Chapter 2
The Last Day of Winter
Everyone closed their ears as Aki applied the herb that stopped the feeling in Sano's leg and Sano voiced alleged pain. Loudly. Megumi looked at the herb she had given him.
"You gave him that?!"
"It works faster than any herb I know, but it stings.THE FIRST FIVE SECONDS!!" Aki added over Sano's screams. Sano stopped and looked at his leg. He blinked.
"It HAS stopped hurting!" he realized.
Yahiko walked up, his face squinted, his hands still over his ears. "Has he stopped?!" he screamed.
Aki gave him an odd look and nodded.
"Good," said the boy, plopping down.
Aki disinfected the wound, and the stitches, and started to patch up Sano's leg.
Yahiko immediately started making faces. "Ew, how could you stay so close to something so bloody?"
"It is?!" asked Sano, looking at his leg.
"BE STILL!!"
"Okay." replied Sano, stretching out, not moving his leg.
"Ew, it's so gory!" remarked Yahiko.
"YAHIKO!! If you don't want to watch, then go. Somewhere. Else. Now!"
Misao took his place as the boy walked away. "Don't worry, I won't mess you up," she said with a smile. "I just wanted to have a conversation with our future savior of the kitchen."
"Now that I can do."
Sanosuke groaned.
"You can join us, too," said Aki.
"Yeah, you don't have to use your leg to talk," added Misao.
Kenshin sat on the other side of Sano, and looked at his leg. His eyes turned to swirls. "Oro, I have to get used to medicated wounds, that I do."
"I'll have to tell the jerk that the battle axe is back," said Sano.
Aki laughed wholeheartedly. "Katsu?"
"Yup."
"The big jerk, the battle axe and the baka are still alive, ne? How's the jerk these days?"
"He's an artist and a published newspaper author."
"He had the temper to be an artist.heck, you both did."
"Kenshin." added Aki. "Earlier, Yahiko mentioned you were.Battousai the Manslayer?"
"Was," said Sano and Misao.
"I've sworn to never kill again," added Kenshin. "To repent for the lives I've taken during the Revolution, that I have."
"Okay," she added, putting the finishing touches on Sano's leg. "Sanosuke, your leg is now stitched and bandaged."
No answer.
"And still attached," added Misao.
No answer.
"And still moveable," continued Kenshin.
Still no answer.
"Sano?" asked Aki. She was answered with snoring this time. "Only the baka would fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon."
"Don't you think we should wake him.he might go into a coma," observed Misao.
"Hah, Sano wouldn't let something as simple as a coma put his light out. Besides, a gash like that would me out too, even it was in my leg," Aki said, ruffling her friend's spiky hair.
During dinner (fixed by Aki) Sano stumbled in on a walking stick.
"How's your leg?" asked Yahiko, poking at it.
"Ittai, baka!!" shouted Sano, hitting Yahiko on the head with the walked stick.
"Edible food!" exclaimed Misao, putting some in her mouth, ignoring Sano and Yahiko.
Sano sat down between Aki and Kenshin. Or, he tried to. His leg wouldn't bend right with the bandages.
"You could do what the Sekihottai did when one of them was hurt," suggested Aki.
"Do you see any of the Sekihottai here?"
Aki cleared her throat.
"That aren't girls."
"I don't mind."
"Okay, but you asked for it."
Sano sat with his back to Kenshin, and propped his hurt leg in Aki's lap.
Yahiko chortled and burst into hysterical laughter. He stopped suddenly and held his stomach. He looked at his plate in horror. "I-I'm allergic to squid!" he declared, running out of the dojo, holding his mouth, turning a green color.
"How can you be allergic to squid and live in Japan at the same time?" asked Suzuka.
"I wouldn't question oxymorons, you're surrounded by them," said Kaoru.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" demanded Megumi.
"Gee, I don't know, maybe if you look at each person here, and compare certain attributes about them, you find a bunch of contradictions? Sano, would you like some takoyaki?" Aki added with a motherly smile.
Yahiko came back in, out of breath. He glared at Aki. "You tried to poison me!"
"That's like saying a dog said 'moo'," said Sano. "Besides, it's not like she forced you to eat it, you put it on your plate."
