Author's Message
Thanks to all who have read this far and I appreciate your reviews. I don't think this is my best chapter but I've done everything I can and I feel exhausted. I'm going to ask an important question at the end of this chapter and I hope that those of you who have read this chapter would help me out. Thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sakura Taisen and any of their characters and never will. Boo hoo hoo!
The cheery noon sun shone on a lone, lean figure sitting on a bench in the courtyard of the Teigeki. Reni let out a breath of relaxation as the sun warmed her skin, making her a bit sleepy.
A week had passed since she was injured and now she was glad that she didn't have to return to that awful ward. The brief moments with Ohgami in that ward were definitely pleasant but she could not stand the emptiness of that room and the nightmare sessions with Kaede. Even though it had been a week since Ohgami visited her in the ward, Kaede never seemed to be able to stop making fun of her.
Remembering Ohgami, Reni could not relax anymore. She was bored for the first time in her life. Extremely bored were the words for her condition.
Sakura's mother had fallen ill so the Japanese girl had to rush home to take care of her even though she herself hadn't fully recovered from Kohran's faulty medicine.
Iris was busy with the tons of homework Kaede had set out for her so the French had no time to cling around Reni.
Orihime had shut herself in her room, refusing to come out ever since Yuri plastered highly exaggerated articles about Orhime's 'attempted rape of Yuri' all around the opera house. To Reni's relief, Yuri had left the part involving her and the Italian out in order to 'protect the victim'.
Kohran had moved to the Hanayashiki branch temporarily to oversee some top secret project, taking a kicking and yelping Hund away with her so she could treat his cold, causing Reni to feel not just a bit uneasy about it.
Kanna and Sumire had shown a rare civility towards each other and they've decided to go shopping together. Reni made the calculations already. The fact that they had started to argue politely about where they should go first at the entrance meant they it would be more than likely that they would come home not talking at all.
Unable to bear the quietness in the courtyard anymore, Reni got up and headed inside. When she turned the corner near the kitchen area, Ohgami bumped straight into her, dropping all the books and papers he was carrying.
"Taicho! I'm so sorry!" Reni apologised immediately as she quickly helped him retrieve the items. When no reply came from Ohgami, the teen peeked at his face and was shocked at what she saw.
Ohgami looked like a panda with two black circles around his eyes and his face looked paler than her skin. Noticing her gaze, Ohgami snapped out of his momentary spirit-out-of-body state and shook his head.
"Huh? Oh, sorry Maria. I have to go. Manager Yoneda wants me to get him his stuff. Are you shorter today?" The man mumbled as he walked robotically to Yoneda's office, not realising that he wasn't carrying anything anymore.
"W-wait! Taicho! You forgot the books!" Reni called to him as she struggled to carry the heavy pile of books and papers to him.
"Huh? Oh hello Iris. You want me to hold Jean-Paul?" The Japanese man mumbled senselessly to her.
Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed the pile of stuff on Reni's arms.
"Jean-Paul feels heavy today." Ohgami murmured and he forgot all about Reni and headed towards the manager's office again.
Reni was crestfallen. Even Ohgami didn't have time for her. He didn't even notice her too!
"Poor Ohgami-san. Manager Yoneda had him working 24 hours doing senseless chores for the whole week now."
Reni froze upon hearing that voice.
"Maybe you should pay him a visit tonight. No wait! You do that every night. Maybe you should actually go in his room tonight."
"K-Kaede-san. Please not here." Reni begged. They were so close to Gossip Central and she was extremely fearful that Yuri might pop out anytime soon. Having the news of her love affair with Ohgami posted on every wall in the Teigeki would stir up incidents that she was not emotionally ready yet to face.
"Don't worry Reni. Your secret is safe with me. I've checked. Yuri and the others are suspicious but they don't have any definite proof." The vice-commander assured her.
"Proof about what?"
Reni almost had a heart attack when Yuri's voice suddenly came from behind her.
The evil brunette took in Reni's expression gleefully.
