Disclaimer: We do not own Sakura Wars, but Benji does own his character and the other ones that aren't Sakura Wars characters and I own all of mine who aren't Sakura Wars characters; those you see in my other story.

"Who was that?" As soon as they had exited the tavern, and as soon as he had lit a cigar, Maria's contact had questioned her. "What are you, my father?" Maria asked lightly as she pulled a cigarette out of her pocket and lit it. "He's not some strange boy I brought home for dating or something." she continued to tease. "So you know him then?" "No. He just happened to be sitting in my normal spot, and I would have left after the bartender gave us our drinks, but he gave us the wrong ones. And plus, I was pissed off because the person I talked to beforehand said that you don't have the money!" The man, no older than 44, raised an eyebrow at Maria, and then motioned for her to follow him. "Well it's not like I have a choice." Maria muttered as she walked behind him. "What is so secret that you have to tell me, that you can't tell me in front of the tavern?" she asked after they had walked for several minutes. "I have the money." the man said icily, his was back to Maria, but he could tell that she had dropped her teenager attitude, and was all business. "Then hand it over." she replied, exhaling smoke. "There's only one problem with that. I'm afraid your reputation as Kuassari is getting to be a bit too well known. I received a tip that someone would be waiting for you outside the tavern at midnight." "That's why you came early…" "I can't pay you here, or now, but-" "Don't sweat it. I got myself a bit of a bonus from that scum. A one thousand dollar bonus to be exact. I can live for a while." "You understand that I'm only looking out for you-" "Yeah whatever." Maria said, starting to walk away. "Just because you used to be a Major in the Russian Revolution, don't think that you need to look out for me. I've been doing fine since I got here, and I don't need you to help me along." The man sighed. "I still think you need an escort home." "What? You be my escort? Hah, not in a million years." Maria whirled around and smirked. "Just because you could charm the birds off the trees when you were in Russia, doesn't mean you can do it now! Especially around me, Valentinov! I'm sober tonight. I only had one vodka. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to my apartment. Ravina might change the locks again if I'm gone past 00:30." And with that, she left. The man named Valentinov chuckled lightly when Maria was out of sight, and shook his head. "She's not as clever as she thinks she is…what do you think Ravina?" A pair of ice cold blue eyes pierced the darkness, as a young woman, not even in her late 20's stepped out of the shadows. She had jet black hair, pale skin, and was wearing a black cat suit similar to Maria's. Although she may have looked like the perfect example of a perfect evil beauty, she was exactly the opposite. "CHANGE THE LOCKS?! I HAVE NEVER HEARD SUCH A RIDICULOUS THING! I ONLY DID THAT TWICE!" Valentinov put his hand up to his forehead. "Ravina…" he said through clenched teeth. "at least try to answer my question first, instead of listening to that girl." Ravina folded her arms across her chest in a 'hmph' as she turned away from Valentinov. "And next time, when you come here like that, be careful! Maria knew you were here. That's the only reason she said that, to get on your nerves." Ravina glared at the Russian man before disappearing into thin air. "I hate it when she does that." Valentinov muttered. "I keep forgetting that she's psychic."

Maria reached the small apartment building in no time, and wasn't surprised at all to see her neighbor Sophie on the balcony drinking beer and singing…loudly. Her sober roommate, Clarice, was covering her ears and wincing as Sophie started up her version of singing, which consisted of screaming loudly and drunkenly. "Hey Maria." she said, waving quickly, and then putting her hand back up to her ear. Maria nodded in response, and walked inside, bumping into an auburn-haired man as she did. "Hey Jacques." she greeted casually. "Sounds like you guys are having one hellova party out there. Why wasn't I invited?" "'Cause you were out workin', and you know that Sophie will use any excuse to pull out the alcohol." Jacques replied, grinning and holding up another 24 case of beer. "You want one?" Maria shrugged. "Sure, why not?" she said, pulling one from the case and popping the top off easily. As she leaned against the stair rail, taking a drink, an arm crept around her shoulders and tried to get its hand farther, but Maria wouldn't let it. "Mikel, let go." she said with a sigh. "I'm not drunk, and even if I was, I'd know better than to be around you." A man with sandy brown hair retracted his arm and muttered a curse. "You could've at least said hello before you went and told me off." he said with a fake pouty face. "To you, even a hello is an invitation." Maria replied as she briskly walked past him, finishing off the beer, and throwing him the bottle. "Throw that away, will you?" she asked, not waiting for an answer as she walked up the stairs to her room, passing Ravina's half-brother, Peter, on the way. "M-my sister's upstairs. She wants to talk to you." he said, looking at the floor shyly. Maria rolled her eyes. Partly at the fact that Ravina wanted to talk to her, like she was her mother or something, and partly at the fact that, every time she got near Peter, he started to stammer like this. If he likes me, why doesn't he just say it out loud? It's not like I'm going to bite his head off when I say that I don't like him in that way. Maria wondered as she uttered a brief thank you to Peter and walked up to the room that she shared with Ravina.

She grabbed hold of the doorknob turned it, and sighed when the door didn't open. "Ravina. Open the door." she said calmly. I knew she'd change the locks. There was a click, and then the door flew open, with Maria falling on the floor, flat on her face. She chuckled as she wiped away the smallest trace of blood on her lip. "Very clever Ravina." she commented, getting up. Ravina was sprawled out on the living room couch, flipping through the TV channels. "There's nothing good on!" She complained, turning the TV off. "Well what do you expect? It's half past 12." Maria asked, closing the door. "What did you want to talk to me about?" "Who was that adorable thing sitting next to you?" Ravina asked, looking at Maria with raised eyebrows. "Why does everyone keep asking me about him?!" Maria demanded. "Honey, it's the first time any of us has seen you get anywhere near a man." Ravina replied casually, causing Maria to raise her own eyebrows in question. "Okay, I can handle the explanation, but don't ever call me honey. Got it?" "Sure." "And here's the whole deal on the guy. He was just sitting in my usual seat, and I would have left after the bartender gave us our drinks, but he gave us the wrong ones, so we had to trade. And then he was using my hair as an example for something, and by the time I was about to move, Valentinov came and got me." Ravina nodded, and muttered 'whatever' under her breath as she waved Maria on. Not wanting another interrogation, Maria walked briskly past Ravina, and to the bathroom, where she undressed and drew hot water for her bath. Once it was the right temperature, she slid into the bathtub and submerged herself underwater for a moment, and then came back up for fear of drowning. She pushed her wet hair back, and sighed as she looked at her right hand, a small jagged scar ran across the side of it. Her left hand snaked down to the back of her left leg, just centimeters away from her knee, and her fingers ran over the large scar there left by a bullet. For a moment, she could almost feel the pain that she had felt when she had been shot, and she could still see herself lying in the snows of Russia. Weak. Defenseless. She had thought that she was going to die there, in the snow. She had secretly hoped that she was dying. Instead, a gracious soldier from the other side had found her and had taken her to his camp to receive medical aid. And when she had recovered, she killed them all. Even the soldier who rescued her. He had been on the other side after all…Kuassari…she had risen from the ashes of despair then, and she continued to prove her name right to this day…

"LALALALALALALA! WHEEEEHEEE!" "SOPHIE! YOU'RE SCARING AWAY THE NEIGHBORS!" The sounds of drunken singing and chastising brought Maria back from her thoughts, and she shook her head and continued to wash herself.