"Yahiko, it's time for a lesson," said Kaoru. "It's called 'cleaning up after dinner because you accused a friend of poison'."
"Ah, come now, Kaoru-San, the boy just puked his guts out." said Aki.
"Oh, well Kenshin, you help!" Kaoru dragged Kenshin to the kitchen as Yahiko got the rest of the dishes.
"Well, cripple, are you done?" asked Aki of Sano.
Sano, with a mouth full of rice, shook his head.
After a long conversation, in which everyone learned about Suzuka, Aki decided to help Sano to his room.
"Come on, cripple, you're going to sleep," she said, helping him up. "Alone," she added, noticing to odd looks on everyone's face.
"But, Aki, I'm lonely." Sano said with a grin.
"Sano!"
"I'll take it from here," said Aoshi, taking Sano's other arm. "I can't believe you were actually that desperate to try that." he added to Sano.
The next morning after breakfast, Megumi headed back to the clinic.
After she left, Sano grabbed Aki's arm and dragged her outside to everyone's surprise.
Half way down the street, Aki's call finally got through to Sano. "Where are you taking me with that hurt leg of yours?!"
"Oh," said Sano, letting her walk alongside him instead of dragging her. "We're going to see the jerk."
"I would have gone willingly if I had known we were going to see my best friend."
"Oh, now I'm hurt."
"You know what I mean.!"
On the way, Sano stopped and pointed out Katsu's caricatures. He also needed directions to Katsu's new house.
Aki stood in the background. Most of them were of her father. It was definitely Katsu. One in particular caught her eye. She tugged at Sano's coat, lost for words.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's.Tou-San.Kaa-San.and me."
Sano gazed at the work, stunned too.
The man behind the counter looked at the caricature, he also noticed the look on Aki's face. "You can have that one free of charge. I'm sorry for your loss ma'am."
"Arigatou," said Aki as she and Sano set off again.
"What's the matter?" asked Sano as they neared Katsu's apartment.
"We.never had a family portrait. The night Tou-San died, Shindo and his cronies came and killed Kaa-San. And tried to kill me." They stopped as she explained. "After I woke up I found they had dragged Tou-San's body to our house. It's ironic. We finally have a complete family portrait, and I'm the only one left."
"When the Sekihottai was executed, I tried as hard as I could to keep Captain Sagara from being hit again. But Shindo's men caught up and he ended up saving my life," explained Sano. "The world lost a great man when it lost your father."
Aki smiled sadly as they set off for Katsu's house again.
Katsu sat in his small apartment, working on the latest edition of his newspaper when someone knocked on his door. He told them to come in.
"Hey, jerk," said Sano's voice.
"You found me again, did you, baka?"
"Not only did I find you, but you'll never guess who else I found."
Katsu turned around to see his friend standing next to a very familiar silhouette. "Captain Sagara?"
"Do I really look that much like my dad?" asked the silhouette.
"Apparently so, battle axe," answered Katsu with a smile.
The wind picked up and threw snow flakes as three friends separated by violence sat in peace and caught up.
A decade earlier, the three were training with practice swords while Captain Sagara let them melee.
After a few minutes, Aki had pinned Sano to a wall with a friendly smile.
"You're just like a battle axe!" said Katsu, scratching his head.
Sano quirked an eyebrow as Aki let him go.
"Nah," he said. "She smiles too much."
"She smiles like her father," added Katsu.
"Watch it, or you're next, jerk," warned Aki. The three smiled.
After Aki and Sano came back, everyone had dinner, and went to sleep. It seemed like a rather uneventful day.
Aki sat on the front porch of the dojo, doing everything in her power to stay awake.
Kenshin came to the door and set next to her, a look of worry on his face. "Are you alright, Aki-San?"
"I'm fine, Kenshin-San. A bad feeling's been keeping me up, that's all," she replied with a smile.
Kenshin, being one to take heed to any bad feelings, woke up every other able fighter in the dojo. Without Aki knowing.
Sano decided to check how Aki was really doing. He sat by her on the porch. Something big must've been bugging her, she didn't get that look for a "bad feeling." "How are you really doing?"