"Oh nothing. Just that Reni here is..." Kaede trailed off enjoying seeing the tormented teen's face starting to drain in colour.
"Is?" Yuri was drooling now.
Reni shook her head slightly, mouthing the words "please don't" to Kaede.
"She's in..."
Reni closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. Kaede-san... I hate you!
"In?" Yuri's eyes widened.
"In luck!"
Reni almost fainted while Yuri pounced onto Kaede.
"What did she win?" Yuri asked eagerly.
"A free dress of her choosing!" Kaede announced cheerfully as she pulled out a coupon. "I used her name to enter a lottery and I got this free dress coupon for 'Women's Paradise'. Here Reni, take it!"
Reni took the coupon hesitantly; she was still trying to recover from Kaede's mean joke.
"Ehhh, Reni. You're soooooooo lucky. The dresses there cost a lot and they have the cutest dresses and gowns in the whole of Japan. Sumire-san doesn't even go there often!" Yuri congratulated Reni as she patted her on the back.
"T-thank you." Reni replied solemnly as she walked unsteadily away towards the main stairs, leaving Kaede and Yuri watching the back of her slumped shoulders.
"She looked rather down. Did I say something wrong?" Yuri wondered out loud. Kaede only shrugged at her before she left the area too, a knowing grin across her lips.
Reni laid her chin on her arms as she rested on the banisters of the balcony above the main entrance. Kaede's horrendous sense of humour had drained her spirit and the loneliness she felt was getting oppressing every second. She wanted Ohgami to hold her like he did that day but she knew it was impossible now. As long as Manager Yoneda's temper remained, Ohgami had no hope of coming to her side.
"Hi Reni."
Reni glanced sideways without moving her head to the source of the soft familiar voice.
Maria was next to her, her back and elbows were at the railing. Reni noticed that the blonde was wearing a cyan full-length gown, which reflected the noon sun, revealing its material as high-quality silk. Her ever-present gold locket was around her neck and she wore a pair of white elbow-length gloves. The Russian even adorned herself with some exquisite jewellery. An expensive-looking bracelet hung on her left wrist and diamond-studded earrings hung from her ears. Reni couldn't help but admire how great the vice-captain looked and she was sure that in a darker room, she would have looked even spectacular.
Maria noticed the silver-haired girl's curious look and she chuckled.
"I was invited to have breakfast with Count Hanakoji and his friends this morning. To tell you the truth, it's more like a grand ball than just a simple breakfast. I must look strange in this, don't you think?"
Reni shook her head slowly and returned her gaze to the streets below, her chin never leaving her arms.
The teen's silence wasn't unusual to Maria but she could feel that her young teammate was down about something
Maria raised an eyebrow and began to think of what to say when she recognised the crumpled voucher Reni had in her hands.
"Hey Reni, why don't you and I go shopping?"
Her blue eyes moved away from the streets and settled on Maria.
"Come on! It's about time we went somewhere and buy some of the stuff I told you about a while ago." Maria encouraged the teen as she pulled her away reluctantly from the balcony.
It didn't take Maria long to switch back to her ordinary clothes and pull the unresisting wunderkind into a steam cab and set off to the shopping district.
Reni sat on a high stool with her legs dangling at the side as she guarded a stack of parcels belonging to Maria outside the dressing room. The curtain in front of her slid back and Maria stepped out, wearing a sleeveless white top and a red thigh-length skirt, she turned a full circle to let Reni admire it.
However, Reni was more interested in Maria's expression. Many times during the day she had witnessed the normally stern and controlled Russian display an unusual innocence that the German had never seen before. It was like that the blonde had transformed into another person. A person who was free of any responsibilities and care.
When Maria finally stopped admiring herself in the mirror; she caught the sixteen-year-old's stare.
"What?" she asked Reni.
"You feel... different."
"I know. This skirt is absolutely fabulous!" Maria squealed like a little girl as she whirled around some more, making the hem of her skirt float after her.
Reni shook her head. "No. I mean your personality."
Maria caught herself and turned towards Reni, embarrassed. "Oh. You mean me."
