Here's the final chapter for this year, everyone! Please enjoy!
After seeing Sakura has left the now-empty attic during the interim where no one visited her, Narancia and Gyro sprinted back to the others and informed them of her disappearance. Their surprise came out soon as they expected and it didn't take long before they march up straight to the genkan with the intent of finding where the teenager, who has made it painfully clear to them through Lily crying in Yugiri's arms that she's not going to change her mind of backing out from Franchouchou, left to.
Standing near the shelves storing their footwear, the zombies didn't have to inspect closely when there's an empty space above Sakura's name, indicating she did left the mansion. Behind them, Tae is lying on her side atop another shelf while Johnny sits against it with crossed arms, staring at the empty spot in dismay. He was correct in guessing Sakura is suffering from depression, but he sure didn't expect she is too stubborn to accept any help. Even at his lowest point, he wouldn't be so cruel as to ignore someone's soothing words no matter how much he didn't need it.
"Where did that nerd run off to?" Saki asked in slight irritation.
"How troubling…" Yugiri bemoaned. She didn't have a chance to do her part in cheering Sakura up and persuading her out of a choice she will regret… after scolding her for making Lily cry with a slap if she must. Then again, part of that involves her making a preparation which may took her long enough for Sakura to leave.
"Say, has anyone seen Romero?" Avdol said. "We may have heard the dog howling at the full moon many minutes ago, so he should've returned to us by now."
"I think he must have followed where Sakura is going," guessed Junko. "Some dogs are known for sensing other people's emotions… but I don't think Romero's that clever."
"…Well anyhow, we must find Sakura everyone," Bucciarati reminds them of what they must do next. "She couldn't have gotten far and we can't have her be seen by other people because she doesn't have makeup. Of course that goes for us too." He made sure he acknowledged that so he wouldn't be labeled as a hypocrite.
"In this time of night? I doubt anyone's up so late," Saki stated. "That is… if we don't encounter that officer possibly working on a night shift or returning home after a long day of work."
ガチャーァ
"Huh?"
Everyone turn their faces to the opening door and see it's Kotaro returning home after a long day outside. Since they are standing (or lying in Tae's case) in the dark without makeup and eye contacts though (except Bucciarati and Ai), their glowing, eerie red eyes spook the bejesus out of him.
"WOOOAAH! !" Kotaro screamed in a near high-pitched tone, recoiling in shock at the sight of Tae being so close to the door when he opened and the rest of the zombies standing behind them. "WHAT IS THIS!? SOME KIND OF ZOMBIE INTERVENTION!?"
Realizing it's just their overdramatic manager, they calmed down a little before addressing his late attendance in annoyance and displeasure, mostly from Saki, Ai, Lily, Avdol, Narancia, Johnny and Gyro.
"Oh, good. You're back," Johnny greeted him sarcastically, kicking his butt off the shelf and facing him with a scowl. "How's your 'business errand' went? Mostly alright, we hope?"
Calming his near-frantic mind down upon seeing it's only the shambling zombies he knows, Kotaro straightens his posture before answering Johnny. "If you're curious, it went alright. Got to meet my business acquaintance and discuss, well… business."
Everyone stared at him blankly for a moment. Then Ai has this to say after being not convinced. "Are you sure you didn't bail on us temporarily after you learned Sakura was hit by a truck and fell unconscious?"
"I have business errand to run, alright!? It is what I said!"
Recoiling from his sudden shouting (and restraining themselves from throttling Kotaro here and there), Kotaro clears his throat and crossed his arms with a stern expression. He does a head count of the zombies present and it didn't take him long to see one of them is missing. "So! Would anyone care to tell me where Sakura-chan is? I… like to share some words with that girl."
Seeing he doesn't know yet the dilemma wreaking upon Sakura and possibly haven't seen her leave while he's on his way back to home, the zombies tell him what's troubling Sakura, how she decided to quit Franchouchou after stating she doesn't "have what it takes" and not swaying from her staid decision. All with a pessimistic outlook they didn't know she has or capable of possessing. They also didn't forget Romero who might have left the mansion too to follow Sakura.
Learning everything that had happened while he was gone, Kotaro stays still and silent to digest the info steadily. Then he makes this statement. "I'll go find her. Stay in the house, all of you. I'll be the one to set that girl's head straight over her corpse." Shades takes his leave by moving out and driving off down the streets in the black van against everyone's protests.
"Rianima! Follow him!" Bucciarati didn't hesitate to lay out an order to his group as he steps out of the mansion. "We need to make sure Sakura, Kotaro and Romero are safe and not under attack from Xero! We don't want that man to seize the chance to kill them!"
