Disclaimer: I don't own any Sakura Wars characters, even thought I want to. However, I do own Pavlov. This is just a fanfic and please don't take it seriously.
Author's ntoe: I don't know whether I should continue to make Maria as cold as possible but she is so gentle. Anyway, some plot does not follow the game or the original plot of the story. Hopefully, you'll like it. Yes, your reviews! Doumo arigatou! That's all, enjoy~
*********************************************************************
Chapter 2 Interest
"She'll come at about this time of the day," said the priest.
"Thanks so much. I'll just wait for her here then," said a woman wearing sunglasses politely. She heard the footsteps of somebody. She quickly hid away in a corner in the chapel.
The steps drew nearer. Maria entered the chapel. She did not greet the priest. Neither did she notice that someone was hiding in the corner. As usual, she knelt down to pray. Again, she fixed her gaze at her locket. The woman took this into her eyes. It seemed that she was psychic. From watching what Maria was doing, she knew what was in Maria's head.
As the woman prepared to go away, she sensed the abnormality of the atmosphere so did Maria. Maria put the locket back into her shirt and turned to look at her back. She could not believe her eyes. There was a demon. It had sharp claws and teeth. It had wings with some scales on them. It was not just a model. It was a living demon. The demon was flying at high speed towards the brown-hair woman.
Oh, God! What happens? She will be attacked! Without hesitation, Maria pulled out her revolver from her pocket. She fired a few bullets but not even a hair of the demon was injured.
What's that? A real monster? The demon was made aware of Maria's existence. It landed on the floor of the chapel and stared at Maria. She was a bit afraid then. However, her face did not change, still as calm as ever.
She skilfully loaded the revolver and shot a few more bullets. Still, there was no effect on the demon. Maria looked pleadingly at the woman. She did not turn a hair. She muttered a word, "Concentrate." Maria closed her eyes and tried to concentrate.
However, when she was concentrating, another thought flashed up in her mind. Well, I've always wanted to die. Why not just let it take away my life? Anyway, my heart has been buried with him. Taichou, I'll soon be with you..
The woman was surprised that Maria made no reaction at all. She pulled off her sunglasses and put them in her pocket. The demon raised its claws upon Maria. The woman drew out her sword quickly from her back. She jumped high in the air. Its claws were less than one inch away from Maria then. She was dead in time to slash the demon into two before it could touch Maria. The demon gave out a painful cry and spilt into two halves. Soon, it became a mass of mucus on the floor.
Maria heard the dreadful cry and opened her eyes. Again, I lived. Why am I always the one who lived? Maria turned to face the altar and stared at the cross with Jesus. Why? Why won't you let me die?
"What is the reason that you must waste your talent and die? Why waste you life here while you can use your gift to save a city?" The woman said as she put on her sunglasses and went out of the chapel. Maria saw her leave. The woman's words aroused interest that she had not felt for a long time.
Can I? Can I really protect somebody? If I had been able to protect him, he would not have died. Do I really have the ability to protect somebody? She took out the locket from underneath her shirt. She gazed at the picture. "Do you think I do, Taichou?" Maria whispered.
Out in the street, the woman looked back and saw that Maria was pondering about her words. She smiled secretly to herself and went on her way.
Am I really so cold-blooded? Do I really want to kill? I don't, do I? Maria again fell into deep thought when she was waiting for Pavlov in an alley.
Pavlov had been her partner since she went to New York. More precisely, he came before Maria did. She was always so cold to him. In return, he treated her quite well. She knew he did not treat her just as a friend but something more but she did not want to give him unnecessary hope.
Pavlov arrived. "Why are you so early? You're usually later than I am," he said after he greeted Maria warmly. He did not seem to mind about what happened that morning.
Maria returned to reality as Pavlov spoke to her. "Today's going to be an unusual day," Maria replied as if she was in a dream.
"See, he's coming. Get ready, Maria," Pavlov urged her. Maria put her hand into the pocket to take out her revolver. She was half-way in the process but then she stopped.
Is this really what I want? Is this really what Taichou want me to be? She continuously asked herself this question. No, I don't! I don't and he doesn't want be to be like this. At that moment, she seemed to see the phantom of her dearest commander smiling to her and then vanished. "No, I'm going. I won't do this anymore," Maria whispered to Pavlov.
