SAKURA TAISEN/WARS and all related characters, names and indicia are TM & © SEGA RED.
DER ROSENKAVALIER, LA TRAVIATA and ORFEO ed EURIDICE are actual operas.
The character TSUKI is the original creation of a young woman who goes by the name of "MariaXTachibana" on the internet.
This story is the result of an 'art exchange' – she drew an image from my story "From the Ashes" (the image can be found here: ) and in exchange, I wrote a story of her choosing.
Rating: PG-13
WARNING: SHOUJO-AI (very mild)
"The Knight of the Silver Rose"
Posters for the new production of "The Knight of the Silver Rose" had just gone up. Maria, playing the title role of Octavian, the Princess' premiere knight of the Silver Rose, was the primary focus of the photo. Walking the snowy winter streets of Tokyo, she kept her head down, made somewhat uncomfortable by seeing her reflection at the turn of nearly every corner.
Her gloved hands were driven deep into her coat pockets as she ducked through a restaurant door after another patron also hurrying inside. She stopped at the hostess' desk to wait to be seated. Another small group of people had gathered behind her and were conversing about the Imperial Theatre's new production.
"Have you ever heard of this girl they've got playing the lead?" one of them asked the others.
Subconsciously, Maria cringed, as if she could make herself less recognizable from the back.
"Heard of her, yes. Heard her? Not yet. They found her in America, though, so we'll just see how her Japanese sounds!"
The rest of the group chuckled and Maria ducked around the corner from the foyer and leaned her back against the wall.
"I heard she's a good enough singer—" one interjected, but was cut off.
"She's an ALTO! How exciting can she be if she can't even sing the high notes? Me, I'm going to hear Miss Kanzaki—"
Maria fled into the bar, where it was not necessary to wait to be seated. The dull murmur of conversation drowned out the pre-judgmental critiques from the foyer, which were only serving to make the former Mafia bouncer even more terrified of her new role as an actress and singer.
"Vodka," she told the bartender as she leaned against the bar, "straight."
"Damn!" said a disappointed voice near her and she turned to see a young woman sitting on the barstool to her left. Aqua blue eyes sparkled with the mischief of a joke Maria did not yet understand, then she tossed her shoulder-length white-blonde hair as if newly realizing something. "Ohh… you were referring to your vodka."
Maria was completely puzzled.
The girl stuck out a hand. "I'm Tsukiyama Takagawa. Tsukiyama's the first name. My mother was Japanese, so I got her patronym, but put it last, which… I'm sure you understand. Anyway. Nice to meet you."
After a couple of seconds' worth of deliberation, Maria's gloved hand shook Tsukiyama's. "I am M—"
"Maria Tachibana, yes, I know," she said. "The new actress at the Imperial Opera House, I recognize you from all the posters, and from the newspaper, of course." At Maria's apprehensive expression, she added, "Don't worry, I'm not an obsessed fan or anything. You can call me Tsuki."
When the bartender set a glass in front of her, Maria opened her coat to reach into her jacket pocket, but Tsuki stopped her. "No, no, let me – consider it your welcome to Tokyo! Though you've probably been here for a while already. Still. It would be my pleasure." And the drink was paid for before Maria could get a word in edgewise. She marveled a bit at the girl's ability to speak so much and so fast – almost too fast for Maria's new knowledge of Japanese to keep up.
Before Maria could speak again, Tsuki started. "So, how long have you been here, anyway? I know your bio in the newspaper said you were discovered in New York, but it said almost nothing else about your past, which makes you quite the mystery – and in case you haven't noticed yet, there's nothing Tokyo likes better than a good mystery!" Tsuki smirked as she looked at the reticent actress. "…who blushes so easily." She smiled. "How charming for the Knight of the Silver Rose."
This only served to deepen Maria's blush. She gripped her vodka glass with both gloved hands and focused on its contents with intent, forgetting entirely to answer Tsuki's question.
"Where are you from, originally? You don't seem like an American! Not that there's anything wrong with Americans, in case you actually are an Ameri—"
"Russia," Maria's low, soft voice barely managed to end Tsuki's seemingly ceaseless prattle.
"Russia! Wow… we beat the heck out of you guys about twenty years ago in th—"
"Yes," Maria snapped. "I know."
"Um…" Tsuki had hit a nerve. "Yeah… so… sorry about that. Anyway, how long have you been here?" she asked again, trying to turn back to the question she'd asked twice already, but never given Maria the chance to answer.
"Five months," Maria answered, taking an expressive swig of her vodka without so much as flinching – shrugging off the inadvertent offense as if the drink were its cure.