"Hey! Count us in!" Saki interjected to Franchouchou's surprise. "We're all worried for Sakura-chan, and I'm sure as hell don't like staying behind and waiting anxiously for good news to come!"
"Don't be reckless!" Lily exclaimed. "We don't have Stands and we will be powerless against Xero if he does appear!"
"URYAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Apparently agreeing with Saki's statement, Tae bolts and zooms out of the mansion's gate, sliding across the ground to reposition herself for a head start across the streets, panting along the way.
"Tae-chan!?" Ai, Junko and Lily called her name out in shock.
"Well… Looks like all of us are going after Kotaro and Sakura then." Rai said it matter-of-factly.
Having no choice then, Franchouchou and Rianima rush down the street in pursuit of Tae, Kotaro and, most importantly, Sakura who must have likely gone too far ahead from them at this point. They hope they catch up to them in time before Xero suddenly appears, or better yet, he doesn't appear.
Several kilometers away from the mansion, Sakura Minamoto is walking across a bridge, located only a few meters away from Karatsu Castle which can be seen in the background. She's looking straight to the ground with the same pensive behavior she had shown to her fellow zombies, keeping her head down as her bangs obscure her eyes to emphasize her current troubling behavior.
Her gait is normal and steady as her feet carry the heavily depressed Sakura far away from her home, away from everyone who are still attempting to make her reconsider. It is for this reason that after Lily ran out of the attic crying, she eventually took her leave out of the manor after she spent few more minutes sitting in the chair hopelessly. She left right on time too when she heard two pairs of footsteps above her, possibly more of her friends looking to persuade her, of which she's starting to get irritated of due to their persistence.
During her aimless walk, her mind drifts off. They don't realize it, but this is for the best.If I 「stayed」, I would 「ruin everything」.
It is in this moment Sakura reminisces her past life, back when she was alive over ten years ago, but if you're expecting happy memories from her, you're in for a surprise.
In third grade, we put on a play, and I got the lead part. It was a lot of responsibility for a kid but I rehearsed the role every night in my room… until I could recite all of my lines without making a single mistake. Then… on the day of the show… even though I have all my shots… I ended up getting sick and have to stay home anyway. Bad memories…
Sakura correctly thought to describe her failure to play the main character for the Snow White stage play, a fact she was saddened for a week. However, this is only just the beginning of her unhappy life, a life filled with misfortune.
For fourth grade field day, I got picked to be on the relay team. So I stayed up late 「every night」to practice… until I have the 「fastest time」on the whole school. But on the day of the race… I somehow pulled a muscle during the opening ceremonies and have to forfeit. Each year, I kept working hard so I can make a comeback. And I made it to relay team on the fifth and sixth grade too. But of course, I 「always」pulled a muscle before the race got ever started. More bad memories…
She only describe her three-year streak of muscle pulling as that, rendering her unable take part in the relay team regardless of how much hard work she did to practice.
Fast forward to middle school, all summer I crammed for high school entrance exams. I want to erase the bad luck I have before, so I tried to get in the best school in the prefecture. I didn't keep up with music, TV, my friends, or anything else I used to love. I spent my 「entire」middle school career hitting the books. And because of my hard work, I got an A on the mock exam. Then the 「real one」came… As I was leaving the hotel I have stayed up to be closer to the testing location, I ran into not one, but multiple old ladies who are having some kind of trouble. I made it to the test in the nick of time, but I was all frazzled during the entire exam and kept making mistakes. So I didn't get in to my top school. One of the worst memories…
Her aimless walking and reminiscing in her unlucky memories puts her near a playground after passing by the bridge and wandering in the neighborhood. Without pause in her steps, she sits on a swing set, grabbing the chain links with her cold hands. Having refreshed her mind of all those bad memories during her walk, Sakura sits still on the swing set reliving those memories that had happened to her multiple times in quick succession, but not without having a broken mind and self-confidence. Sitting alone under the starry night but not paying attention to it under her bleak mindset, she's reciprocating not with the pretty stars, but the scattered clouds slowly joining up together to cover the night sky. If anything, it's a fitting metaphor for the kind of life Sakura had led that thoroughly eroded her happiness and drive to do anything noteworthy. And unfortunately for her, she believes it still applies to her even as an undead.
"Everything I can remember is awful. They don't understand," she continues bemoaning her existence. "Even if that one girl is the real Ai Mizuno… There's no way I can become an idol."
She already made up her choice this morning. No amount of persuasion or encouragement could change her mind out on becoming an idol, even if… it's her last goal to achieve renown and what she wanted the most: happiness and luck. In her words, and also the answer she told her female classmate when she tells her how she is wasting her talents by not joining in any club in her ordinary high school, she's finished and doesn't bother anymore.
