Author's message
Finally! An update. I know I'm playing with fire here with the exams around the corner but I cannot stop myself from writing!
Disclaimer: I do not own Sakura Taisen or any of its characters. This story is mine.
"DAMN IT!" Ohgami screamed, bashing his right fist onto the infirmary wall outside the emergency room under the Teigeki. He glanced in rage at the red fist mark he had left on the white wall.
Reni's blood. Why does it have to be Reni's? Not mine?
But Ohgami wished very much that it were his. The past half hour had been an absolute nightmare. The minute he saw Reni's bloody condition, he pulled her out, applied pressure to her wound by tying a strip of cloth torn from his shirt and carried her into his Koubu Kai, using his jet pack to propel him back to the Teigeki with speed; a fact Yoneda was extremely unpleased with but Ohgami had no time to think about Yoneda's lectures or any repercussions that his actions might have caused.
As long as she is all right, I don't care what punishment I'll get.
The rest of the Hanagumi were behind him, staying at a respectable distance. They had never seen Ohgami so angry before and thought it would be wise not to stay too close even if his rage was not directed at them. Their leader looked like an avenging devil, the white of his uniform was virtually non-existent, having being drenched heavily in the red of Reni's blood.
After a few moments of silence, a still-uniformed Maria approached Ohgami, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you should take a break Taichou," she said softly.
Maria took a step back when Ohgami gave her a murderous glance but that expression softened to one that was filled with weariness and distress. "You're right Maria. I'm sorry," he said tiredly and shuffled out of the infirmary. The Hanagumi let him pass, each of them felt rather low at seeing Ohgami like this.
Maria clapped her hands to gather the rest of the Hanagumi's attention and ordered them to go back doing their duties before she left herself, hoping that the military doctor in the emergency ward could save the silver-haired wunderkind.
Meanwhile, Kanna, Sumire and Sakura were the only ones left in the infirmary. Sakura was asleep throughout the whole incident thanks to the medicine Kohran had forced her to gulp down just before the battle. Kanna checked on the sleeping young actress first and was pleased to see that at least she looked more human than before.
Then, slightly embarrassed, she approached Sumire's bed. The self-proclaimed top star still looked a bit pale but whatever medication was going into her veins through the IV tubes was definitely helping her.
"Uh... how are you doing Sumire?"
"Kanna-san? I'm all right. It's nothing serious really." Sumire replied rather weakly, her usual haughtiness missing.
"Well that's good. Nothing serious I hope." Kanna said scratching the back of her head, obviously wanting to say something else.
"Kanna-san, stop beating around the bush."
"Umm... Iris told me that you have a stomach-ache and I was afraid that... umm... you know..."
"Ohohoho, so you think that your lousy punches are enough to keep me down? You'll have to do better than that!" Sumire mocked the reddening Kanna as she caught onto what she was trying to say.
However, the redhead did not snap back at the sick girl like she used to, instead she still wore a concerned expression on her face. Sumire, realising that Kanna was being serious regretted her initial rebuttal. After some thought, she bent her forefinger inwards twice to signal Kanna to lean forward and whispered something into her ear.
"Oh? Oh! "Kanna stood back in realisation. "So it's that time of the month..."
"SHHHHHH!!!" Sumire hissed angrily, her face glowing with embarrassment as her eyes swept left and right to search for eavesdroppers.
"Don't worry. You're secret's safe with me," Kanna assured, her usual big grin finally appearing but it dropped when she remembered that it wasn't really the time to be smiling about anything.
Sumire caught the sudden change in expression and leaned forward to her friend. "What happened just now? How did Reni get hurt so bad?"
Kanna sighed as she recalled what she heard had happened from Maria and repeated it to the attentive young star.
"So that's what happened," Iris said softly, cradling Jean-Paul and sobbing. "Iris should have gone too to help. If Iris had gone, Reni wouldn't be dying and Oniichan and Maria-onechan won't be blaming themselves."
"Now, now Iris" comforted Orihime, "Reni won't die so easily from a wound like that. She is WAY tougher than anyone in the world!"
"Really?" Iris glanced at her hopefully with watery eyes.
"Of course! I've known her far longer than all of you and she won't be beaten that easily."
"Sniff sniff. Thank you Orihime. You'd better be telling the truth." Iris hugged Orihime tightly around the waist.
"Now, now Iris. If you are a grown-up you should cry less and try to think positively. Come on, do you want me to play you a song?"
"Sure." Iris nodded enthusiastically, her smile returning.
"Lets see..." Orihime sat down on her chair and turned towards the piano. Her fingers positioned themselves and began to dance across the keyboard. Iris sat closely, listening to the slow but rather comforting tune being played by the Italian pianist.
"What in heavens did this?" Engineer A whistled as he observed the hole in the side of Reni's Koubu Kai.
"Heard it was some experimental badass that did this. I hope the pilot lives through this," Engineer B replied from under the Koubu.
Before A could say something back, Kohran stepped up, her glasses flashing as she remarked," You two better start working and quit yapping or I'll have Mr P here teach you a lesson." On her hand she held a menacing looking robot holding a miniature whip and wearing an S&M costume.