"Not too god. But I wouldn't want you in the middle of it."
"Come on, I'm a friend, I live to get in the middle of your problems."
Aki sighed before explaining. "After Shindo tried to kill me, and word got out about my medical services, he started to track me down. Since then, I haven't stayed in one place for more than two nights. That's the whole reason I tried to leave the first night I was here. I don't want anyone hurt just because they're close to me."
"Out of curiosity, how did Shindo try to kill you?"
Aki took her headband off. A long scar ran from the right side of her hairline to nearly the left temple. She put the band back.
"Kaa-San always had a trapdoor just in case something like that night happened. Apparently it worked."
Sano stared at his friend as she concentrated on the surrounding dojo as if something would jump out any minute. He'd had no idea she'd had it that rough.
"What's left of the Sekihottai'll always be there for you," Sano said reassuringly, putting an arm around her shoulder with a smile.
"I was afraid of that," she said with her sad smile.
Her ears suddenly perked up. She slowly crept from the porch. Sano close behind. She quietly inched along the side of the dojo. Sano had somehow grabbed his zan-batou. She looked around the corner and growled under her breath.
Two of Shindo's men were attempting to walk off with the sleeping Ayame and Suzume. She walked out of her hiding place to confront them. She would've attacked, but what were blades to guns?
"I don't know what you'd want with me, but leave my friends alone," she told them.
Suddenly she saw the flash of metal and their guns broke in half, useless. Aki looked up to see Suzuka putting away a weapon as she sat perched in a tree. Kenshin ran out of nowhere and grabbed Ayame and Suzume from their captors, setting them back in the dojo, closing the door. His face was very set as he took his stance, sword in hand.
Suzuka and Aoshi dropped from their trees and rounded up the cronies' reinforcements hidden in the woods.
One of the men caught Aki's eye in particular. Shindo. Ten years older, but still the man who had killed nearly everyone she cared for. Her eyes shadowed.
He turned to her and smiled darkly. "Well," he said. "If it isn't the Sagara brat. What was your name again?"
"My name is Akiyama Sagara. You killed my father. Prepare to die." (AN: sorry, I love that movie).
From the other side of the dojo, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Misao-weapons at hand- ran in. and stopped in stance.
"I advise that last sentence to you," Shindo said, giving his gunmen a signal. All guns pointed to Aki.
"Only a coward has lackeys."
Sano blinked. Aki could quote her father quite well under pressure.
Shindo signaled again and his men concentrated on everyone else.
"You are your father's daughter," said Shindo.
"You have no right to speak of my father."
"Why not? He was my employee."
"No. He was your scapegoat. And still is! You've dragged his name and mine through the mud for the last time!" she took out her own weapons, eyes still shadowed.
Shindo unsheathed his sword and a dagger, usually used in Europe for a parrying weapon.
Then the peaceful dojo erupted into chaos.
After just blades weren't working for Shindo, he shouted a word and a ki- blast flew from his sword, scratching Aki.
Suddenly, a bomb went off in the middle of the gunmen. Half of them ran away.
Katsu, seeing his friend in trouble, tried to help, but Sano stopped him. "This is her fight, Katsu."
Finally, all the gunmen were subdued. The police even came, but Aki and Shindo didn't notice. The captain tried to arrest Shindo, but Kenshin told them that this was a duel, and they could have Shindo afterwards. The captain, being completely faithful to Kenshin, nodded and stepped aside.
Aki slowly rose. She took both her sword and her scythe, and crossed their blades. She shouted her own incantation as she scraped the blades and knocked Shindo unconscious.
The police captain took Shindo into custody and was about to tell Aki he was sure that the judge would the madman to execution, but she wasn't there. No one knew where she was. No one had seen her go.
Suddenly, Sano realized something and ran into dojo. Katsu followed.
Aki quickly grabbed her kasa and ran to the door and opened it.
She stood there for a moment. Why was she leaving? In fact, why was she living? Bloodshed had happened tonight and it was all because of her bloodline.