"The harder I try, the worse things seem to turn out. I just don't「have what it takes」. So it's better if I 「don't try at all」."
And so, she makes true of her words. She decided not to aim for anything to spare her mind and body from even more misfortune after being inflicted by it five times throughout her kindergarten, elementary and middle school years. But when it appears she's going to lie low and achieve the minimum effort for the rest of her life, a stroke of luck pop up one day.
She was lying on her couch, watching a TV with a dour look and holding a potato chip in her mouth. The channel that came on the screen was showing the news about an idol group called Iron Frill after they have their concert in Budokan. In her current state of mind, she wouldn't have bothered listening to the interview that came after giving her the general description of the rising idol group from Tokyo, until a certain question was asked that ultimately drew her attention to the screen.
How do you work so hard?
"I dunno," Ai Mizuno turned to the camera and starts answering. "I guess it's because I never really thought of mistakes or failures are a bad thing. They always ended up helping me with whatever happens next. And if I wanna be the best version of me, then I'll just find a way to overcome any hurdles, y'know~?"
Watching the bit about Iron Frill doing an amazing performance in Budokan and Ai performing her role as the leader and center of Iron Frill captivated Sakura up from her lying posture, especially after hearing from her how mistakes or failures can help one person to overcome any hurdles and improve themselves. Perhaps… Perhaps she's right. Those stroke of misfortune that inflicted her from her childhood years up to high school years were all just failures. Maybe she might have one more chance to attain anything she desired if she worked hard again, this time to overcome any mistakes she made and will be making. That interview was what pushed Sakura back on her feet and set the course for her dream to become like Ai Mizuno: being a famous idol.
Sadly, in the end, it was all for naught for the unfortunate girl…
How do you work so hard?
"I guess it's because I never really thought of mistakes or failures are being a bad thing…" Sakura recited the answer with her current forlorn expression, kicking her feet off the ground to move the swing she's sitting on.
Why can't you try your best?
"I WAS trying my best," she continues. "And just when I thought my bad luck would change… I died and came back as a zombie." She looks at her left hand again, seeing the same image and patterns on her green-skinned palms. It has become a reminder to Sakura of her undead nature, and for reaching the absolute nadir of her bad luck. "Am I 「cursed」or something…?" She wondered woefully, willing to believe that was the reason why she always met with misfortune no matter how much she tries to do anything.
As she continues sitting on the swing set, a carefree voice rings in the cold night air accompanied by sounds of lazy footsteps and rolling bicycle. "Heeey, what are you doing here out so late, neechan? Are you trying to get arrested 'cause I'll arrest ya! Did you run away from home or something? What gives, neechan?"
So morose over her turbulent life filled with bad luck that Sakura didn't bother looking up to acknowledge the joking policeman walking home until he spotted her sitting in the playground all by herself. Even if she did, she won't remember him due to losing her post-mortem memories. "What's the difference…?" She muttered.
Noticing she's not responding, the policeman moves his neck down to look up into her eyes. "Aaaaalright. Come with me to-"
ドーン
He immediately regretted looking into Sakura's sunken red eyes and languid, shriveled gray-skinned face with a long scar between her eyes up close.
"KYAAAAAAAAA! ! ! !"
Recoiling away from the terrifying woman by rolling backwards, the frightened policeman brandishes his gun and aims it at Sakura with trembling hands. Why oh whyyyyy does he always encounter horrifying creatures in human skin so late at night? Was he cursed or something? "N-N-N-Not again…!"
When it appears the policeman is going to shoot at Sakura for the second time, something hit the back of his head. Something round and fluffy. "GACK-!" The policeman flinch from the impact before he falls backward to the ground, unconscious.
Sakura eyes the unconscious policeman for a second before she turns to Romero panting and wagging his tail, happy that he found Sakura. However, he's in his monstrous form so Sakura is freaked out. "Huh!?"
A second set of footsteps are heard as the figure comes out from the shadows of the trees. Said figure reveals himself to be Kotaro Tatsumi, still sporting sunglasses even if it's nighttime. "You know damn well this isn't where you need to be… right Sakura?" He tells her after walking up close to her. The woman stares at the sunglass-wearing man, perplexed.
…
…
…
"And you are-"
"KOTARO TATSUMI, DUMMY! ! !"
After leaving Romero in the van he used to find Sakura, Kotaro takes her up to the Kagamiyama Observatory. They are standing before the railing overlooking parts of Karatsu City from their location, specifically the Niji-no-Matsubara pine grove, the small islands up in the north and the colorful lights of the buildings to the south of the pine grove. In this time of night, it makes for a pretty sight.
