an impatient look on her face. "Kanna. What you just said is very, very helpful. Yuri! Did you get down everything she said?" "On paper?" Tsubaki asked quietly to Kasumi. "No." Kasumi replied. "In her head. Yuri has a great memory…and unfortunately, a photographic one as well." "So that's why she still remembers what happened last Christmas!*" "Shhh! Don't bring it up again!" "Oh. Sorry Kasumi."
Kayama watched as Ohgami ran down the street and turned the corner. He smiled, mentally cheering Ohgami on and awarding him on bravery. Then, he took out he walkie-talkie and spoke into it. "Sir. I think we have a slight problem…"
"You okay kid?" Sophie asked as she backed the car into the driveway of the duo's small apartment. "I-" Clarice started, but was interrupted by a loud noise. CLANG! "Stupid mailbox…" Sophie muttered as she shifted into reverse and back again. "I always manage to hit that thing." "On purpose?" Clarice asked, her eyebrows raised. "Yeah. Otherwise the landlord would never come and fix it." "Why the mailbox? Why can't you hit the water heater?" "Number one, the water heater is in the bathroom upstairs and it would kinda sound funny if I told that old geezer that my car hit it. He might wonder how I managed to get my car on the roof. Secondly, every time he comes to fix the mailbox, I 'hint' that the water pipes or the heater or whatever it is, might need fixing as well." "Sophie, I have to hand it to you. You are a true genius." "Nope. I took a class in tactic strategies when I was in math. I just applied those strategies in every day life. ….But if you want to call me a genius, you are more than welcome to!" "That's the only problem with you. Every time someone praises you, your fat head swells up even more! Well, that and the fact that you drink waaaaaayy too much." "Hey! I like my beverages differently than you! It's not a big deal!" There was comfortable silence while Clarice was trying to come up with a retort, and just when she had one, Sophie had managed to park the car, and was getting out of the driver's seat. "HEY! SOPHIE! WAIT FOR ME!"
"Is that a tear I see?" Jacques asked tauntingly as he walked closer to Maria and touched he cheek with his ice cold hands. "No…it couldn't be! The firebird has no feelings whatsoever. No…it must be perspiration." Every word he said stung. They were eating at Maria's heart, wearing away the ice that had built up after so long. Thawing her out and then letting her burn. "You mean you do have feelings?! This is a surprise!" Jacques exclaimed with a smirk. Maria's heart felt like it was being pricked with a needle with every word. And the little voice in her head was no help. It was still laughing madly. FOOL! Give it up already! Surrender already! You've lost and you know it! You just enjoy denying it! "That isn't true…" Maria whispered to herself. Oh come now! The little voice said. You can't win. See! You're denying it already! At the same time Maria was struggling with the voice, Jacques was talking. "So you do have feelings! But for who? Hmm…I wonder……could it be Second Lieutenant Ohgami Ichiro?" "NO! THAT ISN'T TRUE!" Maria shouted, defying that little voice, and denying her love at the same time. Jacques, taken aback by her outburst, stepped a couple centimeters back, and Maria, with angry eyes, struggled to get free once more.
Ohgami looked around at his surroundings and sighed. How in the world am I gonna remember how to get back? He wondered as he continued walking. Oh well. I worry about that later. Right now, all I need to worry about is not getting- There was a flash of lightning across the sky which had gradually been getting darker, a clap of thunder, and then, a heavy downpour of rain. Wet.
Maria jerked one arm free and smirked at Jacques horrified expression. "You were warned." she said, proceeding to free her other arm by ripping the clothing held in place by a silver dagger. In fright, Jacques stumbled backwards, and tumbled over the couch. Dropping Maria's revolver in the process. As thunder rumbled and lightning flashed across the sky, Jacques was fumbling to get the revolver, when he heard a click. "Looking for this?" Came Maria's heavily accented voice. Slowly Jacques looked up, to see the blonde, holding her revolver to his head, breathing heavily. Her clothing was torn at the elbows and from the knees down. "Tell me who you are and I might spare your miserable life." Jacques quickly grabbed a dagger from behind his back pocket and made a deep cut on the side of Maria's hand. But as blood flowed freely, the blonde still held the revolver firmly. "Tell me." This time, as Jacques was desperate, he drove the dagger into the back of Maria's knee, causing her to cry out in pain. Knowing he had the chance to escape, he did so, but not before grabbing the dagger firmly and yanking it out of where it had been driven in. Then, he left Maria there.
Sophie turned the key in the door and opened it, only to find the rooms illuminated to the max and the TV blaring. And on the couch, with a beer and cigarette in hand, was Valentinov. "Honestly Sophie, I have no idea why you are so hooked on this music junk." he said without taking his eyes off the TV. The brunette Russian woman stood in the doorway, trying to comprehend what in the world was going on. "THERE YOU ARE! I TOLD YOU TO WAIT FOR ME!" Clarice shouted as she came up behind her roommate. "AND FOR THE FIFTIETH TIME, I- ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!" Noticing that Sophie was not, Clarice looked where the thirty-three-year-old was staring. "Eh?! What are you doing here?!" she exclaimed upon seeing Valentinov. "Jacques has Maria prisoner at the fishing shack, so I had to come here." The Russian stated as he got up from the couch and moved over to a lounge chair so he could see the TV better. "I was telling Sophie that her MTV junk was stupid, but Clarice…goodness, I didn't expect an 18 year-old to be hooked on this." Valentinov said as he reached for the remote and punched in a couple numbers until a new channel appeared. "Oh John…" "Oh Marsha…" The TV stated. "AHH! I MISSED HALF THE EPISODE ALREADY!!" Clarice exclaimed as she sat down on the couch. The people on TV continued to speak sappy nonsense and Valentinov continued to shake his head in disgust, and Sophie continued to stare at the two with only one thought running through her head. Remember to ask the landlord to get the TV fixed when he fixes the mailbox… remember to ask the landlord to get the TV fixed when he fixes the mailbox…remember to ask…
As lightning flashed and shed light into the fishing shack, the only thing you could see was the outline of a figure kneeling on the floor, a revolver laying near her feet, and a growing pool of blood. And if you listened closely, you could hear the faint sounds of crying.