Then again, she'd found Sano and Katsu. She'd made new friends too. And Ayame and Suzume. They'd been through the same thing she had, but they still kept on with their lives. She tossed her kasa to the ground and leaned against the doorframe as she heard footsteps running down the hallway. What was the use of running away, anyway?
The footsteps stopped.
"Aki, why-" said Sano's voice. She cut him off.
"Oh, just shut up, you baka!" was all she could say as she turned to him and threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. She was too emotionally drained to even cry. Sano understood and put his arms around her, and rested his head on her shoulder. Katsu put his arms around both of them and rested his head on her other shoulder. The three stood in silence.
The next morning, everything had cleared up. Katsu had gone back to his house, Shindo and his cronies rotted in jail-awaited trial-, and the snow had even begun to melt. The only thing was, Aki didn't show for breakfast.
"I went to check on her," said Misao, coming out of the hallway. "But she wouldn't wake up. You think something's wrong?"
"I think last night's events finally got to her and drove 'er into a coma!" said Yahiko.
"I think you have issues," said Suzuka. "She's had to relive her family's death, she's gotten vengeance, and deserves some sleep. I might as well make breakfast," she added, heading to the kitchen.
"I'll help!" offered Kaoru.
"Nah, that's okay, I got it covered."
"Seriously, Sano, what's the matter with Aki-San?" asked Kenshin after Suzuka had shut the door.
"Yeah, she shouldn't miss the first day of spring," said Kaoru.
"The first day of spring?" asked Sano. "Oh, other than being a bit sore from last night, on the first day of spring, she can sleep through anything," he explained with a grin.
As if to argue, Aki slowly walked from the hallway and flopped down between Kaoru and Kenshin, and promptly fell backwards.
"Aki-Chan?" asked Kaoru.
"Ow."
"Aki-San, your hair.it's a different color," observed Kenshin.
"Uh-huh."
"It changes with the seasons," explained Sano.
"She looks like she's having a hangover," pointed out Yahiko.
"Actually, she's quite sober," said Sano.
"Her hair's gone from blue to black," said Kaoru. "Isn't it supposed to get lighter with the coming of a warmer season?"
Sano shrugged. "Captain Sagara's did that too. The Sekihottai always knew when spring came when the Sagaras did that," he added, pointing to Aki, apparently asleep.
Kaoru and Kenshin gave each other odd looks. "You sure she's okay?" they asked.
Aki twitched. "I'll be fine in a few hours.just stop talking, Kenshin- San.you're beginning to echo." She threw an arm over her eyes. "Someone turn the sun out."
"Any opinions from the doctor?" asked Aoshi.
"I am a doctor, and I told you, Shinomori, I'll be just fine," Aki said in a distorted voice.
"Sensitivity to light and sound." pondered Dr. Gensai. "And fatigue. I'd have to say a headache."
"I told you," repeated Aki.
"Do you need anything?" asked Kenshin.
"Green tea.please?"
"I'll tell Suzuka," said Kenshin, going to the kitchen.
Aki slowly sat up. she looked at Yahiko, who still had a skeptical look on his face. "No, Yahiko-Chan, I'm not having a hangover."
"What is it with this 'Chan' thing?! I'm not little!!"
"And I thought Kenshin was echoing." Aki said, rubbing her temples.
After Suzuka sent Kenshin with Aki's green tea, she started to feel better.
"Thank you, Kenshin-San!" she said after a few sips. "I hate this stupid gene, it makes me feel like a groundhog."
"You mean spring's coming early?!" asked Yahiko cheerfully.
Aki groaned. "No, it means spring is here."
"All because your head hurts?"
"Ano.I really don't feel like explaining."
Suzuka slid the door open and served breakfast. "Are you alright, Aki- San?"
"Joto," Aki said. "Thanks for the tea, by the way."
"No problem. By the way, I like what you did with your hair."
During breakfast, after everyone was clear on Aki's hair and spring, Dr. Gensai had an announcement to make.
"My sister said she was getting lonely, and invited you to stay with her for another few days. I'm sure she'd love to meet Akiyama-San and Suzuka- San," he announced with a smile.
"When would she like us over there?" asked Kaoru.
"The letter said as soon as possible. And we all know how slow mail can be, especially from where she lives."