"Uhh... right away mam," A acknowledged hastily and began washing the cockpit with haste.
"Kohran's mood turned sour as she saw the amount of red water pouring out the side of the Koubu.
It's my fault. I should have increased the thickness of her armour months ago.
"Yo Kohran-san. You shouldn't be blaming yourself," the cheerful voice of Kayama came from behind.
"K-Kayama-san? How did you know? Why are you here?"
"It's easy to tell isn't it? You have a frown all over your face." The man in white tuxedo and cow-patched tie responded.
How he could see her expression from her back totally escaped her but she knew it was pointless to ask. "So why are you here again?"
Kayama's expression turned serious. "It's possible that there might be more of these things lurking around. It's my job to assess their power and formulate an effective strategy against them if the need arises." An aloof smile reappeared, "Then again, I'm just enjoying the sea. Lalalala..."
Kohran observed the enigmatic man spin around on one foot in the hangar before disappearing into the shadows. The man's sudden appearances and sudden disappearances never cease to amaze the young inventor and the bizarreness of the situation lifted the mood of this always high-spirited girl.
"Yosh! I'll just have to design a new Koubu so something like this never happens again!"
Ohgami sat on her bench in the courtyard, sighing. He didn't know since when he had started thinking the bench he sat on was hers but Reni had always enjoyed basking under the sun right there. He sat a little to the left from the centre of the bench, not willing to sit on her spot. It just felt wrong to do that. He sighed again and looked upwards, the star-filled sky and the silver moon filled his view, reminding him even more of Reni and of the guilt and grief he felt within him.
He could still see her blood on his hands and shirt even though he had washed and changed. The scene in his cockpit kept replaying over and over again in his mind. Reni was bleeding slowly to death from the huge gash at her side and he couldn't help her.
The sound of crunching grass behind him informed him of someone's approach.
It was Maria.
Maria had changed into her usual purple coat plus red gloves and she had seen Ohgami sitting alone outside through her window. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Ohgami was thinking about Reni, seeing that he was sitting on Reni's favourite bench.
She slowly approached him and sat on his left, also avoiding the centre of the bench, which was on his right. Maria knew all too well where Reni sits all the time, Ohgami wasn't the only one who is observant.
They sat like that, shoulder to shoulder in silence for some time. Maria didn't know how to begin and Ohgami didn't have anything to say.
Finally, she decided to break the ice.
"Taichou... It's not your fault you know. If you need someone to blame, then blame me. Reni suffered because of me."
Ohgami remained silent. A few minutes passed before he shook his head, a slight turn of the head. "No Maria. I can't blame you or anyone else for the matter. I should have ordered a retreat. What kind of commander would continue to pursue a fleeing target with heavy losses on his side?"
"Our kind of commander."
Ohgami faced Maria the first time since she sat down. A slightly confused expression can be seen on his face.
"Taichou. You chased that demon because you wanted to stop it from killing more innocents again. You acted like anyone would have expected to act. You did nothing wrong."
"But if I had just given up. Reni's wound would have been tended to."
"And you would be blaming yourself when that demon starts to feed again. Reni would be blaming herself forever if you did that."
"I... I just don't want to see her hurt," Ohgami said, his voice breaking up slightly as he fought his tears.
Maria remained silent, taking in Ohgami's last reply.
"Do you care about her?" She finally asked.
"Yes."
"Do you... love... her?"
"I don't know." Ohgami sighed. "She's important to me but so is everyone else here. I don't know if my feelings for her could be called love. All I know is that I can't bear to see her hurt and her smiles are... They are just the most beautiful things in the world."
Maria nodded. "She does have a great smile."
"I'm just afraid that I'll never see her smile ever again."
"Don't you ever think like that!"
Ohgami was startled by Maria's angry outburst. Her eyes were brimming with tears, which sparkled under the moonlight.
"Taicho, you are the one who taught us never to give up. Don't give up now. Please... for her sake."
Maria's words stirred Ohgami's inside. The man who never gave up inside him finally decided to resurface from his shell of depression. Maria noticed the change as Ohgami's expression finally hardened to the one she recognised, the Taichou that everyone loved was finally back.
Ohgami looked back at Maria, his smile returning.
"Thank you Maria. You're right. I shouldn't be giving up now. Even if Reni does, I won't let her."
"Good. Now go to her. She'll need you now more than ever."
Ohgami nodded and to Maria's surprise he gave her a quick hug before he rushed back inside.
Maria stood under the moonlight, watching with a still-thumping heart at the running figure of Ohgami Ichiro.
I hope I'm doing the right thing. Taichou...
To be continued...
Yup. Finally finished this part. I know I said I wanted to write a romantic piece between Ohgami and our all time favourite Reni but then I realised that what the hell would the other people be doing while Reni's in an operation. Besides I haven't explained how Sumire suddenly got sick.
Aiyaya. After reading again what I wrote, I just found out that I left Sakura out a lot. Please do not kill me ol' Sakura fans.
Next! Reni & Ohgami in the spotlight! (I hope)