Tsuki looked at her own hot chocolate and felt both more noble and yet weaker at the same time. She might have felt a bit more equal if she'd gotten her usual favourite, sake, but she hoped she could not hold the alcohol as well as this woman seemed to be able to do. The conflicting perception confused her, so she thought of something else.
"So, what brings you out here at lunch hour? The snow keeps most people at home, especially when it's as cold and gray as this outside. But I guess you're used to snow…" Tsuki laughed at herself. "This is probably just a flurry to you!"
Maria's eyes had a faraway look to them, as if she saw something no one else could see, and from the haze of whatever dominated her mind, her voice came as if in a dream. "Needed to get out of theatre," she said to her vodka.
"Ah…" Tsuki nodded with an affected sagaciousness. "Yes, it must be very stressful. What's it like to work with Kanzaki Sumire? They say she's the greatest. I saw her last year as Violetta, but I thought she was too young for 'La Traviata,' really. Me, I like the mezzos better – Kirishima Kanna was a fantastic Orpheus. Mezzos like her don't need the flashy fireworks of high notes and cadenzas, they make every note almost sensual, you know? You must have gotten here just as that show was closing. Have you ever played a man before?"
Maria was somewhat grateful that she was not given a chance to answer the question about what she thought of working with Sumire, and answered the last question instead. "Never on stage."
The Russian set her empty glass down with a finality and tied the belt of her coat. "Was pleasure to meet you, Tsuki – and thank you. For the drink."
"The pleasure was all mine," she smiled and folded her arms on the bar top. "I'll see you on opening night, Miss Tachibana."
Outside the restaurant, the temperature had gotten colder, the wind cutting into every crevice it could find. Maria decided a taxi would be preferable than walking over a half a mile in the less hospitable weather. As she stood waiting, someone recognized her on the street.
"Hey! Look! It's the new girl from the Imperial Theatre! Maria Tachibana! Hey, Miss Tachibana!" More voices took up the news and Maria turned to find herself confronted by two very excited and enthusiastic faces, then three… then five…
She found herself murmuring, "Thank you… yes… thank you…" over and over as the small semi-circle around her grew. Several people fished for paper and pens, and Maria retreated a step toward the street, and then another.
A person whistling loudly caught their attention, and a steamer skidded to an abrupt halt just short of hitting a very brave – or very stupid – girl who'd hailed the cab by stepping in front of it. "Miss Tachibana, quick!" she called, opening the taxi door for Maria and beckoning her. "We need you back at the theatre!"
Seizing the opportunity for escape, Maria turned and fled, jumping into the taxi Tsuki had just hailed for her. Tsuki jumped in after her and yanked the door closed, apologizing to the small crowd as if she were an agent from the Opera. The taxi began rolling away immediately.
"Where are you headed, ladies?" the taxi driver asked, feeling a bit important for having just rescued someone evidently popular.
Maria opened her mouth to say 'Imperial Opera House,' but Tsuki spoke first.
"The Water Gardens," she directed.
Maria looked at her and Tsuki shrugged. "Well, what kind of rescue would this be if I sent you straight back to the theatre you said you needed to get away from?"
The markswoman could not precisely argue the logic of that, and this girl, Tsuki, didn't seem like the 'rob-you-at-gunpoint' type. Besides, Maria could easily overpower or disarm most would-be muggers. Having determined that she had nothing to lose and likely nothing to fear, she sat back and exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"You haven't seen the Water Gardens yet, have you?" Tsuki asked her refugee, and she shook her head no.
The next few moments passed in silence.
Tsuki broke the quiet. "Let's get one thing straight – if we're going to spend the afternoon together, you have got to cut the incessant chatter, it's driving me nuts."
The silent actress looked at Tsuki, surprised, and then cracked a slight smile at the girl's sarcasm.
"That's better," Tsuki declared and turned her eyes to the road again.
"It's an open park, but it gets more visitors in the Spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Personally, I like it better like this, though."
Tsuki and Maria stood a short distance from the street at a wooden archway in a stone wall that lead into a frozen garden. The bare tree branches were a latticework of ice, coldly weeping into the slow trickle of all that was not frozen of a tiny brook. Foot stones were slick with ice and water, and Tsuki carefully chose her steps, then turned to be sure Maria could safely follow. When she saw the uncertain look on the Russian's face, she reassured her. "Don't worry, I won't take you anywhere too treacherous. The Knight of the Silver Rose would look lousy on crutches."