The Last Day of Winter
Everyone closed their ears as Aki applied the herb that stopped the feeling in Sano's leg and Sano voiced alleged pain. Loudly. Megumi looked at the herb she had given him.
"You gave him that?!"
"It works faster than any herb I know, but it stings.THE FIRST FIVE SECONDS!!" Aki added over Sano's screams. Sano stopped and looked at his leg. He blinked.
"It HAS stopped hurting!" he realized.
Yahiko walked up, his face squinted, his hands still over his ears. "Has he stopped?!" he screamed.
Aki gave him an odd look and nodded.
"Good," said the boy, plopping down.
Aki disinfected the wound, and the stitches, and started to patch up Sano's leg.
Yahiko immediately started making faces. "Ew, how could you stay so close to something so bloody?"
"It is?!" asked Sano, looking at his leg.
"BE STILL!!"
"Okay." replied Sano, stretching out, not moving his leg.
"Ew, it's so gory!" remarked Yahiko.
"YAHIKO!! If you don't want to watch, then go. Somewhere. Else. Now!"
Misao took his place as the boy walked away. "Don't worry, I won't mess you up," she said with a smile. "I just wanted to have a conversation with our future savior of the kitchen."
"Now that I can do."
Sanosuke groaned.
"You can join us, too," said Aki.
"Yeah, you don't have to use your leg to talk," added Misao.
Kenshin sat on the other side of Sano, and looked at his leg. His eyes turned to swirls. "Oro, I have to get used to medicated wounds, that I do."
"I'll have to tell the jerk that the battle axe is back," said Sano.
Aki laughed wholeheartedly. "Katsu?"
"Yup."
"The big jerk, the battle axe and the baka are still alive, ne? How's the jerk these days?"
"He's an artist and a published newspaper author."
"He had the temper to be an artist.heck, you both did."
"Kenshin." added Aki. "Earlier, Yahiko mentioned you were.Battousai the Manslayer?"
"Was," said Sano and Misao.
"I've sworn to never kill again," added Kenshin. "To repent for the lives I've taken during the Revolution, that I have."
"Okay," she added, putting the finishing touches on Sano's leg. "Sanosuke, your leg is now stitched and bandaged."
No answer.
"And still attached," added Misao.
No answer.
"And still moveable," continued Kenshin.
Still no answer.
"Sano?" asked Aki. She was answered with snoring this time. "Only the baka would fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon."
"Don't you think we should wake him.he might go into a coma," observed Misao.
"Hah, Sano wouldn't let something as simple as a coma put his light out. Besides, a gash like that would me out too, even it was in my leg," Aki said, ruffling her friend's spiky hair.
During dinner (fixed by Aki) Sano stumbled in on a walking stick.
"How's your leg?" asked Yahiko, poking at it.
"Ittai, baka!!" shouted Sano, hitting Yahiko on the head with the walked stick.
"Edible food!" exclaimed Misao, putting some in her mouth, ignoring Sano and Yahiko.
Sano sat down between Aki and Kenshin. Or, he tried to. His leg wouldn't bend right with the bandages.
"You could do what the Sekihottai did when one of them was hurt," suggested Aki.
"Do you see any of the Sekihottai here?"
Aki cleared her throat.
"That aren't girls."
"I don't mind."
"Okay, but you asked for it."
Sano sat with his back to Kenshin, and propped his hurt leg in Aki's lap.
Yahiko chortled and burst into hysterical laughter. He stopped suddenly and held his stomach. He looked at his plate in horror. "I-I'm allergic to squid!" he declared, running out of the dojo, holding his mouth, turning a green color.
"How can you be allergic to squid and live in Japan at the same time?" asked Suzuka.
"I wouldn't question oxymorons, you're surrounded by them," said Kaoru.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" demanded Megumi.
"Gee, I don't know, maybe if you look at each person here, and compare certain attributes about them, you find a bunch of contradictions? Sano, would you like some takoyaki?" Aki added with a motherly smile.
Yahiko came back in, out of breath. He glared at Aki. "You tried to poison me!"
"That's like saying a dog said 'moo'," said Sano. "Besides, it's not like she forced you to eat it, you put it on your plate."
