This is a joint fan fiction of HaruNatsu, Benji Himura and Kanna-Kirishima. Any of us own neither Sakura wars nor the respective characters. Benji own his namesake character as well the minister of the Army, the soldiers and Akuji. HaruNatsu owns Haruna Ueno and the cat Laurie.
This story might contain sex and violence. If this somehow disturbs you please stop reading. This story might carry language that would be not recommended for people younger than seventeen. If you are under that age read by your own will and risk.
Signed: The Korigumi members.
Chapter Two : Her Past, Her Now, and Her Future
"This time junior goes first."
She nods and runs as fast as she can, passing the old bridge, bringing the pendant on her hand.
"I got you," she hears someone says.
She turns around, and sees that it was him.
He reaches her friend's neck and suffocates her.
She screams, as everything becomes dark and tears fall on the pendant.
"Another dream," she says as she opens her eyes, "this time not too bad."
Dressing herself on her police uniform, she tries to ignore the dream. Anyway, she had seen the dream so many times before, and it starts to be not as shocking as the first ones.
"Maybe because of the transfer," she says to herself. Honestly, it's so nice for her to be transferred. She's always wanting for a new experience, and, two years on her department is very boring since there were only few crimes, and most of them are ordinary crimes, such as thief, robbery, and, the worst, bomb terror. However, the bombs haven't exploded yet, and, the people who did it were only stupid extremists, not even a part of a terrorist web.
It's true that other departments often borrow her for helping them. And, with the intelligent, she'd caught many dangerous crimes, including chain murderer, psychos, and real terrorists. But, still, it's not adventurous enough for her.
Not enough to end the life she, honestly, refuses to live.
Working with her hair, ties it up to a bun, she sighs and begins to think about her work today.
Something walks back and forth around her feet. She knows, it's her cat, Laurie.
"Be good today," she says as she kneels down and rubs Laurie's flat, tiny head, "I'll be back at five, if there's no case. Your milk is next to the basket."
The cat mews and runs out. Later, she comes back with the bunch of newspaper on her mouth.
"Thank you," Haruna picks it up gently. She unfolds it and begins to read.
"Demon attack. A single woman was killed."
Her eyes widened and she reads it more.
It's eleven o'clock in the morning. Haruna is working behind her desk, when her phone rings suddenly.
"There's someone who wants to meet you. She's in my room," her boss says on the telephone.
"Yes, sir. I will get there now," Haruna answers
Sighing, she stands up and closes her important documents and keeps them inside the deposit box. Walking to the police captain's room, she opens the door and finds a woman in a green military uniform there.
Kaede moves closer of Haruna and says in a friendly way "Ueno Haruna, right? I am Fujieda Kaede. Is nice to meet you"
"Nice to meet you too," Haruna says, wondering why she comes since she doesn't know her at all.
Kaede says to her now in a serious tone " I must first tell you that everything that I will say to you is extremely secret. And it you let it leak you will have to face consequences Ueno-san. Serious consequences"
Shivering a bit on that statement, Haruna leaps backward. "I won't leak it," she says, "now, please tell me what happened."
And Kaede says still on a serious tone "I belong to the imperial defense force. I am sure that for a police officer you must have heard few things about us, right?"
"You're right," she says. "I know lots of things about you. Especially the Hanagumi."
Kaede smiles bitterly and says "To begin with this Ueno-san I will let you know that the Hanagumi is missing. And there is a new enemy attacking the city. So far the Tsukigumi and the Yumegumi have stopped then with trouble. But the city need of people with special powers." She makes a pause and says "And you are one of the rare people with powers to vanquish the evil."
"Me?" Haruna asks surprisedly. 'I can't...I can't repeat the same failure...' she thinks, as she tries to hide guilt and sadness from her eyes.
And Kaede says "That is right Ueno-san. Don't worry you are not alone. On that corner is one of your companions. Well so far he is the only one of your companions." And she point to Benji who is sited on a chair beside the door wearing a casual outfit.
Looking at the guy, Haruna starts to feel a strange feeling inside her. "You are the man I once read about in the newspaper, right?" she asks in a flat tone.
And Benji says in a casual tone "If you mean the crazy soldier that killed all his squad you are right. But welcome to the boat. Of course that if you decide to join. At least you have a choice..." And Kaede says in a harsh tone "Stop it Benji! You will scare her talking like that!"
Haruna stepped backward from those words. "I...I never meant like that," she said, "in fact, I never meant to insult you...I'm sorry. I'm so dared to say that to you..."
