Sano Diaries

Akiyama's Lair

Chapter 06 - AKIYAMA’S LAIR

In the morning Sakura wakes up confused and groggy. [Where am I? (sitting up) Ow!... What happened… oh, yeah… I fought Koyama, but then (remembering being hit by the dart, touching her neck where the dart had hit)… then I blacked out… I thought I heard Sano calling out to me… but… but, maybe I was just dreaming… (noticing the note on the floor)… huh, 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. Till we meet again. Sanosuke."

SAKURA: (clutching the letter in her right hand) … Unfinished business… Till we meet again… That Idiot! I know he’s up to something!

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, that idiot!!! He’s not getting away with this! I'm going after him. Please tell the others what happened.

Dr. Gensai walks in as Sakura was rushing off, “oh, glad to see you’re feeling better Sakura-chan.” She gives Dr. Gensai a quick acknowledging wave without looking back, and just like that Sakura was gone. It seems she has completely forgotten about her sore ankle and the pain in her side, for the time being anyway. About half an hour later Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko stop by to pick up Sanosuke and Sakura. Megumi tells them what had happened and that neither of them are here 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!

This time it’s Kaoru who punches Yahiko in the head.

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.

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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.

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Finally, Sakura reaches Yokohama with Sano's note still clutched tightly in her hand. The first emotion that crosses her mind is happiness. [Yes! I'm finally here!] But the happiness quickly turns into despair when she realizes that she has no clue where Sano might actually be. She came all the way to Yokohama with no specific destination in mind.

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

Strangers stop and look at her talking to herself. A mother walking nearby takes her child by the hand and leads him to the other side of the street. 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: … um… 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.