note 2: As ST3 was just released today in Japan, I know nothing but what Sega has told us about the characters. And even if I did, I'd do what I wanted anyway. That's why it's called fanfiction :�

Any Can Love

Sakura Taisen 3

By Michiru

Ichirou looked up at the moving black cat with fondness. After several months in Paris, it wasn't quite so tacky or strange. Everything was familiar, in fact.
Including the little cannonball moving toward him at the speed of light.
"EEEEEEEEEEECHEEEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOO!"
"Oof!" he cried, as she hurdled into him. "Coquelicot! Good morning!"
"Bon matin, Ichirou!" she smiled, more polite.
"Good morning to you as well, Coquelicot. I hope breakfast hasn't started yet?"
"No, you're not late. Well, you are, but so's Lobelia and Glycine. They're fighting. About missing jewelry. And that Glycine says Lobelia took it. And Lobelia says she didn't, cause if she did she wouldn't say she didn't because she isn't ashamed of taking things and she would admit it and it wouldn't matter anyway cause she'd already have sold it, and not have made much cause Glycine's jewelry is cheap and tacky and ugly looking and she wouldn't take it if it was the last thing on earth left to steal," Coquelicot said in one breath.
Ichirou smiled at her in amusement. Then heard the yelling.
"You are nothing but a cheap doxy who has no time for anything but looking for a stupid husband. And he would have to be stupid to marry you," Lobelia's voice carried to him.
"Cheap doxy? Who are you to talk? You would rather steal something than pay for it! You miserly Scrooge!"
"Kanna, Sumire... I mean, Lobelia, Glycine, please. Not before breakfast," Ichirou pleaded, trying to hide a smile.
"I am not Kanna. I am not Sumire. Nor do I want to be," Glycine pursed her lips.
"Sorry, you two remind me of them when you fight like that," Ichirou laughed. "And good morning to the both of you."
"Good morning, Ichirou," Lobelia murmured, her strange accent thicker from being angry at Glycine.
"Oh, good. You've stopped fighting," Erica smiled happily as she walked into the dining room.
"Oui, we've stopped for une moment," Glycine gave Lobelia a dark look.
Ignoring Glycine, Lobelia turned to Ichirou. "We'll leave right after breakfast."
"Huh?" Ichirou asked eloquently. He racked his brain trying to remember an outing that he and Lobelia, of all people, had planned.
"You have forgotten?" a pale eyebrow arched high over a pale blue eye.
"Oh! Right! Ok, right after breakfast," Ichirou agreed with all the wisdom of living with many women for a long period of time.
Lobelia nodded, and sat down to her pancakes.

