I do not own Sakura Wars or any of it's characters…'cause if I did, I wouldn't be calling this a fanfic and I would be sailing on the Caribbean in my private yacht, literally swimming in pools of money.

So, now that that's over, you can read the fanfic. Enjoy!

Oh, and this is set in sort of a past/future sorta way and it's based on if Orihime and Reni hadn't come in ST2.

Maria's Destiny

I'm dedicating this to Shaheena and Erin, my two editors.

Shaheena, keep up the good work on your book! You might change your mind fifty times before you finally decide what you're going to write, but I can guarantee that once you make up your mind, it's well worth writing.

Erin, thank you so much for putting up with those days that I barely wrote anything. It was hard sometimes to wrestle the book away from you, but I guess that's because you enjoyed my writing and I'm glad you did.

Prologue

Taisho 15, 1926

Today marks my third year in the Flower Division. Japan is my home now, but I shall never forget Russia, or my lost love… Maria paused, her pen still in midair as if she was going to write something more, but she didn't. Maria set down the pen and closed her journal. She pulled out a locket from underneath her shirt, and opened it. Inside was a picture that meant so much to Maria…for it was a picture of Yuri, the former captain of the Russian Army, and Maria's former lover. He had been shot while trying to protect her. The Russian woman stared at the small picture for the longest time. "Why?" she murmured. "Why did you risk you life for me?"

Chapter 1

"Where's Maria?" Kanna asked as she walked onto the stage. "That was her cue after all…" Sumire looked around in panic. "Oh this is just great." she snapped. "Maria gets my part and then she decides not to show up for rehearsal! What more could go wrong??!!" "Um…" Sakura spoke up. "Actually, you just got your credit card bill in the mail…" "WHAT??!!" Sumire exclaimed. Kanna ran forward and grabbed Sumire just before she lunged at Sakura. "Let me at her!!" Sumire yelled. "Sakura, why don't you go check on Maria?" Kanna suggested as she moved her head out of the way as Sumire tried to hit her. "I'll go." Ohgami volunteered. "Well…all right then, but hurry." Kanna said. "We have to keep rehearsing. The play is tomorrow you know." Ohgami nodded and then he walked away from the stage and as he did he could hear several arguments start to take place. He shook his head in disbelief. "Will wonders never cease to amaze me?" he said to himself.

Maria looked over her shoulder at the clock and gasped. It was past six, which was the usual time for rehearsal. She closed the locket, put it back underneath her shirt, and flung open her bedroom door, only to run right into Ohgami. Maria lost her balance and made Ohgami fall, which in turn made Maria fall on him. "You know, if there was another reason why you wanted to go see Maria, you should've just said so in the first place." came Kanna's voice. Maria got to her feet and glared at Kanna. "How could you even think of that?" Maria asked, her eyes flashing. "I was just kidding. Lighten up Maria." Kanna said quickly. Maria continued to glare at Kanna for several more seconds, and then turned back to Ohgami. "Ohgami, please accept my apology." she said. "I was just in a hurry to get to-" "Get to the stage, I know." Ohgami cut her off. "That's why I was in the hallway. I was going to go get you because you weren't there." "And in the process…" Kanna said teasingly. "KANNA!" Ohgami and Maria yelled. "All right, all right already. I get the idea." Kanna said, holding up her hands as an apologetic gesture. Ohgami turned to look at Maria. "Let's get back to the stage." he said. Maria nodded and glared at Kanna one last time before walking down the hallway.

"There you are!" Sumire exclaimed as Maria walked into the theater with Ohgami. "We've been waiting forever! What took you so long?" Then, before Maria even had a chance to answer, Sumire turned to Ohgami. "Be a little quicker next time." was all she said. Sumire looked back at Maria. "Well? What are you waiting for?" she asked. "Go backstage and get your costume on! We don't have all day!" "Yes your highness…" Maria muttered under her breath. "I heard that!" Sumire exclaimed. Maria just shrugged as she climbed up the stairs that led to the stage. She turned to face Sumire. "What are you going to do about it?" she asked. Sumire's jaw dropped. She had never figured that Maria of all people would argue back with her. Maria turned to face the stage and continued to walk up the steps. The entire Flower Division became speechless and remained that way until Maria came back onstage with her costume on. "Let's get started. We don't have all day." she said. "Isn't that what you said Sumire?" Sumire meekly nodded and began to climb up the stairs.

It was 7:00 when rehearsal stopped, but Maria kept rehearsing alone until nine. This play would be the most important production ever…but why it was so important was unknown to the blonde. The Flower Division was putting on an interpretation of Anastasia, and Ayame had decided that since Maria was Russian, she would get to play Anastasia. Maria looked out at the empty seats, which would soon be full of people watching her. She took a deep breath and recited her line. "You have a confession? What is it?" Maria was astounded to hear someone recite the next line. "I love you." Maria turned around only to see Ohgami standing in the wings. "You really shouldn't be up this late you know." he said as he walked out into the light. Maria raised her eyebrows. "So what are you doing up then?" she asked. "I'm on night patrol…remember?" Ohgami responded. "I came over to see if you wanted to join me. It gets hot under those stage lights." Maria nodded, went over to the power box and turned off the lights, leaving only the dim hallway lights to guide Ohgami and herself around the theater.

