Chapter 2
"Ugh…," Sano groans, "I have never been this hung over…. I want food." He gets up weakly and steps outside. "What is it, like noon? Why is it so quiet?" He runs around the dojo opening doors and looking in the rooms. "Where did everybody go? Wait, they probably went shopping and they know I hate it. Ah well, I'm going to go get food." While he's walking to the Akabeko, he meets up with his friends he gambles with. "Hey guys, wanna grab something to eat?"
"Sure!" The guys shout.
Soon after they arrive and sit down. "Hey Tae, get us some sake, beef stew and rice," Sano says.
"Sure thing, boys!" Tae says, "But you all better pay!" She runs off.
"Yeah yeah," one of the guys says. "Already drinking again, Sano?"
"Of course," Sano replies. "What? Too early for you sissies?" All of them began to laugh. Tae returns with sake and cups. They all pour into their cups and enjoy. "Damn you really are sissies. Seven shots and you all are already drunk?"
"Sorry Sano, that we can't drink a whole barrel like you!" One of the guys shouts. All of them laugh until they watch a woman pass by. She sits down at the table across. All of them stare. "Hey check that chick out. She must be new around here."
Another one shouts, "I'd like to show her a couple of new things, if you know what I mean, heh." The guys begin to laugh except Sano, who watches her drink sake irritated. The woman looks over at Sano, and they both stare at each other. The woman has brown hair with brown eyes, with a slender physique. She's wearing a white kimono top with tight black pants. Her hair is tied back into a ponytail, held by a long red cloth. They gaze at each other until one of Sano's drunk friend cracks another joke. "Damn, she looks young. I bet she's flexible."
The woman slams her drink onto the table and walks away. All the guys instantly froze. Sano notices she forgot something; he stands up and tells his friends, "Morons, learn to be less rude. I'm leaving, but I'll see you all soon for gambling." He picks up a dagger. He thinks to himself, "What's she doing with this?" He runs out of the Akabeko. He spots her walking away and runs to catch up with her. "Wait!"
The woman turns around and stops. Sano catches up to her. She asks with aggression, "What do you want?"
"You forgot this," Sano replies, "My name is Sanosuke Sagara, and I want to apologize about what happened back there. My friends and I have obviously been drinking."
The woman takes back her dagger. "Thank you Sanosuke." She starts to walk off.
"Wait," Sano says. The woman stops and turns around. "Aren't you going to tell me why you are carrying around a dagger, especially when they are forbidden here in this era?"
"Protection," the woman responds, "I don't trust for the police officers here to be reliable. Now, I better go."
Sano stands in confusion. "You really aren't from around here. What's your name?" He looks around; the woman has vanished from his site.
-
Meanwhile as it turned to evening, Kenshin, Yahiko, Kaoru and Megumi are at the clinic asking the patient questions.
"So you're saying," Kaoru says, "That it was a girl about my size?"
Kenshin asks, "Now do you remember what she looks like?"
"Faintly," the patient says, "I think she had brown hair. But I definitely remember her vicious brown eyes."
"Thank you for helping us Juro," Kenshin says, "Rest here for now but when you recover don't go back to your house; you might be in danger there. Instead, you are welcome to the Kamiya dojo."
"Thank you," Juro says.
Megumi fixes his blanket. "Now Juro, get some rest."
Everyone exits the clinic. Yahiko asks, "So what do we do now? We have no leads."
"I know," Kenshin says. "For the first time, I am officially stumped… that I am."
"Hey…" Yahiko mutters, "Isn't that Sanosuke?" He sees Sano sitting by the water. "Hey Sano! Finally decided to wake up? Hah."
Everyone walks up to Sano to greet him.