Maria grabbed another tall stool and sat next to Reni who was still waiting for her answer. She took a moment to gather her thoughts.
"Reni. How do you view the clothes you wear?"
The silver-haired German looked puzzled. "We cover ourselves with clothes since it is unacceptable to be naked in public."
It was the Russian's turn to shake her head. "No Reni. Clothes are not just that. They are...how should I put it? Wonderful things."
"Wonderful... things? How?"
"By the way they make you feel! Different clothes can give you different feelings. I'm sure you've felt them before. During a battle, your uniform gives you strength and a sense of unity. After a battle, when you change back to your everyday clothing, you feel like you are coming home to the rest of your friends and families. On stage, your costume defines your character and you feel like you belong in the play and bring the scenes out of the pages."
"I... see." Reni closed her eyes as she remembered the unexplained emotions she had had in those situations.
"It's the same with trying new clothes. Each and every piece of clothing has its own tale and personality. By combining the different ones together, you always feel something different. The possibilities are limitless and so are the emotions that clothing may evoke in you. When you think about the person you love and wonder if he would like your choice, the apprehension of just wondering is just too exhilarating to describe."
"Can I... Can I feel them too?"
"Of course you can Reni. All you have to do is try it yourself." Maria said sincerely. "Then again I've been hogging the dressing rooms all day." She added a bit sheepishly.
Reni gave her a small smile and pulled the crumpled voucher from her pocket. Maria understood immediately and after gathering her parcels, they headed for 'Women's Paradise'.
At first the store attendant had mistaken Reni for a boy and had barred her entry, only to receive a steely glance and a few harsh words from Maria. Slightly embarrassed, Reni entered the shop, all the while hiding behind Maria as the shop felt more like a ballroom with its wooden dancing floors and high domed ceiling associated with crystal-like chandeliers dangling. The soft music played by a piano somewhere in the sea of designer dresses and gowns only reinforced the feeling.
They spent an hour or so in the shop with sales assistants and Maria trying to pick out something that would look good on Reni. Most of the styles clashed with Reni because of her rather boyish looks and Maria, herself, was also quite choosy in the matter, screening off many of the sales assistants' recommendations. As Maria and the assistants argued, Reni wandered off by herself to quieter sections and browsed by herself. One dress caught her eye.
It was a rather nondescript evening gown with few of the radical revealing styles and fashions that the assistants picked out. Quietly, she pulled it out of its hanger and slipped into a dressing room.
When she came out, she headed towards a full-length mirror outside the small cubicle to look at herself in more detail, her heart beating in slight anticipation all the way. When she saw her reflection, something akin to excitement and satisfaction filled her chest. She imitated Maria and spun once in front of the mirror, admiring herself for the first time in her life. She didn't know how to describe it but the dress definitely clicked with something inside her. Looking at herself in different poses, she reddened when she recalled Maria's words, realising that she had been wondering if Ohgami would like the dress she was wearing now.
"There you are! We've been looking all over... Oh!" Maria exclaimed when she noticed Reni's dress. The assistants following her all 'oohed' and 'aahhed' at the teen's new outfit.
The women looked approvingly at Reni's choice albeit a simple one. The gown was of an azure blue colour, which brought out her eyes easily and the colour made her bright silvery hair looked shinier and more beautiful. Maria and some of the assistants circled the abashed teen who was embarrassed by all the attention, and they noted that the gown was form-fitting and the back of the gown was cut low, ending right above her waist, both features displaying her slender figure for all to see. The gown was tied at her neck, covering most of her front but revealing her shoulders and emphasizing more on her face, which was good as her face was her most attractive feature. The gown was obviously meant for someone taller as Reni was dragging a few inches of the shiny, silk gown on the floor.
"So, do you like it?" Maria asked even though she knew the answer already.
Reni beamed at her and nodded enthusiastically.
A few minutes later, they left with the gown resized and packed into a small blue parcel on Reni's arms, under Maria's other parcels.
"Maria..." Reni nudged Maria with her elbow.
"Hmm?"
