ACT 14

OoOoOoO

Sakura recognized this feeling. The raven-haired girl's heart always felt this way whenever she faced Maria. An unexplainable, tortuous throbbing that was still somehow filled with ardor, admiration . . . love.

The Russian lady was lying on a white bed. Her green eyes were wide as they looked into Sakura's brown ones. She seemed surprised at the younger girl's sudden visit.

To see the girl in pink kimono like this was unexpected. Truly it was.

Those moments of staring made Sakura hold her breath.

Who was she? What made this blond woman so special? Why did her heart beat faster than a wild deer's on a chase whenever she spoke to her? Why couldn't she resist her?

Who was Maria Tachibana?

These questions filled Sakura's head as she pondered her own life. How this older woman entered it. How wondrous. How strange. How thankful she was for it.

And as she looked back now, it almost seemed that her life began on the day they first met.

OoOoOoO

She could still remember the sound of steam engines and the smell of burnt charcoal.

The long trip from Sendai excited her. Sakura was about to see the world, a new world she had been previously oblivious to. Steam engines, railroads, technology, strange places, new faces, fancy clothes, different lifestyle . . . a world of wonderment beyond her expectations. It was all so unlike the countryside she had been born in. All those things that have given rise to many questions. What would become of her here in the capital? Why was she here?

Yes, she was here for a cause. And it was to defend the capital from the demons. It was a very big responsibility. It was a task so important, it was surely worth dying for.

Just like her father had.

The reason why she was here was because she had been destined for it. She must do this job in honor of her father. . . in honor of her blood.

When the train had stopped at the station, the young girl looked around the place. The thick crowd was enough to make her wonder, 'Is this what it feels like in Teito?'

Steam and smoke huffed and puffed from almost everywhere. New things excited her. She felt the need to . . . explore.

Pulling out an envelope from her pocket, she looked closely at the address. It said something about an Imperial Floral Assault Group.

Luck had brought her to the large doors of the said place. But there was something very strange about it. It had a huge poster, depicting two persons in passionate embrace.

It read, 'Romeo and Juliet.'

'Imperial Floral Opera Troupe'.

'Starring Sumire Kanzaki and Maria Tachibana'

"Ah, what!" Sakura didn't expect to see that. Before she entered the building, the thing that caught her eye was the actress named Maria Tachibana. 'She's very pretty," she thought.

'A theater?' That question surged to her naïve young mind. What was a soldier supposed to be doing in a place like that?

'I hope this is the right place,' she said to herself as she entered, not knowing what lay ahead.

It was a huge place filled with halls, stairs, and doors. She looked around and found no one else but herself. As she stood there in silence she heard somebody singing behind those big doors.

She decided to check it out by opening the big door. She was stunned by what she saw. There was that blond woman she saw on the poster. She was on the stage, performing elegantly. Clad in a costume befitting a male character, Maria was the epitome of grandeur and grace.

Sakura's attention was diverted from the play when a woman came and asked for her ticket. Sakura bowed apologetically for not having one. She told the woman that she was looking for a man named General Ikki Yoneda.

"The director?" the woman said.

"Director?"

That was more confusing than she thought. Sakura was told to wait for him in the office. But her curiosity about the place grew more and more powerful. Especially pertaining to the image she saw earlier.

She roamed again to satisfy her curiosity. As she strolled around, she entered a spacious room.

The place was dark and she heard voices not far from her. As she listened carefully, she realized that the speakers seemed to be holding a dialogue. The country girl wondered, 'Who could they be?'

The lights were up. The voices were now again singing a very enchanting melody.

Sakura peered.

She saw her again. The very moment her eyes saw the tall woman, she knew what she felt for her. Sakura knew she had a crush on Maria Tachibana.

Sakura's gaze was immediately locked on to her charming face. That sight was enough for the swordswoman to lose her balance. . . destroying the set. How that scene reminded Sakura of her first appearance . . . an embarrassing one yet a memory to cherish.

The raven-haired girl had to admit that no person made her swoon before. No one else besides Maria, as she delivered her lines as if they were real. . . Every bit of her performance was believable, even her movements. Sakura had almost forgotten that it was just a play.

Maria's hair was short platinum blond. . . clearly indicating that she was a foreigner; a Russian, judging by her accent. Her hair entirely covered her left eye, giving the woman an air of mystery, and shone like rays of sunlight every time the spotlight was aimed at her.

Sakura longed to touch and brush it with her own fingers. If only she could.

But reality struck again as the dry ice she had knocked over began to spread and the entire set was covered by smoke and fog. She really messed things up.

Maria and her partner were obviously distracted by her. Sakura saw the surprised look on their faces. Even the audience was looking at her.