Tsuki gave a silly grin and Maria returned the ghost of a smile, following her lithely. Her fear had never been that she might lose her footing on ice – Maria had a particular skill with winter weather. Her uncertainty was in the wisdom of following this girl, but something was endearing about her courage, and how open and honest she was – something so completely alien and opposite to her chosen afternoon companion.
Maria paused here and there, whenever some frozen plant or another caught her attention. The garden, Maria could tell, was carefully crafted and engineered. The bamboo fountains and stone waterways must be a stunning painting of life and colour in Spring, but Tsuki was right – there was something magical about its seeming death captured in crystal. Trickles of icy water wove this way and that between the planted patches of slumbering flora like attendants through a ward of the ill and wounded, waiting for them to revitalize under their patient ministrations.
"Not bad, is it?" Tsuki appeared beside her.
"No," Maria breathed softly, as if her voice would be invasive in the perfect, crystalline moment.
Tsuki had no such concern, though, as she continued talking about the garden and its various features, dusting the snow off one such feature: a stone bench. She called for Maria to join her.
The markswoman, who does nothing without careful consideration, turned, regarded the bench and then sat, returning her icy gaze to the scenery around them.
"So, what did you do in New York?" Tsuki asked amicably, a slight drop in the volume of her voice an indication to Maria that she intended for the conversation to turn to more confidential and intimate matters. "I've always wanted to see New York, but I've never been there! Is it as wonderful as everyone says?"
"No," Maria answered simply, saved from the more difficult question once again by Tsuki's own continuing conversation.
Tsuki was slightly taken aback. "Oh." She noticed that faraway look about Maria again. She took a moment to gather her courage and sought the subject of Maria's gaze. "Life hasn't… been very kind to you… has it?"
Slowly and very slightly, Maria shook her head.
Tsuki studied her for a moment and Maria became visibly uncomfortable. Life wasn't kind to very many people at all. But some recovered better than others. Tsuki tried a new approach. "Do you have family here in Japan?"
Again, the Russian shook her head, "I do not know anyone here."
"Except the people at the theatre?"
At this, she nodded.
"Well, now you know me. And sometimes, you know, it's nice to know someone you don't work with. Not to mention someone who doesn't know the New York you – or the Russia you."
Tsuki would have no idea how grateful Maria was for that, in fact.
"You didn't answer me about what you did in New York. And that is fine—" Tsuki held up her hands wardingly to stop her when Maria opened her mouth to speak. "I like mystery, too." She smiled.
Maria turned back to the scenery and Tsuki did likewise, passing the next minutes in silence. Though Maria said nothing, Tsuki could almost feel the thoughts that were reeling in the Russian woman's mind, as if considering speaking, and if so, what? Or was she considering leaving? And if so, how? Finally, the slowly creeping cold caused Tsuki to shiver. She stood.
"Well, I should get you back into a taxi to the theatre before you catch your death of cold and I am to blame."
Maria smiled privately and stood. She was not cold yet, but she knew Tsuki must be. She followed the girl down the path and back toward the street. "Thank you for a very peaceful afternoon," she spoke as Tsuki sought another taxi for her.
"Oh, no trouble at all! Thanks for the company – I'd ride back with you," she said apologetically as she opened the back door of a steamer for Maria, "but I'm going in the opposite direction from the theatre."
"You have been too kind to m—"
Maria's demurring reply was cut off abruptly by a fast and impetuous kiss from Tsuki. Tsuki stepped back, looking almost as shocked by her actions as Maria did.
Maria drew a breath to try to speak through the dumbfounded haze, but Tsuki disallowed it, pulling the slightly taller woman to her so suddenly and so strongly that she nearly caused her to stagger, and kissed the actress as if she were making reparations for the first and more hesitant kiss.
To Tsuki's surprise, the woman's kiss was nothing like her demeanour, which was cold and hard. Instead, Maria was soft and warm, almost vulnerable and fragile, the light taste of vodka only nearly as intoxicating. And it was then Tsuki realized that Maria's arms were around her, originally to catch her balance perhaps, but now they tightened around her shoulders, seemingly of their own volition - Tsuki's arms were around the taller woman's waist.
Perhaps that is when Maria realized it as well, for she suddenly broke away, breathless and pale with stun. She whispered a hurried farewell, avoiding Tsuki's gaze completely as she ducked into the taxi and it rolled away through the gathering winter weather.
Tsuki staggered a step back and put a steadying hand on the frozen stone wall of the Water Gardens, still dizzy with the surprise of what had just happened.
Well, one thing was certain – she needed a backstage pass for opening night of "The Knight of the Silver Rose."
One shot - thanks to "MariaXTachibana" for the great picture of Silvio and Maria! Hopefully this quick drabble makes up for it!