"Can we continue this?"
"If you're not tired."
She shook her head and to Maria's surprise, the girl strode off with wide, excited steps to the next store.
A couple of hours later, the exhausted but contented duo rested their feet and arms on a bench under a small tree with two piles of parcels and bags near their legs. The larger pile belonged to Maria while the comparatively smaller one was Reni's. They had visited every store in the district, from make-up stores, women's wears to hair salons and lingerie shops and now they were each licking an ice-cream cone Maria had bought. Reni found the sweet snack rather tasty and had considered seconds but Maria warned her that eating too much would make her fat, causing the girl to drop the notion immediately.
"Maria?" Reni addressed her senior softly, breaking the brief silence between them.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for teaching me so many things today. I never knew that shopping could be so... fun."
"I had fun too today."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's rather nice to go shopping with someone quiet for a change."
Reni beamed in delight at that remark and they fell silent once more, lacking anything to say to each other.
After a while, as the feeling of content subsided, idle thoughts began to stir in Reni's mind and she subconsciously glanced in Maria's direction. Seeing Maria on the bench with the evening sun on her reminded her of the week before and brought back the doubts in her. She had seen Maria on a similar bench with Ohgami and with all the hell Yoneda was giving the young captain; Reni had no chance to ask him about his relationship with Maria.
She started to wonder again about Maria's feelings for Ohgami. She was sure that the blonde adored Ohgami even if she didn't show it much. That possibility left Reni in an uncertain position. She loved Ohgami with all her heart but Maria had been one of the few people who showed true affection to her and she liked the strict but caring blonde a lot. It was one of the reasons that had made her decide to forsake her own feelings and back out a week ago. If Kaede hadn't pulled her prank, she would have remained silent forever and now she felt like she had betrayed Maria's kindness to her. Now the memories of how happy she had felt shamed her. That happiness wasn't meant for her. It should have belonged to Maria. She knew that if she never showed her feelings, Ohgami would definitely have chosen Maria over her.
She was so engaged in her thoughts that she didn't realise that Maria had scooped closer and was asking her something with a concerned look on her face.
"Huh? Sorry Maria. What did you say?"
"I was asking you if something was wrong. You seem to be drifting off quite a lot these days."
"I-It's nothing. "She lied.
"There's definitely something bothering you. Tell me. You'd feel better."
Reni was at a loss now. The familiar voices in her head began to swirl and twirl around her head.
Should I tell her? Should I tell her that I've stolen Ohgami? Would she hate me? Would she think that I'm a traitor?
Maria could see the internal conflict in Reni. Her blue eyes avoided hers and she was clutching the fabric of her trousers, wrinkling the usually smooth fabric. Understanding the girl's torment, Maria pulled the teen close to her and embraced her tightly.
"It's all right Reni. You don't have to say anything right now. Whatever's bothering you must be hard on you but when you finally feel like it, I'll be here to help you. Always." Maria whispered softly into Reni's ear.
Maria's words touched Reni deeply but it saddened her too. Not knowing what to do, her arms instinctively pulled Maria closer and held on to her. Maria rubbed the back of her head soothingly, unaware of the turmoil Reni felt in her.
They sat like that, each in the other's embrace until the golden rays of the setting sun slowly faded in the horizon.
Love it? Hate it? Pls tell me. ;-)
Ok, the all big important question. Do any of you ppl want:
A. Maria, Reni, Ohgami triangle (only vague ideas to do it)
B. Just Reni and Ohgami with none of the Mumbo Jumbo. (again only vague ideas at the moment)
C. Choose either A or B and add some Kanna/Sumire love humour stuff. (have some stupid ideas on this matter)
D. Other characters to have an affair with Ohgami. If so who?
E. Suggest an idea you want to read about.
F. Rewrite some of your chapters Sanity! (It will break my heart but I will see what I can do muahahaha)
All the above options can be mixed and matched together. Doesn't have to be a fixed choice.
I will be waiting for suggestions in the review section or you can just e-mail me.It's at the bottom of my profile. Thank you!