"Yahiko, it's time for a lesson," said Kaoru. "It's called 'cleaning up after dinner because you accused a friend of poison'."
"Ah, come now, Kaoru-San, the boy just puked his guts out." said Aki.
"Oh, well Kenshin, you help!" Kaoru dragged Kenshin to the kitchen as Yahiko got the rest of the dishes.
"Well, cripple, are you done?" asked Aki of Sano.
Sano, with a mouth full of rice, shook his head.
After a long conversation, in which everyone learned about Suzuka, Aki decided to help Sano to his room.
"Come on, cripple, you're going to sleep," she said, helping him up. "Alone," she added, noticing to odd looks on everyone's face.
"But, Aki, I'm lonely." Sano said with a grin.
"Sano!"
"I'll take it from here," said Aoshi, taking Sano's other arm. "I can't believe you were actually that desperate to try that." he added to Sano.
The next morning after breakfast, Megumi headed back to the clinic.
After she left, Sano grabbed Aki's arm and dragged her outside to everyone's surprise.
Half way down the street, Aki's call finally got through to Sano. "Where are you taking me with that hurt leg of yours?!"
"Oh," said Sano, letting her walk alongside him instead of dragging her. "We're going to see the jerk."
"I would have gone willingly if I had known we were going to see my best friend."
"Oh, now I'm hurt."
"You know what I mean.!"
On the way, Sano stopped and pointed out Katsu's caricatures. He also needed directions to Katsu's new house.
Aki stood in the background. Most of them were of her father. It was definitely Katsu. One in particular caught her eye. She tugged at Sano's coat, lost for words.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's.Tou-San.Kaa-San.and me."
Sano gazed at the work, stunned too.
The man behind the counter looked at the caricature, he also noticed the look on Aki's face. "You can have that one free of charge. I'm sorry for your loss ma'am."
"Arigatou," said Aki as she and Sano set off again.
"What's the matter?" asked Sano as they neared Katsu's apartment.
"We.never had a family portrait. The night Tou-San died, Shindo and his cronies came and killed Kaa-San. And tried to kill me." They stopped as she explained. "After I woke up I found they had dragged Tou-San's body to our house. It's ironic. We finally have a complete family portrait, and I'm the only one left."
"When the Sekihottai was executed, I tried as hard as I could to keep Captain Sagara from being hit again. But Shindo's men caught up and he ended up saving my life," explained Sano. "The world lost a great man when it lost your father."
Aki smiled sadly as they set off for Katsu's house again.
Katsu sat in his small apartment, working on the latest edition of his newspaper when someone knocked on his door. He told them to come in.
"Hey, jerk," said Sano's voice.
"You found me again, did you, baka?"
"Not only did I find you, but you'll never guess who else I found."
Katsu turned around to see his friend standing next to a very familiar silhouette. "Captain Sagara?"
"Do I really look that much like my dad?" asked the silhouette.
"Apparently so, battle axe," answered Katsu with a smile.
The wind picked up and threw snow flakes as three friends separated by violence sat in peace and caught up.
A decade earlier, the three were training with practice swords while Captain Sagara let them melee.
After a few minutes, Aki had pinned Sano to a wall with a friendly smile.
"You're just like a battle axe!" said Katsu, scratching his head.
Sano quirked an eyebrow as Aki let him go.
"Nah," he said. "She smiles too much."
"She smiles like her father," added Katsu.
"Watch it, or you're next, jerk," warned Aki. The three smiled.
After Aki and Sano came back, everyone had dinner, and went to sleep. It seemed like a rather uneventful day.
Aki sat on the front porch of the dojo, doing everything in her power to stay awake.
Kenshin came to the door and set next to her, a look of worry on his face. "Are you alright, Aki-San?"
"I'm fine, Kenshin-San. A bad feeling's been keeping me up, that's all," she replied with a smile.
Kenshin, being one to take heed to any bad feelings, woke up every other able fighter in the dojo. Without Aki knowing.
Sano decided to check how Aki was really doing. He sat by her on the porch. Something big must've been bugging her, she didn't get that look for a "bad feeling." "How are you really doing?"