They walked down a garden lined rue of Paris, a slightly tense silence between them.
"I'm sorry, I don't remember-" Ichirou began.
"I just couldn't take her any-" Lobelia said at the same time.
They laughed together, breaking the tension.
"Actually, I had an ulterior motive, bringing you out here," Lobelia glanced at him.
"I should be upset. Not only did you use me to get out of there, but you did it in a way that you know I would come."
"Yes. I did. Glycine gets annoying sometimes. Actually, that�s not it. I lie.
"REALLY? YOU?" Ichirou asked, jokingly.
"Yes," she gave him a Look, as she led him up a path to a nice apartment building.
He watched in silence as she unlocked the front doors and moved into the lobby.
"Come on," she waved him in. "I don't bite, and I promise not to kill, mug, rape, beat or otherwise harm you. This time," she smiled slightly at the addition.
"Ha ha," he chuckled, following her in. "Do you have an apartment here?"
"Yes," she told him.
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Yes, why. Why do you need an apartment, when you're given a good place to live?"
"Well," she said thoughtfully, "for one thing, it's not going to last forever. The Hanagumi, I mean. Yours didn't."
"Actually, the Hanagumi in Japan is still going strong. Maria is the leader, though. They needed me here, so I came, was sent, whatever." He suffered a moment of melancholy, thinking of his girls in Japan.
"Anyway, it won't last forever. Nothing does," she said mildly, but Ichirou fancied he heard a note of bitterness in her tone.
"No. It doesn't. If everything lasted forever, nothing would change," he noted, as Lobelia unlocked the door.
He followed her into a fairly nice apartment, albeit a touch on the untidy side.
"Besides, she continued, ignoring his last statement, "I need a place for me, where I'll never be bothered. I'll always have privacy. Plus I need a place to keep my ill-gotten gains," she laughed softly, picking up a coin, and tossing it to him. "Spanish. Fifth Century. Pretty nice, hm?"
"Uh, yeah," he said uncomfortably. "You were supposedly going to stop."
"Says who?" she smiled evilly. "And besides, nobody said I had to give it back."
Ichirou tried not to smile. Lobelia grew of a person, for sure. He watched her go to a fish tank and murmur to the fish that came to the top in a foreign language. "What are you speaking?" he asked, curious.
"Romanian," she answered. "I come from Transylvania. I know Romanian and German, French and a couple other languages. Before I came to Paris, I traveled a bit. You learn the language in defense. The spirit energy helps."
"Iris learned Japanese in an hour," Ichirou smiled.
"The French girl?"
"Yes. She was the strongest among us. Very telekinetic and telepathic. She once teleported me away from her," Ichirou blushed, remembering it was because he walked into the shower room when she was there.
"Sit," she said, moving some things off a sofa for him, then sitting down herself.
"What is this about, may I ask?"
"I wanted to talk. And tell you, if you tell anyone about this place, I will bite, and I do promise to kill, mug, rape, beat and otherwise harm you."
Ichirou laughed, and thoroughly promised never to tell a living soul.
"I wish to ask you a question."
"Yes?" he smiled.
"Do you believe in love?"
He stared at her, trying to fathom why she had to take him away to ask a question like this.
"Do I believe in love?"
"Is there an echo in here?"
"An echo?" He asked, trying not to laugh.
"You sorely temp my patience little man," she frowned, jangling her chain a little.
"Do I believe in love," he murmured to himself. He thought of Maria and Kanna. "Yes, I do. I've seen it. I'm not talking about my parents, though I'm sure they love each other. But real, pure love. Yes."
"Do you think anyone can love?"
"I think everyone is capable of love. Love for family. Love for country. Love for material items."
"Have you ever loved?"
"Oh, yes. I love my parents. I love my family."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"I mean Maria and Kanna. Sumire, Kouran, Sakura, Iris, Orihime and Leni. Our dearly departed Ayame and Kaede. They're my family. I miss them, and they'll never be replaced, but you can have more than one family, I think," he smiled.
"Do you mean us?" Lobelia cocked an eyebrow. She absently pushed her glasses up her nose.
"Yes, I do. I think the same bond is here that was with the Japan Hanagumi."
She thought a minute, taking off her glasses, to wipe them. "Do believe in romantic love?"
"I think romantic love is passing fancy. I believe in true love, though. The kind where one person loves another, and can imagine living with them for their whole lives, and can't imagine life without them. Two of my other girls loved like that." Lobelia looked so much softer without her glasses on, Ichirou mused.
"Really?" She looked up at him, her eyes large, surprised. She pushed her glasses on.
"Maria and Kanna," he confessed. "Nobody knew about it for awhile, but it came to light after Kanna came home from a trip and found Maria gone. She chased her to New York."
"You don't believe in romantic love," she said dryly.
"No. Lobelia, why do you want to know my opinions?"
Lobelia looked away, looking shy. "I thought you might be able to help me sort out my own mind. I think there's someone... I feel differently towards them," she looked at a painting hanging on the wall.
"You think you're in love?" Ichirou said gently. Well, I did say anyone was capable of love, he thought, slightly shocked.
"Yes, I do. This person, I admire them. They're strong. Most people aren't strong, they just think they are. I've been thinking about them more and more every day. I like to be with them. It's been confusing me. Then, the other day...." She shook her head. "I just thought of what it might be. So I wanted to talk to you about it."
"I'm flattered you'd think of me."
"Why wouldn't I? You're there every day, and you're always telling us that you're always willing to listen."
"Probably because you're the last person I'd think of to come to me. You're very independent and confident in your abilities."
"This caught me off balance," she said sardonically.
Ichirou chuckled. "I'd imagine."
"Can you be independent and in love?"
"I hope so. If you're dependant on someone, you get eaten up."
"Good. Should I tell them?"
"Honesty is always best," he said gravely.
"Yes. It is. I will tell this person. Today. Yes," she nodded.
She sighed, seeming to relax. She smiled at him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he smiled back.
"Ichirou?"
"Yes, Lobelia?"
"I love you." to be continued...