Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Sano Diaries ❯ Chapter 6

Chapter 06

In the morning Sakura wakes up confused. [Where am I? (sitting up) Ow!…What happened…oh, yeah…I fought Koyama, but then (remembering being hit by the dart)…then I blacked out…I thought I heard Sano calling out to me…but…maybe I was just dreaming…(noticing the note on the floor)…what's that?]

Sakura reads the note. "Sakura, I'm sorry I can't stay with you this time. There is some unfinished business in Yokohama that I must attend to myself. The others will be by to pick you up in the morning so please wait for them. I know I will see you again soon. Sanosuke"

Sakura: (clutching the letter in her right hand) That Idiot!

Dr. Gensai and Megumi rush in to see what's going on.

Megumi: Sakura, what's wrong?

Sakura: Sano took off for Yokohama by himself. I'm going after him. Please tell the others what happened.

Just like that Sakura ran off and was gone. It seems she had completely forgotten about her sore ankle and the pain in her stomach. About half an hour later Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko stopped by to pick up Sano and Sakura. Megumi told them what had happened and that neither of them were there anymore.

Kaoru: Those idiots! What's wrong with both of them? I've never met two more stubborn people in my life!

Yahiko: Yeah, (laughs) they're perfect for each other!

Kenshin: Well we better get going. If we hurry we should at least be able to catch up to Sakura.

The group takes off not wasting any time.

In Yokohama, Sano is slowly maneuvering through Akiyama's lair, trying not to get caught. Although he had about a six-hour lead on everyone else, he doesn't have the best sense of direction. Sano spent hours wandering around Yokohama looking for the place Kenshin had described.

Finally, Sakura reaches Yokohama with Sano's note still clutched tightly in her hand. The first emotion that crossed her mind was happiness. [Yes! I'm finally here!] But the happiness quickly turned into despair when she realized that she had no clue where Sano might be.

Sakura: How stupid of me! Why am I such an idiot? IDIOT!

Strangers stop and look at her talking to herself. Sakura just smiles at them as she blushes with embarrassment. [I'm such an idiot! How could I let myself blindly follow this guy when I had no idea where I was going! Idiot! What's wrong with me? What am I going to do now?]

Kaoru: Sakura!

Sakura: Huh? What are you all-

Kaoru smacks Sakura in the back of the head.

Sakura: OW! What was that for!

Kaoru: That's for running off after Sano like an idiot! What were you planning to do once you got here?

Sakura: …uh…I still haven't worked that out yet.

Kaoru: Uh, huh…

Kenshin: Well now that we found you we'd better get going. No doubt Sano has already found Akiyama's lair.

Sakura: Right!

The group moves on, hoping to find Sano before he gets into too much trouble by himself. Little do they know that they are already too late. Sano has been spotted and though he put up a good fight, he was captured and taken to Akiyama. Two guys are holding Sanosuke on either side and force him to kneel before Akiyama.

Akiyama: So, I have word that you and your friends were the ones that beat Koyama. You don't look like much, but I have a feeling I shouldn't take you too lightly.

Sanosuke: (overpowering the guards that were holding him) You got that right! I intend to stop you!

Akiyama: (as he signals more guards) My dear boy, how do plan to do that. It looks to me like you have your hands full.

Sano realizes that he is surrounded by about twenty guards as he sees Akiyama leave.

Sanosuke: Damn it! Come back here!

All of the guards were armed with katanas, except for one. One guy wielded a gigantic axe. Sano needed to think quickly [Man that axe looks pretty dangerous, I'm gonna have to watch out for that.] Just then someone takes a swing at him. Sano dodges just in time.

Sanosuke: Ok, bring it on.

All things considered, Sano is doing pretty well. His main goal is to not get hit by any of the swords. Sano is being especially careful not to get hit by that axe. For the most part he is holding his own, taking out guys any chance he gets. As the fight continues he is able to knockout about half of the guards. Sano moves to avoid the axe and a katana pierces his left shoulder. [Damn it! I was so focused on the axe guy that I couldn't dodge that. If I'm gonna win this I need to get rid of that guy first.] The man with the axe was huge. He was a ten-foot tall giant, ready to cut Sano in half. Unfortunately for the giant, his size didn't lend itself well to speed. While the giant had its axe raised Sano was able to get in there and take him down. Now that the big guy was out of the way the rest of the guards were a piece of cake for Sano. As he was about to finish off the last guy something in his eyes caught Sano's attention. Sano turned around in horror. Somehow the giant had managed to get up and was swinging the axe down on him.