"Not too god. But I wouldn't want you in the middle of it."
"Come on, I'm a friend, I live to get in the middle of your problems."
Aki sighed before explaining. "After Shindo tried to kill me, and word got out about my medical services, he started to track me down. Since then, I haven't stayed in one place for more than two nights. That's the whole reason I tried to leave the first night I was here. I don't want anyone hurt just because they're close to me."
"Out of curiosity, how did Shindo try to kill you?"
Aki took her headband off. A long scar ran from the right side of her hairline to nearly the left temple. She put the band back.
"Kaa-San always had a trapdoor just in case something like that night happened. Apparently it worked."
Sano stared at his friend as she concentrated on the surrounding dojo as if something would jump out any minute. He'd had no idea she'd had it that rough.
"What's left of the Sekihottai'll always be there for you," Sano said reassuringly, putting an arm around her shoulder with a smile.
"I was afraid of that," she said with her sad smile.
Her ears suddenly perked up. She slowly crept from the porch. Sano close behind. She quietly inched along the side of the dojo. Sano had somehow grabbed his zan-batou. She looked around the corner and growled under her breath.
Two of Shindo's men were attempting to walk off with the sleeping Ayame and Suzume. She walked out of her hiding place to confront them. She would've attacked, but what were blades to guns?
"I don't know what you'd want with me, but leave my friends alone," she told them.
Suddenly she saw the flash of metal and their guns broke in half, useless. Aki looked up to see Suzuka putting away a weapon as she sat perched in a tree. Kenshin ran out of nowhere and grabbed Ayame and Suzume from their captors, setting them back in the dojo, closing the door. His face was very set as he took his stance, sword in hand.
Suzuka and Aoshi dropped from their trees and rounded up the cronies' reinforcements hidden in the woods.
One of the men caught Aki's eye in particular. Shindo. Ten years older, but still the man who had killed nearly everyone she cared for. Her eyes shadowed.
He turned to her and smiled darkly. "Well," he said. "If it isn't the Sagara brat. What was your name again?"
"My name is Akiyama Sagara. You killed my father. Prepare to die." (AN: sorry, I love that movie).
From the other side of the dojo, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Misao-weapons at hand- ran in. and stopped in stance.
"I advise that last sentence to you," Shindo said, giving his gunmen a signal. All guns pointed to Aki.
"Only a coward has lackeys."
Sano blinked. Aki could quote her father quite well under pressure.
Shindo signaled again and his men concentrated on everyone else.
"You are your father's daughter," said Shindo.
"You have no right to speak of my father."
"Why not? He was my employee."
"No. He was your scapegoat. And still is! You've dragged his name and mine through the mud for the last time!" she took out her own weapons, eyes still shadowed.
Shindo unsheathed his sword and a dagger, usually used in Europe for a parrying weapon.
Then the peaceful dojo erupted into chaos.
After just blades weren't working for Shindo, he shouted a word and a ki- blast flew from his sword, scratching Aki.
Suddenly, a bomb went off in the middle of the gunmen. Half of them ran away.
Katsu, seeing his friend in trouble, tried to help, but Sano stopped him. "This is her fight, Katsu."
Finally, all the gunmen were subdued. The police even came, but Aki and Shindo didn't notice. The captain tried to arrest Shindo, but Kenshin told them that this was a duel, and they could have Shindo afterwards. The captain, being completely faithful to Kenshin, nodded and stepped aside.
Aki slowly rose. She took both her sword and her scythe, and crossed their blades. She shouted her own incantation as she scraped the blades and knocked Shindo unconscious.
The police captain took Shindo into custody and was about to tell Aki he was sure that the judge would the madman to execution, but she wasn't there. No one knew where she was. No one had seen her go.
Suddenly, Sano realized something and ran into dojo. Katsu followed.
Aki quickly grabbed her kasa and ran to the door and opened it.
She stood there for a moment. Why was she leaving? In fact, why was she living? Bloodshed had happened tonight and it was all because of her bloodline.
