Disclaimers : I don't own Sakura Taisen...
Minna-san...This is the newest chapter! I'm glad to see our velvet getting longer and longer...Thanks for all your reviews ( especially for Zauriel and DaIfUkU )!
***
*1953*
"What?!!!" cried other Hanagumi women in unison.
Sakura laughed and gazed at the smiling Maria. "I've told you clearly that Taro will marry Edelweiss," she said without any doubts.
"You're not kidding, right?" asked the wondering Sumire.
"I'm serious, Sumire. My son will marry Maria's daughter," answered Sakura.
"Has your husband known it, Sakura?" asked Reni.
Sakura nodded. "He was the one who gave Taro the permission to propose Edelweiss," she added.
Iris stood up and took a bottle of champagne. "Let's celebrate it!" cried her.
The crystall glasses were filled, and, soon, the cheerful word : "Kanpai!" was heard.
***
*1928*
"We'll leave you here, Reni. Take care," said Maria to the silver-haired.
Reni nodded. "See you at Tokyo," replied her.
"See you too," muttered Maria, as she turned back and began to walk, leaving the tree where Reni was tied up on.
***
"Yoneda-shihainin!"
Yoneda woke up and rose up suddenly. "What's up, Kaede?" asked him sleepily.
"They found Reni! They found Reni!"
"That's quite good...wait...they found Reni? Found Reni?! FOUND RENI?!!!"
"Yes...The Robbers tied her up on an orange tree...poor girl...she's got broken ribs..."
***
Reni was found in a small village in the northern part of Japan, half-fainted, with injuries all over her body. She cried when Yoneda, accompanied by Kaede and some policemen, picked her up. They took her to Tokyo immediately.
"Ssh...Reni...don't cry. It's over now," said Kaede as she gently rubbed Reni's cheeks.
"They were so cruel...they beat us nearly everyday...and...when they knew I couldn't bear anymore, they left me there...That tree was full of red ants...Kaede...that's terrible," said Reni as she shed more tears.
"And the others?" asked Yoneda impatiently.
"The robbers took me from them," answered Reni, as great sorrow began to appear on her face.
"And?"
"That mad robbers said that I will never see them again...I'm so...so...so...te...te..terri...fied."
Reni was completely fainted.
***
"Sh...Sh...Shinguji Wakana-san?" said Orihime surprisedly.
Wakana stood in front of Teigeki's main door, holding her suitcase. "Sorry for not telling all of you that I'm going to come," she apologized.
"C...come in, Shinguji-Okusan," said Orihime as she pulled herself aside to let Wakana to enter the theatre.
Wakana entered the theatre and gazed over all things. "Everything is quite messy," she said without changing her expression.
"Yes...you know, we had almost no time for cleaning, since we used all our time to search for and find Sakura and the others," replied the blushing Orihime. However, she felt a bit ashamed.
"Where is Yoneda-san?" asked Wakana, ignoring what Orihime had just said.
"He is accompanying Reni to the hospital...have you heard that they found her this morning?"
Wakana nodded. "Yoneda-san told me," she said.
"So...what's your plan here?" asked Orihime.
"I'll stay here so I can help all of you to find Sakura and the others," answered Wakana clearly.
"Th...Thanks for your help..."
***
"Then we get into trouble," said Kouran.
"I never predicted this," replied Orihime hopelessly.
"Sakura's mother presence will make our work a bit more difficult," commented Sumire.
Kaede shook her head. "Not just a bit more difficult, but much more dangerous," she said.
"She may mess it up," added iris, agreed with Kaede.
"Watch your movements," reminded Kaede, "there are bombs everywhere."
"I'll warn Maria about this," Kouran said as she reached her communication tool.
"Tell her not to tell Sakura or Oogami," warned Kaede.
"But, why?" asked the surprised Kouran.
"You may not understand the reason, but, I tell you, it will be much more difficult for them if they knew that Sakura's mother was looking for them."
***
Wakana spent almost all her whole days with Kaede, Kouran, Sumire, Orihime, Iris, and also the recovering Reni, without knowing that they wanted her to go back to Sendai soon.
Kouran had told Maria about Wakana's presence and warned her not to tell Oogami or Sakura, but, our blonde Russian decided to tell only Kayama, because she knew that Kanna might spoil it up.
January had passed, and it was February. After thinking for a long time, Maria made an important decision.
"We must change the plot," said her to Kayama.
"Why?" asked Kayama, almost whispering.
"It will be dangerous if all five of us keep going north," she answered.
"So, what will you do?"
Maria looked at her sleeping friends. "I'll keep going north with Kanna," she answered.
"And me?"
"Listen carefully. You'll go with Taichou and Sakura to the nearest harbor. Then, all of you will take just a small boat. Go to Okinawa, but not directly. Stop twice, once at Simonoseki and once at Kagoshima. Change your boat at every stops. Remember, whatever will be, don't sleep in inns. You'd better sleep in forests."
"But...many people will recognize Sakura if we appear at harbors. This can be dangerous."
Maria smiled and took a look at the big bag. "We still have enough properties. You can do some perfect disguise."
"What kind of disguise will that be?" asked Kayama curiously.
Maria took the bag. "Here are some wigs," she said, as her smile got wider, " and all of them were as blonde as my own hair."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes :
Well...I've written five chapters...Special thanks for everybody who have read "Velvet Road" and Very Special thanks for every reviews you've sent...Keep reviewing, so I can keep my work up. I promise, I'll soon finish the following chapters.