Before the axe could make contact however, it mysteriously broke and the giant holding it hit the ground with a loud thud. Sano looked around in amazement and saw Kenshin and the gang standing just beyond the fallen giant. In his excitement over seeing his friends he almost forgot that he left one man standing and narrowly escaped death once again as the katana came whizzing by his neck. Sano quickly disposed of the guy and went to great his friends.

Sanosuke: Saku- AGH!

As Sanosuke had started to great Sakura she punched him hard in the face. Sano flew backwards, hit the wall on the other side of the room, and fell to the ground.

Kenshin: Oro…oro…

Yahiko: Man Kaoru, I never want to piss your sister off

Kaoru: uh…

Yahiko: I guess violence runs in your family (laughs)

Kaoru: What was that?! (as she bops him one)

Yahiko: OW! (rubbing the bump that is already starting to form on his head)

Sanosuke: What was that for!

Sakura: Idiot! How could you run off to Yokohama by yourself! Don't you realize what almost happened, you stupid JERK!

Sanosuke: (yelling back) I had to go alone! I wanted…

Sanosuke fell silent. [I can't tell her the truth…I can't tell her that I wanted to kick this guy's ass for almost taking her away from me…]

Sanosuke: OW! Now what?!

Sakura: (tending to Sano's wounds) You're hurt right? Just sit there and be still.

Kenshin: Oro…uh, anyway Sano, do you know what happened to Akiyama.

Sanosuke: Yeah, that scumbag ran outta here while he had his guards attack me. He could be anywhere by now.

Sakura finished dressing his wounds and helped Sano to his feet.

Kaoru: Lets look around for clues. We have to find out where Akiyama will go next.

The group looks around for a while but comes up empty handed. Then Yahiko noticed something that fell out of one of the guards' pockets.

Yahiko: Hey, what's that…(he picked up the piece of paper and it turned out to be a map of some kind). Kenshin, what is this?

Sano grabs the map from Yahiko and Yahiko starts jumping up and down trying to get it back.

Sanosuke: Hey kid you did it! This is just what we need.

Kenshin: (Looking over Sano's shoulder) Yes, good job Yahiko. (Taking the map from Sano and examining it)

Sano and Yahiko start fighting in the background

Kenshin: It looks like Akiyama has an underground base in Nagano. It's too late to travel there tonight. Lets find a place to stay and leave for Nagano in the morning.

Sakura looks at Sano with a sharp gaze and holds up her fist. Sano holds up both of his hands in a defensive gesture and pleads…

Sanosuke: Don't worry missy, I'm not going anywhere. (a little softer) I don't think I can take another one of those punches.

Sakura: What?

Sanosuke: Nothing

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The group left Akiyama's lair and found a place to stay for the night. Everyone was exhausted from the days adventure and they all got a good nights rest. The morning seemed to come too quickly as it always did when one was in the middle of a nice dream. But it was time to go and face the day. It would take at least two or three days to reach Nagano and they were in for a tough time once they actually got there. Knowing this, Sakura just wanted a few more moments to soak in the rare peacefulness of the morning. The warm sun beating down on her face, the…

Kaoru: Yahiko!

Sakura heard Yahiko and Kaoru run past her door, Yahiko laughing in the background. It was always something with those two. Well now that her serene moment had been effectively ruined it was time to get up. As Sakura got up a fresh burst of pain ran up her leg. [OW! My ankle. I must have pushed myself too hard.] Sakura let out a sigh. [I'd better take it easy. I don't need Sano on my case.] When Sakura went down stairs she saw that Sano was eating like a pig and Kenshin was sitting there with that dopey smile on his face. Kaoru was still chasing Yahiko around the inn. Just another ordinary morning. Sakura joined the guys at the table.

Sakura: Good morning.

Kenshin: Good morning Sakura-dono

Sanosuke put his bowl of food down and Sakura saw that he had a gigantic bruise where she had punched him the day before.

Sakura: Ah! Sano, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard.

Sanosuke: Forget about it. I guess I had that coming for leaving you at Dr. Gensai's.

A flush of red came over Sakura's cheeks and Sakura and Sano quickly looked away from each other. Kenshin sat there confused…

Kenshin: Oro? (looking back and forth at each of them)

It finally came time to depart. They purchased supplies and started their journey toward Nagano.