A/N: I can't believe I forgot to do this. I do not own Kodocha or any of its characters. Kodocha created I forget when by Miho Obana.
Chapter 18
Click
Click
The sounds resonated through the quiet air. Both Akito's and Naozumi's guns were empty. Shocked and stunned,Naozumi opened his gun's cylinder,just to make sure it was empty. Taking his chance,Akito charged at the sheriff.
Naozumi looked up too late,seeing Akito for just a second before Akito's fist collided with Naozumi's stomach. With his air knocked out, Naozumi hit the ground. Tsuyoshi had gotten up off the ground and walked over to Akito and Naozumi. Reaching into his pocket,he pulled out a bullet. His last bullet.
"Look,Akito." Tsuyoshi said. "I still have one left."
"Great." Akito said,reaching his hand out to Tsuyoshi. "Give it here."
"What?" Tsuyoshi asked.
"I said," said Akito. "Give it here."
Akito took the bullet and loaded it into his gun. Closing the cylinder,Akito pointed his gun at Naozumi,who stared up at Akito,hatred burning in his eyes. Akito cocked the hammer. Several seconds passed quietly.
"Akito,don't." Sana said as she and Aya walked up next to Tsuyoshi. With no answer from Akito,several more seconds passed by.
"If you don't," Naozumi said from the ground. "If you don't do it,then the next time I see you,I'll kill you."
"I know." Akito said.
"Akito." Sana said.
A moment of silence again. Then Akito lowered the gun. Looking Naozumi straight in the eyes, he said,"Because you're Sana's friend,I'm not going to do it. That's the only reason you're not dead." Then he holstered the gun and turned away.
/
Examining the damage,four buildings were riddled with multiple bullet holes. Seventeen of Naozumi's officers were only injured. They'd live to see another day. One officer,on the other hand,had bled out and died. Neither Akito nor Tsuyoshi knew which one of them had killed him.
Walking back to their horses across the muddy ground,Akito and Tsuyoshi gathered all of their things. Akito found the chest of money they had stolen from that McCullum guy. He walked back over to Naozumi.
"Give this back to McCullum." Akito said. He dropped the small chest and it opened on impact with the ground. A couple bills flew out and landed in the mud.
"You sure about that,Akito?" Tsuyoshi asked. "That's a lot of money."
"We don't need it." Akito said. "We'll get more."
Akito walked back to his horse. Tsuyoshi had gotten up onto his own,then he helped Aya up.
"You still coming?" Akito asked her.
Aya nodded her head. "I don't want to be apart from Tsuyoshi."
"Alright then." Akito said as Aya kissed Tsuyoshi. Looking over at Sana, he saw her talking with Naozumi,who still didn't get up off the ground. Akito watched her hug him and then Sana walked over to Akito. "Well?"
"Well what?" Sana asked.
"What did he say?" Akito asked.
"Naozumi told me to tell you," Sana started. "that when we leave,he's going to hunt you down until he finds you."
"'We'?" Akito asked,raising an eyebrow.
Sana nodded. A sparkling smile spread across her beautiful face. "We. I want to come with you. If you want me to."
"'Want you'?" Akito asked. "Sana, I love you." Then he leaned down and kissed her. The couple kissed passionately for a few seconds,then separated.
"I love you,too,Akito." Sana said,then she restarted their kiss.
Parting for air,Akito looked up at the sky. Pointing up,he told Sana to look. Sana,Aya and Tsuyoshi looked to see a rainbow,sparkling with it's seven beautiful colors,stretching across the cloudy blue sky. Sana looked back at Akito with a smile.
"First under the stars," she said. "And now under a rainbow. Kissing you will never get boring."
With a laugh, Akito climbed onto his horse,then helped Sana up. "You know," he said. "I was going to say that same thing."
"Too slow." Sana told him,holding his waist from behind him. With a tap,the two horses galloped at half speed toward the end of town.
They reached the end,and Tsuyoshi looked to Akito. "Where to now?" he asked.
"West." Akito said. "Let's go west."
"West it is then." Sana said.
The two horses,one colored white and the other colored brown,charged west across the mud covered ground,carrying with them the two happy couples. Above their heads as they rode,the rainbow continued to shine for all to see.
/
Days past since saloon singer-girl Sana and grocery store clerk Aya left the small eighty-year-old town. Their sudden disappearance shocked many of the townspeople. Some rumors spread that they had been kidnapped by The Silent Duo.
Sheriff Naozumi's officers,who all made a full recovery,did their best to ensure the falseness of those rumors. But people still talked.
Naozumi had left town the next day. Almost a week passed without a single sign of him. Half the town suspected that he had left to 'rescue' Sana. Oh,and Aya too.
Another thing missing was the reports of the Silent Duo. After the rumors of the kidnappings they committed,they seemed to have vanished from the news. It was a mystery most people thought would go unsolved for all time.
A weeks ride west of the small town,a gray and black horse trotted into a slightly larger town. The horses' rider,a young man with strong looking arms,powerful legs,and silver hair. He wore a pair of dusty pants,and a gray shirt,equally as dusty as his pants. Normally,he wore a gold sheriff badge on his shirt,but Naozumi gave it to his most trustworthy officer. He didn't need to be sheriff. He had something more important to take care of.
Stopping at the town's bar,he ordered a quick drink. He needed to be fast,what with her and 'him' being a little over a day ahead.
Walking back outside,he mounted his horse. Walking to the west edge of town,Naozumi stared out at the open land in front of him. He was out there somewhere. And so was she.
'And I'm not giving up.' Naozumi thought as he commanded his horse to head on out. 'Not giving up,until I find you. I hope you're ready,Akito. I'm coming for you.'
The End.
A/N:First,I would like to thank everyone who has been reading this story. Thanks for the comments and the support. Also,I want to say sorry for the short length of this chapter. Not quite as long as some of my others,but I'm happy with it and I hope you are too. Again,thanks for reading,and I hope you enjoyed the journey. - SamYellek.