This fic is not set in the 'normal' Sakura Taisen universe. All the people and relationships are the same, but the time is different. It's the year 2000, and the Hanagumi protect the city, while still performing in the theatre. However, all the technology of the present age is rampant. Especially, computers :)
This is just a short story about misunderstandings love for family, of whatever type.

~by Michiru

Maria clicked the send button on the message board. She smiled as she saw her message appear on the forum.
All the Hanagumi had gotten their first computers installed in their rooms about a month ago. The others had taken to them fairly easily, but she hadn't touched hers until the day before. Kouran had found out that she knew nothing, and had given her a few lessons, along with one piece of advise.
"Maria-han," she had said, "a computer is just a machine. It can't bite you, and unless you put your hand inside it while running, it can't hurt you." Kouran had laughed merrily at that. "You can't hurt it either, as long as you take one bit of advise. If you don't know what it is, don't delete it. Settings can be fixed, deleted things can't."
"Alright," Maria had nodded. "It can't hurt me, I can't hurt it."
"Just play around. You'll get used to it. Play on the internet," Kouran grinned.
So she had. She found a message board, and found out that it was something that people used to talk to a whole bunch of people at once.
She had found a section for people who were looking to talk to people that they had something in common with. She had found someone in this section who called themselves Tiger Lily. This person asked for a friend to talk with, for she felt lonely.
Maria had registered as Sable Knight, and had answered Tiger Lily.
She was feeling a bit pleased with herself. This was her second excursion into this 'internet' thing, and she was doing fine.
"This is not hard at all," she said to herself.

Maria went into her room, not bothering to turn on the light. Her skirt dropped to the floor, followed by her blouse.
She was feeling low, rather depressed. Sometimes, being the leader of the Hanagumi was a prison, and she saw no way out of it. Ever since Ohgami left, the prison was getting closer and closer. Sometimes she wanted to scream.
Instead, she tried to handle it all. Kanna and Sumire fighting. Iris's temper tantrums coupled with her psychic powers. Leni's reclusiveness. Sumire and Sakura's fights. Soletta's... Soletta-ness.
Plus the drunken sod, Yoneda. The battles. The damned battles. And the loneliness.
She sat at the computer, and pushed the little green button. The monitor flared to life, casting a glow over her nude form, filling part of the room with an eerie light. She opened a drawer of her desk, popped the false back out, and pulled out the Vodka.
She clicked the internet button, and while waiting, poured herself a double. She hated the fact she was starting to find solace in the bottle, but she had to find it somewhere.
She drank it down in one swallow, closing her eyes at the burn it created, then sighing at the warmth it created in her.
Going to the message board, she navigated to where she had answered Tiger Lily. She found and answer to the message, short and simple: I'm going to go to the chat room tonight at 10pm. Can you join me? T.Lily.
There was a link thing to the chat room. With a shrug, Maria maneuvered the arrow thing to the link, and clicked. It was about five after 10.
She poured another drink as the chat room loaded, then logged in. She saw Tiger Lily was there.

Maria felt it was fairly true. The Hanagumi were like her sisters. The kind that had a connection, but didn't always pay attention to each other. They used to be closer. When Ohgami was leader. She wasn't a very good leader.
She downed her third drink.

Maria walked to the caf�, with more than a little trepidation. She and Tiger Lily had been speaking on the chat for almost a month, when Tiger had asked if there was any way to meet. They knew they lived in the same city from just talking, so all they had to do was get over their nervousness. Not that Tiger Lily was ever nervous.
Maria felt a tinge of envy. Tiger Lily seemed so fearless, yet had a great sense of humour, and while a bit nutty, was fun On the other hand, she herself was rather dull and boring. Melancholic, even.
She entered the restaurant. It was one of the more higher class coffee places, that sold great food as well.
"Do you have a reservation?" The lady asked her.
"I'm meeting someone here. Lily," Maria said quietly.
"Ah, yes. She said there would be someone to meet her. This way, please."
The woman took Maria toward the solarium. The plants in the windows gave the bright room a natural green cast that felt comfortable. "She's over in the corner there. A waitress will be over in a moment."
Maria walked over to the corner nervously, then stopped. The woman sitting at the table, wearing a soft white dress like Tiger Lily said she would, had a familiar head of russet hair. She looked tall, even sitting down. She was...
"Kanna?" Maria stared in disbelief.
Kanna whipped around, and stared. Maria was wearing a new skirt in a rich green, with a cream silk blouse. Just as she said she would. If Kanna was...
"Oh, my... Maria. It's... you... You're Sable Knight?"
"You're Tiger Lily," Maria said flatly, remembering the things Tiger Lily had told her about her 'eldest sister'. Then she flushed, remembering some of the things she said about the 'next eldest sister' in her family.
Kanna began to chuckle. "This is hilarious. Sit, Maria. That's what we came here for. To meet each other."
"But we already know each other!" Maria protested, clutching her purse.
"Really? I don't think we do anymore. We used to, but look what happened. We meet each other anonymously, and have no idea. You told me I should talk to my 'big sis', so hey, let's talk. We're obviously having problems."
"Yes, you're right," Maria sat down, and smiled. "I shudder at the thought of what I said about you."
"I wasn't all that nice about you," Kanna shrugged.
"No. I suppose not. I think that we have drifted apart," Maria sighed heavily.
"Obviously, there's no reason for it. We get along just fine! I thought you were great. You were nice to me, and you talked without any reservations."
"True. But you weren't you. You were someone that wasn't someone on my team."
"Why is everything 'on my team'? Why can't it be like on the 'net? Where I was your sister? When we're in battle, you're our commander. When we're not in battle, you're our big sister. We're not going to respect you any less. We might respect you more. At least it shows you have time for us, and that you care. You've been so cold, Maria. We wonder if you care about us anymore."
"Of course I do!" Maria exclaimed hotly. "But I feel I must keep my distance."
"Because you're afraid we'll die?" Kanna asked gently. "It could happen. But if you don't open up, you're going to be very lonely for the rest of your life."
Maria stared at her water. She was right.
She was right.
"I think, that we should all go out to supper tonight. Together," she said slowly, smiling.
"Hey, you know me. I'll eat anytime! What about chat tonight?" Kanna grinned, looking happy.
"I think if we want to chat, we can just walk up to each other and talk, hm?" Maria smiled at her.
"I think that's a great idea. Let's eat lunch, and then go and bring our family back together, OK?"
"Yes. Yes, that's what we'll do."

~end