And Benji smile seeing her reaction and he knows that is only natural and it will not be the first or the last time that people will react like to towards him. And Benji says "Don't worry about it. Is not like I will hurt you for saying that. After all is the truth. I did kill them in cold blood." And Kaede says "Stop it now Benji! Jesus! I never seen someone behave like you!" She pauses and says to Haruna "Look that incident was a bad missunderstanding. I will explain it all to you. But I think that you will need now some fresh air. What about we take a walk and I explain it all to you?"
Haruna tries to smile. "I appreciate that, Miss Fujieda," she says,"but, I'm on duty now. Will it be..."
The police captain cuts Haruna. "It will be OK," he says, "Tsuki will replace you for a while until you come back."
And Kaede says "Just toss Benji in a empty cell that will be fine. I will be back for picking him up later. Only make sure to give him something to pass the time." And Benji says rising of the chair "What! No way! I am not going get in a cell again!" And Kaede says coldly "That or the death row again." Benji mutter some curses and sit back again.
"If my commander says that, that's an order for me," Haruna says. 'Tsuki will ruin all,' she thinks, 'she'll say red as black and black as white and white as blue and so on. I hope she brings her glasses today'. "I'll go with you, Miss Fujieda."
Kaede smiles and says "Good." And she turns to Benji and says "Now you behave better. When I came back I will take you to lunch." And Benji says "I am charging it." And she leaves the room
"Well," Haruna says, "where will we go now?".
And Kaede says "A park will do. Some place with lots of greenery. There the air is fresher. So leads the way, after all this is where you live." And she smiles to Haruna
Haruna leads Kaede to a quiet, traditional park, and, soon, they sit side by side on a bench.
"I've told before that I'll be transferred soon," Haruna says broadly. "but I've never thought to work with the imperial defense force."
And Kaede says "Well it is an emergency after all. We need as many people that we can gather. And we need then fast. Otherwise why i would took someone with his background out of the prison?" And she asks that in a neutral tone
"That means you know everything about me," Haruna says.
And Kaede says "I know that you moved from France, and begun to work to the police. I know what they know. Or you have something else to add to the file?" She asks it in a casual tone as if the file could be mistaken a small thing as a date
"You're right," Haruna says. 'For that part,' she thinks. "I adore you and the Hanagumi," she changes the topic of the conversation.
And Kaede says "You are not the only one. But first let me explain why of the misunderstanding over Benji. Then I will explain why we need you." And Kaede tell her about Benji's past.
"I know Himura-san is a good person," Haruna says, "I dealt a lot with killers and terrorists, even the most brutal ones. Never have I seen a convict with Himura-san's eyes. His glance...is different. Now, I know it," she says.
And Kaede says "He only feels guilty for being forced to kill his friends. I think that part of him wants to be killed. But I can't allow that." And she makes a pause and says "Ueno-san first of all I think that you are in danger. In the last couple of months the people with powers have been killed. When I recruited Benji he was attacked too. I have reasons to believe that you are also a target. So to you stay safe you need to join us and help us to defeat the enemy that wants to destroy Teito." She says that in a tone that mix worry and a serious tone.
"I'll be alright," Haruna says, "thanks for the warning. I'll guard myself better now."
She looks at the sky, as she let her mind taking her behind for a while. 'I want to join you there. Do all of you hear me?' she whispers inside her heart.
And Kaede says, "Please Ueno-san we need all the help that we can get. The original hanagumi is missing. The city needs to be protected and the hanagumi needs to be found and rescued. We all need your help." She says in a pleading tone.
Haruna looks deeply into Kaede's eyes. "I wish I could help you, Miss," she says, "but, I'm afraid you come to a wrong person. After all, I don't think I could join this mission. I will only ruin the others, and I might risk my teammates' life for I'm not good in this kind of missions. Sorry."
She looks at the big clock. "It's lunchtime, I think," she says, "I must go back now, I'm afraid. You can call me if you need me next time. But, once again, I can't accept that. I'm very sorry."
And Kaede says "I will be here for two days. I want you to think about it before giving a final answer. Think that you as well can fail, but you can be successful and safe many lives with your acts. I will wait for an answer. Just think it over for two days. And she gets up and begins to walk to the station.
Haruna sighs. 'I know all of you must be angry to me for resisting this,' she says to someone above the sky, 'but, I don't want others to end...like us.'
She walks back to the police station, and finishes her work for that day.
Later that day, she is walking back to her apartment. Suddenly, she heard a noise from the neighborhood.
A teenage boy runs towards her. "Miss Ueno!" he cries.
"What happens?" Haruna asks worriedly.
"There are strange creatures! They're trying to kill...to kill...every little girl in this mansion!"
Some memories catches Haruna, as she runs towards the neighborhood, just to find the worrying mothers in front of her apartment, and to hear the sound of crying little girls from the building. She is ready to get in, when, someone catches her arm.