"Why, Maria? You're so strange today. This is not you," asked Pavlov who was puzzled by Maria's strange action.
"No, you're absolutely talking to me -- Maria Tachibana and I mean what I have said," said Maria. She knew what she had said and she knew very well what she was doing.
Pavlov could not believe what he had heard. In his mind, she was a cold but attractive girl. He thought that she would be capable of being a cold-blooded assassin. Never had he imagined that Maria would say something like that.
"You must be kidding, Maria," Pavlov said unbelievingly.
"No, I've told you. I meant what I have said," she replied with a determined expression. She turned away and left. Pavlov raised his gun and aimed at the man. "Bang!" Pavlov's gun dropped on the ground. He spun around. Maria was holding her revolver. She had shot his hand. "No, Pavlov, won't you just stop killing? Aren't you tired of it?" Maria snapped as she put her revolver back to her pocket.
"Maria, I thought.." stammered Pavlov as he massaged his painful hand.
"You'll never understand," Maria replied as she turned to leave. She was out of Pavlov's sight in less than a second.
*
That night, Maria went down to the pub. "Give me vodka, as usual," she said to the bartender. She turned to look around as she was waiting for her drink. She was surprised to find the brown-haired woman whom she met in the chapel that morning. She went over to the woman. The woman smiled secretly. She had anticipated finding Maria here. Maria did not notice the smile on the woman's face. She sat down beside the woman. The woman took the chance to speak to her.
"So you're still thinking about my question?" the woman asked her as she took her glass and sipped a bit of the wine in her glass.
"Well," Maria began but then the woman interrupted her.
"Your mother is Japanese, right?" the woman asked her, fixing her stare at the wine. It seemed that she did not care at all. In fact, she knew Maria's answer. Maria remained speechless for a moment.
She knows so much about me? Who is she? She does not seem to be just a woman who comes here just to drink. Why does she know so much about me? "You know that? Well, what did you mean when you said that I can use my talent to protect a city? I don't understand," Maria asked her as she did not want to show that she was somehow scared by the woman. But the woman knew very well what Maria was thinking.
"Don't you want to visit your mother's country and protect it?" said the woman. She paused, looking straight into her eyes. "In Teito, you'll have to face the enemies -- the demons that you saw this morning. Your talent and you will power is the essence that we need. I would like you to join us to protect the city," the woman said with pleading eyes.
Okasan, should I go? I want to visit the city that you grew in. Then I have to break my promise with him. Taichou.. "I'll have to leave here and go to Japan then? I've got to think about it," Maria said as she stood up, preparing to go home. "By the way, how can I find you?"
"I'll be in the chapel tomorrow morning. Come to find me if you have any conclusion. I haven't told you my name, have I? I'm Ayame Fujieda. Nice to meet you, Miss Tachibana." Ayame held out her hand to shake hands with her.
Maria hesitated. "I don't know how you find out about me but hajimemasite, Fujieda-san. Sayonara," Maria said with a twisted smile on her face. Ayame was somehow taken aback by Maria.
"I forgot, I thought you won't speak in Japanese, Maria-kun." Ayame chuckled as she shook hands with Maria. Maria turned to leave. She was smiling to herself. For the first time a year after his death, she found some interest in life.
*
She went home, light-hearted. When she reached her apartment, she found that Pavlov was standing outside.
My goodness, what expression I should show him? I nearly shot him this morning and I did shoot him this afternoon!
"Er.. Pavlov, you're waiting for somebody? I'll just go then." Maria said awkwardly.
"Wait, Maria, I'm waiting for you," Pavlov was a bit nervous then. Maria stopped. He's going to say some nonsense again.
"Er.. you've got something to say?" Maria dared not look at him because she felt sorry for having shot him that afternoon.
"I.. I overheard your conversation with Miss Fujieda. You're not going to Japan, are you?" asked Pavlov. His voice was shaking.
"Well, I.."
*****************************************************************
Author's notes: Hopefully, I've written what Maria really thought. I've read on the internet that some people do not really know what she is thinking. "Hajimemasite" means "nice to meet you" in Japanese. I think most of you know it already. Please pardon me for any mistakes that I made in the plot because I haven't watched the OVA2. Therefore, I don't know much about Valentinov but I assure you: Pavlov is not Valentinov. I feel sorry for any mistakes I have made and please tell me about that. Please review.
