A/N: You will notice that the plot is very familiar in this chapter … you might end up thinking of the game, the manga and even the OVA.

ACT 28

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Somewhere in an empty trailer.

"Don't you like the show, Iris? Isn't it fun playing with dolls?"

"Iris doesn't like what you're doing to everyone!"

"But you'll see. It's fun." Setsuna continued to play his string puppets.

Even though Iris possessed the most powerful spiritual powers in the Flower Division, she still couldn't get out from the bonding spell and was trapped by a dark force on the wall. Whenever she tried to use her powers, it only ended up hurting her.

As Iris perceived it, Setsuna used his play toys to manipulate the enemies from afar. "You don't like it? Come, look. They are combining! Hahahahahahahah—aaah!"

BANG!

Without further warning a gunshot was heard and a bullet hit Setsuna's hand.

"What the--!"

BANG! BANG!

It was all too late for the darkling.

Maria showed no mercy. Setsuna fell to the floor, spitting blood. "Damn you… Kuassary!"

"I knew it was you," Maria grimly yelled and shot the dolls.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Maria!" Iris' face lit up upon hearing her voice.

The Russian made a half-smile beneath the black helmet. "Are you alright, Iris?"

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"What! What's happening?" Keith panicked when the Lord Wakiji took its visible form.

"Look, Ohgami-san!"

Ohgami looked up and saw clearly with his two eyes. "Sakura-kun, this is our chance. It seems like Maria succeeded in busting out their leader from behind."

"AAAAH! NOO! Get them!" Keith yelled.

The humungous Lord Wakiji made a sudden turn in order to smash the two with its overweight fist.

Sakura evaded the attack easily. Considering the size of that thing, it couldn't move very fast.

"Sakura-kun!" Ohgami called.

"Yes, Ohgami-san." Sakura took her place beside Ohgami.

"The Double Spirit Cherry Blossom Attack. Are you ready?"

"Hai!" Sakura nodded.

"Wait! What are you doing ? You can't do that!" Keith exclaimed.

"The pure light of the stars--" Ohgami started.

Then Sakura. "Will guide us all!"

"HAJA-"

"KENSEI-"

Keith's jaw dropped in despair. "STOP! STOP ! NOO!"

"HOUKA-"

"RAMBO!" the two said in unison.

"Alright!" Kohran cheered as she opened up the cockpit and saw the powerful spiritual attack hitting the target directly.

KASHOOOOOOOM!

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Keith was about to fall from the collapsing Lord Wakiji.

"Keith!" Ohgami stepped forward to get him but he was too far from the American.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, a swift shadow saved Keith from his imminent fall. When he landed, he took off his black mask and saluted to Ohgami.

"Kayama!" Ohgami exclaimed in glee.

The Tsuki-gumi captain looked behind their back as if someone was also there watching them.

Sakura and Ohgami turned towards the direction of Kayama's gaze. Standing not far from them, were Maria and Iris.

Iris threw a male doll upward and Maria shot it.

BANG!

At that same moment Keith fell unconscious and the evil spirit left him.

Maria then aimed the gun at Ohgami. Her piercing eyes made Ohgami sweat. "So.. you knew all about the gun," he said nervously.

The Russian placed it back into her holster and smiled.

Ohgami sighed with relief. In the corner of his Kohbu's monitor, he saw Kayama waving back then disappeared in thin air with Keith.

"Oniichan!" Iris called for his attention and he turned to her.

"Iris, where have you been? We were all worried about you."

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Sakura got out of her Kohbu slowly. She sat atop the machine as the rising sun shone behind her back.

Maria looked up at her. She didn't say a word.

Without warning, she leapt off her Kohbu, falling straight towards Maria.

The tall woman caught her and managed to maintain balance.

Sakura whispered, "You have a lot of explaining to do." The swordswoman touched her helmet. "Ms. K."

Maria was about to say something but kept it to herself and smiled.

"Aww, aint that sweet?" said Kanna, who was already out of her Kohbu.

"It would be much nicer if she took off that thing on her head," Sumire added.

"Hey, that thing on her head just happened to save us all, you know," Kohran pointed out.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After the aftermath. :D

"Hold on. Hold on. You mean, Keith David is Maria's friend?" Kanna asked. "But how did he pass through Teigeki?"

"My fault," Kayama admitted. Ohgami moved his eyes questioningly to his best friend. Kayama coughed first before proceeding. "It was I, together with the rest of the Tsukigumi, who filled Sakura-san's bedroom with dolls, as Maria requested."

All eyes were on Kayama.

"B-but, Kayama, since when did you have a connection with Maria?" Ohgami looked betrayed.

"She's an intelligent woman, Ohgami Taichou. She has her ways."

That intrigued Ohgami. "Ways?"

"You seem jealous, Taichou." The brown-haired man gave Ohgami a joking face. "The day you told me to return her gun and locket. She already knew it. My transaction with Keith-san was just a coincidence."

Ohgami pondered suspiciously. "Coincidence?"

"And it seemed that Tsubaki-san knew this all along too," Sumire accused.

The young salesgirl blushed. "I… I … I…" She sighed. "You see it was all Maria-san's plan, the letters, the flowers." She lowered her head.

"So you've been doing this after Maria's accident?" Kanna said.

Ohgami pondered again. 'That's another suspicious thought. Why would Tsubaki do favors for-'

"Yes, that's right," Tsubaki said. "Most of Maria-san's gifts came from Keith-san. He sells almost anything American or European."

"His products are top notch," Kayama complimented more and looked at Ayame from behind.

Ohgami smelt something fishy going on.

"And as far as I know of him, that man owed his life to Maria when she was still in New York," Ayame said.

"So that explains it. I knew I already saw that guy before," Sumire said, crossing her arms.

"What do you mean, Sumire?" Kanna asked.

"I saw him in one of grandpa's parties. He's one of the few prominent American entrepreneurs."

"What? You mean this guy is a big shot?"

"Well, you could say that."

"Still, it makes me wonder why Maria had to pretend to be someone else when it could have been easier if she didn't," Kohran stated.

Now Ohgami found himself pondering that thought along with everyone else.

"Speaking of whom, where are those two?" Yuri asked.

"Probably making out," Kanna said in a bored manner.

"Making out?" Iris repeated.

"Kanna-san, don't forget there's a child here," Sumire shot back.

"But I'm not a CHILD!"

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