Kaede is holding on Haruna arm and she says "Sorry but you can't get in. This is the jurisdiction of the imperial defense force. Don't worry Benji is not letting the koumas kill the girls." And she pull Haruna when a broken vase fall from a upper floor
In the upper floor Benji is holding a couple of young girls on his arms and there is another one holding him by the waist. The kouma is nailed on the wall with a chair holding him there.
The kouma tries to break free and Benji is now taking the girls out of there.
Still being shocked from all that has happened, Haruna falls unconscious on the ground. The cat Laurie, knowing that her mistress is lying there, jumps from the upper floor and licks Haruna's face to wake her up.
Haruna opens her eyes. "Miss Fujieda," she says, "and Himura-san. I've decided. Now, I'm a member of the imperial defense..."
She fell unconcious again.
And Kaede says "...force, welcome in Haruna." Benji runs out of the house and see the duo and he places the girls down and he says:
What happened?" And Kaede says "She fainted. Finish then off." And Benji says "If I had my knife would be easier. But you make me leave it on the hotel." And he runs back to the house charging energy on his right hand.
Kaede hears a roar from the kouma and a shout from Benji saying "Lightning destruction fist!" a loud electrical explosion are headed and some electricity burst out of the window with some black blood.
And few instants later Benji leaps out of the window and he is covered in the kouma blood, he lands smoothly and Kaede says "Good work." And he smile and says "Now what?"
And Kaede says "Well pick Haruna up we can't leave her here, I will take the cat." And she turn to the girls and says "Now you three go right home okay?"
The trio nod and run away, Benji pick Haruna and put her on his back carrying her on a sited position and Kaede says "She will need a bath when she wake. You could use one too." And he says "Give me a break I plan on taking a bath. I don't like to be covered in blood" And Kaede chuckles and they walk to the hotel where they are staying.
After a couple of hours and a bath to Benji, Haruna seen to be waking.
Wrinkling her face from the smell of some bloodstains on her police uniform, she grasps when she realizes that she was lying beside the sleeping Benji.
'God!' she whispers, 'I'm beside him!'
She observes Benji carefully, not aware that Benji is awake and is ready to catch her red-handed.
And Kaede says in a relieved tone "At last you woke. I was getting worried."
Haruna grasps. Her face becomes red from being ashamed.
And Kaede says " He haven't done a thing to you. But after face four koumas alone and empty handed not to mention carrying you here worn him out. So he fall in sleep after take a bath. Since there was only one bed he ended there."
Haruna nods in silence.
"So," she says, "I'll be back with you to Tokyo soon, right?"
And Kaede says "Yes, right after you finish packing up and say your farewells. By the way is this cute thing yours? And she point to the cat on her lap
Haruna's expression changes as she sees the little white Persian cat Laurie. "Yes, she's mine. She seems to be so friendly to you," she says to Kaede,"and it means you're really a good person. Laurie doesn't like bad persons."
And Kaede says "Well I carried her over here and fed her with some fresh fish. After that she decided not to leave this spot." And Kaede chuckles and says "But before that she was sleeping over Benji chest."
Haruna chuckles. "Laurie likes men," she says,"especially the kind of man like Himura-san. In fact, at home, she kept the newspaper with the portrait of Himura-san right under her basket"
And Benji says "Really?"
Haruna grasps, being very uncomfortable from being caught. She blushes. "Yes," she says softly,"it's my cat."
And Benji gets up and says "I can't blain her good taste."
They all laugh.
Later, they are in front of Haruna's apartment, saying farewell to Haruna's neighbors. Haruna packs all her things on two big suitcases.
Benji whispers to Kaede "I would not like to be on the place of the person who live on the house where I killed the koumas."
And Kaede says "I know. Now carry Haruna bags for her." And Benji says "Why me!" And she says "Well I was raised like this : boys kill dangerous demon empty handed and carry the bags of the girls and girls have the baby." Benji mutter few curses but obey.
To be Continued…
Lights go on and a stage appears. A young woman, wearing a long pink skirt and a white blouse with ruffles walks to the center of the stage. She stops there and says:
Hi I am HaruNatsu. One of the three authors of this story. To anyone who still has doubts I will explain a bit the story. The original hanagumi is missing. No one knows what happened to then. This story happens after the movies and the series.
And she makes a pause and says:
On the next chapter we will recruit another new members. I will not say anything more than this. I hope that you all have enjoyed the story. Please review. We will answer to all of then.
She made a courtesy to the audience and says:
Thank you for reading.
She walks away from the stage. The curtains fall and the light fades.