Luckily, 'Juliet' began to sing another song to redirect their attention.

The play was soon over... but Sakura's troubles had only just begun.

Sakura had to do something to make up for her clumsiness. As a newcomer, this was a really bad way to introduce herself to the rest of the team.

Asking for forgiveness was not the easiest task, by any means. Sakura felt that especially when she faced Maria just outside her room.

It was a painful blow.

Sakura was greeted by a revolver, of all things, to welcome her. It was a good thing the gun did not speak, though its owner did.

No one could deny that Maria was tall, about six feet in height. . .'Very suitable for her male roles,' Sakura thought. Up close, the younger woman had to tilt her head up in order to see the blonde's face. The Russian's emerald eyes looked so vindictive, chilly and death-defying. . .

Very different from what she saw during the play.

. . . but when she looked closer, there was also a glint of sadness and grief.

"Get out!" The Russian's cold voice was probably her trademark. Her words also proclaimed authority. It scared her.

The way she had been shoved out of Maria's room... It was one of the things she hadn't thought would happen. Sakura was a bit stricken. She never expected Maria to be so unpleasantly cold.

Maria was clearly angry at her. The raven-haired girl knew her faults. But why did she have to throw her off like that?

Judging by that attitude, Sakura realized that that this blond was a very private person. It seemed that the Russian didn't like intruders and strangers... Someone like a country girl. Someone like her.

This day didn't end up the way she had expected. She aspired to nothing else but to protect the city from the demons. But why did she have to go through this kind of humiliation?

That night, it was even more useless to ask for forgiveness after that second disaster occurred. Upon entering the room accidentally, she saw a weird metal figure. It began to move and malfunction . . . much to her panic.

Lastly it exploded bringing all the people out of their bed.

That was just the thing she needed to make herself more 'reliable' and 'acceptable'.

The raven-haired girl felt that her presence had always been a bother to everyone, especially to her, that green-eyed actress she admired. She didn't want to bother Maria's life like this. Sakura didn't want to see herself in that way. A slap from Sumire was enough for her to accept her own ineptitude. She didn't want to know what Maria would do.

And so, she decided to run away that night, thinking it was the best solution.

Sakura wandered around in the city till morning. She pondered again about what had happened. How was she needed in this place? What could she do right? What was her mission anyway?

'Do I deserve to be a soldier of Teito?' she asked herself.

After thinking about that matter, she stood again in front of the Imperial Theater. . . indecisive.

To be or not to be?

The moment she turned around, Sakura saw her again. The woman named Maria Tachibana.

'She probably saw me from above.'

The Russian's face was serious. Maria clearly pointed out that she wanted to talk to her. Sakura feared the worst.

The calm flow of Teito River was the only noise they had as they talked. Sakura was told that Maria was the current captain of the Flower Division. 'No wonder,' the swordswoman thought.

Maria explained that it was not her fault that the Koubu reacted violently. Sakura couldn't have heard more pleasing news than what she told her.

And . . . the look in her emerald eyes. Was it concern? Was it just the call of duty? Why didn't Maria look at her as they talked? Was there any regret that she pushed the raven-haired girl away from her room?

But the Russian's expression was undecipherable as she asked her about her decision for becoming a soldier.

Upon feeling Sakura's uncertainty, the Russian said to her that she didn't want her on the team. Maria stood up and started to walk away.

Sakura called for her.

Maria paused and replied, "If you have such doubts in battle, your friends will die." With that she left.

There was a deep reasoning with those words and Sakura wanted to know what they were. Even though Sakura has proven her worth as a soldier, she couldn't see what was beyond Maria's surface.

'But why?' was the question that filled Sakura's mind and heart. What was it that she could possibly offer to Maria? What could she give that would fill, or even replace the grief and pain that swelled inside the Russian lady's spirit? Sakura knew that beneath Maria's strong facade lay a broken soul that needed to be healed.

Every time Sakura saw her on stage, those feelings of adoration and curiosity grew stronger. She found her even more difficult to resist.

The conversations they shared. The plays they performed. Every instant of eye contact, every touch, every word and every tear... Sakura wanted to know if there was a meaning.

And there were questions.

Was it all because Maria, as the captain, saw her as her responsibility? That the attention she gave her was nothing more than just to impart words of wisdom to a junior member of the team?

Or was it a physical attraction? Sakura sincerely hoped it was, but she thought back again to Maria's behavior towards Ohgami. Was it a man's love that Maria was truly after? And if that was so, then were all those moments shared between Maria and Sakura... were they all done out of pity?

The answer was like air in space: It was everywhere, but she couldn't grasp it.