The couple walked throughout the theater in silence. Every once in a while, Ohgami would clear his throat as if he had something to say, but would still remain quiet. This aroused Maria's curiosity and when Ohgami cleared his throat again, the blonde spoke up. "Yes? What is it?" Ohgami's face resembled a tomato when he turned to look at Maria. He was embarrassed about something… "What?" he asked, trying to sound confused. "You clearly indicated that you had something to say to me…what is it?" Maria replied, showing that not even the slightest thing was going unnoticed. "I…um…" "Go on. I'm listening." Maria coaxed. Luck was on Ohgami's side tonight, for at that moment, Iris walked down the hall. Forgetting Ohgami's statement, Maria walked over the seven-year-old and bent down to her level.

"Iris…" Maria started. "Iris knows she's not supposed to be up, but Iris heard a big thump in the next room. So Iris went to look for Oniichan." Maria remembered who was in the room next to Iris' and had to suppress a smile. Kanna must've fallen out of bed… "Do not worry Iris. I know what the noise was. You can go back to sleep now." The child seemed skeptical of all this, and Maria couldn't figure out another way to get Iris to go back to her room. "Go on Iris." Ohgami said. "Jean-Paul is going to get very lonely if you don't go back to your room." Iris gasped in horror at the thought of her precious teddy bear being lonely. "Oniichan is right." she said out loud. "Iris will go back to her room now." The little French girl bid Maria and Ohgami goodnight, then walked back to her room. As soon as she was out of sight, Maria breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at Ohgami.

"I have no idea how you do that." she admitted. "Do what?" Ohgami asked, raising his eyebrows. "Get Iris to listen to you. I confess, I still have trouble communicating without sounding cold." "It's not hard." Ohgami said with a smile. "All you have to do is look inside the person's heart and mind and know what's important to them." Maria looked down as she walked, studying the tile floor. All this time…I thought I did not have a heart because of everything that has happened to me…but Ohgami has proven me wrong. He knows what and what not to say to me…but what is most important in my view? Nothing comes to mind…and- Maria stopped thinking when she realized that Ohgami was holding her hand. Surprised, she looked over at him, and was even more surprised when she saw that Ohgami was smiling warmly. He squeezed Maria's hand gently and looked directly into her jade green eyes. Now Maria knew what Ohgami had been trying to say, and a small blush appeared under her visible eye. "I think we're done tonight." she managed to say. "Okay." Ohgami replied cheerfully, not noticing the fault in the blonde's voice. He held Maria's hand tighter and the two of them walked up to their rooms.

Why…why am I so weak? I can't even let go of his hand. I can't even speak without my voice cracking. He's got me mesmerized…and I can't look away from him. It's like I feel the need to be with him every minute. Snap out of it Maria! Snap out of it! The more Maria tried to come to her senses, lonelier her heart became. And she could feel it. Every morning, and long into the night, her heart would ache from loneliness. Only in her dreams did Maria's heart seem to find satisfaction. Content with watching happy flashbacks of her life run over and over again in her head, then hurting again when she dreamt of Yuri's death. Let him win your heart just like Yuri did. Who knows, maybe Ohgami will be the one you've been waiting for. The one Yuri said needed you. You'll never know until you open up again. Stop hiding behind that icy wall of yours. Come out from hiding…show your true self. Maria tried hard not to gasp. Why did her conscience always have to be right?

"Well…we're here." Ohgami said as they reached Maria's room. Duh! Of course we're here! Nice job Ohgami! Boy you really screwed that line up. "Um…thank you for accompanying me on night patrol tonight." "You're welcome Taisho." Maria replied, looking at the floor, then snapping her head up to look at Ohgami. "………..Yes, well, um good luck tomorrow. I know you'll bring down the house like you always do." Maria blushed at the compliment. "I-I try my best." she stammered. "You do more than that." Ohgami said. "I've seen you girls perform, and you always look as if you've done your role a thousand times before." The compliment caused Maria's cheeks to flare with embarrassment. "Please stop. You're making me uncomfortable." she murmured. "Well okay. I'll stop." Ohgami replied. "No wait!" Maria said quickly, then clapped a hand over her mouth. "I mean…what I'm trying to say is-" The blonde was cut off as Ohgami quickly kissed her. "Goodnight my Anastasia." he whispered as he left to go to his own room. Maria opened the door, walked into her room and shut the door behind her. She sunk to the floor, her eyes still wide from the shock of Ohgami's actions. "He…he…he…" Maria couldn't seem to say the rest of her sentence, but after a minute, she regained her poise and stood up. Looking at the mirror and letting her fingers trail across her lips, Maria spoke to her reflection. "Ohgami kissed me."