Then again, she'd found Sano and Katsu. She'd made new friends too. And Ayame and Suzume. They'd been through the same thing she had, but they still kept on with their lives. She tossed her kasa to the ground and leaned against the doorframe as she heard footsteps running down the hallway. What was the use of running away, anyway?
The footsteps stopped.
"Aki, why-" said Sano's voice. She cut him off.
"Oh, just shut up, you baka!" was all she could say as she turned to him and threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. She was too emotionally drained to even cry. Sano understood and put his arms around her, and rested his head on her shoulder. Katsu put his arms around both of them and rested his head on her other shoulder. The three stood in silence.
The next morning, everything had cleared up. Katsu had gone back to his house, Shindo and his cronies rotted in jail-awaited trial-, and the snow had even begun to melt. The only thing was, Aki didn't show for breakfast.
"I went to check on her," said Misao, coming out of the hallway. "But she wouldn't wake up. You think something's wrong?"
"I think last night's events finally got to her and drove 'er into a coma!" said Yahiko.
"I think you have issues," said Suzuka. "She's had to relive her family's death, she's gotten vengeance, and deserves some sleep. I might as well make breakfast," she added, heading to the kitchen.
"I'll help!" offered Kaoru.
"Nah, that's okay, I got it covered."
"Seriously, Sano, what's the matter with Aki-San?" asked Kenshin after Suzuka had shut the door.
"Yeah, she shouldn't miss the first day of spring," said Kaoru.
"The first day of spring?" asked Sano. "Oh, other than being a bit sore from last night, on the first day of spring, she can sleep through anything," he explained with a grin.
As if to argue, Aki slowly walked from the hallway and flopped down between Kaoru and Kenshin, and promptly fell backwards.
"Aki-Chan?" asked Kaoru.
"Ow."
"Aki-San, your hair.it's a different color," observed Kenshin.
"Uh-huh."
"It changes with the seasons," explained Sano.
"She looks like she's having a hangover," pointed out Yahiko.
"Actually, she's quite sober," said Sano.
"Her hair's gone from blue to black," said Kaoru. "Isn't it supposed to get lighter with the coming of a warmer season?"
Sano shrugged. "Captain Sagara's did that too. The Sekihottai always knew when spring came when the Sagaras did that," he added, pointing to Aki, apparently asleep.
Kaoru and Kenshin gave each other odd looks. "You sure she's okay?" they asked.
Aki twitched. "I'll be fine in a few hours.just stop talking, Kenshin- San.you're beginning to echo." She threw an arm over her eyes. "Someone turn the sun out."
"Any opinions from the doctor?" asked Aoshi.
"I am a doctor, and I told you, Shinomori, I'll be just fine," Aki said in a distorted voice.
"Sensitivity to light and sound." pondered Dr. Gensai. "And fatigue. I'd have to say a headache."
"I told you," repeated Aki.
"Do you need anything?" asked Kenshin.
"Green tea.please?"
"I'll tell Suzuka," said Kenshin, going to the kitchen.
Aki slowly sat up. she looked at Yahiko, who still had a skeptical look on his face. "No, Yahiko-Chan, I'm not having a hangover."
"What is it with this 'Chan' thing?! I'm not little!!"
"And I thought Kenshin was echoing." Aki said, rubbing her temples.
After Suzuka sent Kenshin with Aki's green tea, she started to feel better.
"Thank you, Kenshin-San!" she said after a few sips. "I hate this stupid gene, it makes me feel like a groundhog."
"You mean spring's coming early?!" asked Yahiko cheerfully.
Aki groaned. "No, it means spring is here."
"All because your head hurts?"
"Ano.I really don't feel like explaining."
Suzuka slid the door open and served breakfast. "Are you alright, Aki- San?"
"Joto," Aki said. "Thanks for the tea, by the way."
"No problem. By the way, I like what you did with your hair."
During breakfast, after everyone was clear on Aki's hair and spring, Dr. Gensai had an announcement to make.
"My sister said she was getting lonely, and invited you to stay with her for another few days. I'm sure she'd love to meet Akiyama-San and Suzuka- San," he announced with a smile.
"When would she like us over there?" asked Kaoru.
"The letter said as soon as possible. And we all know how slow mail can be, especially from where she lives."