Thinking she was taken here to only observe the beautiful city lights, Sakura says, "I'm sorry. What are you trying to show me?"
"…Niji-no-Matsubara." Kotaro answers it like it's obvious to her.
"Yeah. I know. The forest," and Sakura replies it back in an annoyed tone. "But… it's too dark to see anything."
"…That's 「you」 right now."
"Huh?"
"There are 「bright spots」 all around you," he starts explaining the metaphor he's about to impart on Sakura to rouse her mood up. "Saga may be small but there is a 「person」for every light you see."
Even if she lost her after death memories, Sakura remains confused as ever to Kotaro's hard-to-understand metaphor. "Uh, what are you getting at here?" She asked, clearly becoming exasperated.
"Just like they're waiting for the sun to rise over Niji-no-Matsubara," Kotaro still continues. "There are people out there waiting for you to 「shine」 as an idol…"
It seems it did the trick as Sakura turns her face to Kotaro with a smile, apparently liking his words.
"…Two or three, at least."
Sakura pouted when he added that last part, feeling deceived as if that is his intention. Regardless, she's not planning to come back as an idol no matter what this shady-looking man says. She already told it to her fellow zombies, so why shouldn't she do the same? "Just do your concert, okay? I'm sure it'll be much better if I stay far away from it. I know I 「don't have what it takes」."
Kotaro looks down to her obscured face. To think this is really happening to the normally plucky Sakura, just when the concert is only few days away. If… If he had known she was suffering from severe misfortune back then, maybe… he could've helped her. Well, he's already doing that part by making her an idol, but he's sure she hasn't realized her potential yet, so he's doing the best he can to help her achieve her once-buried dream.
Right now, he must reassure Sakura of the path she believes she doesn't want any part of, which is becoming a little hard for him. "So… you really don't want to be an idol then…? Can you look into my eyes and tell me that, honestly?" He questions her in a softer tone.
"…"
"…"
"Back then…"
Not questioning why she's going to tell a stranger she only met minutes ago her reason why she's insistent on abstain from being an idol anymore, Sakura dumps everything she did after getting a second wind from watching Iron Frill's interview and getting last-minute tickets so she witnessed the band's spectacular performance, especially Ai's, before her teary blue eyes. Right then, her path was set. With Ai's words about mistakes being not a bad thing echoing in her mind, she excitedly ran out the house carrying application papers in hopes that she can overturn years of misfortune back around and become as famous as her favorite idol.
But a kiss of death with a speeding truck ended her fledgling dream… And her life.
"…and look out how well did that turned out." She strained a smile on her face as she finished telling Kotaro the events leading up to her death. "I should've known I fail like that just like everything else. But the best choice was just to give in. I was stupid in getting my hopes up in being an idol, so I rushed out of the house earlier than usual. And then boom! Dead! It's just 「who I am」…" She long accepted that fact.
Though sympathizing with her, Kotaro isn't convinced that she's misfortune incarnate. "But you came back to life! As an idol who can 「save」Saga!"
"What makes you think what will happen!? And why me!?" Sakura angrily turned to Kotaro, finally saying her thoughts regarding being brought back from the dead without her permission. "I mean, I've never asked to become a zombie! !"
"One day, you'll understand all of those things-"
"Don't give me hope! Hope is what got me killed in the first place! How bad can one person's luck be! ?!" Sakura slams her right fist on the railing in frustration. "If you want to do this idol thing, then go right ahead! And LEAVE ME OUT OF IT!"
Gritting her teeth to Kotaro after telling him point-blank she's absolutely and completely over with her crushed dream, Sakura's angry face become crestfallen as she averts her eyes off Kotaro to stare at the Niji-no-Matsubara, then to the railing in anguish to save her sight from the colorful lights she could never become. "I just… don't want to be dragged into this, okay…?" She finished in a sad tone, trying not to cry.
"…"
"…"
"Well alright," Kotaro seemingly accept her decision in disappointment. "Think whatever you want! If you're determined to spend your life this way- Agh, afterlife, or whatever! Then please! Don't let me stop you!" Shades turns around and walks away from Sakura with folded arms, his footsteps becoming fainter as he goes far.
Now alone, Sakura is left leaning on the railing, staring off at the view unhappily "…I know I'm doomed. You didn't have to rub it in…" Sakura mumbled to herself. "If I have had any choice in the matter, I would've never come back in the first place."
"Did you miss me?"
"Nnngeeee! ! !"
To her shock and dismay, she sees Kotaro ended up returning to her and spooked the hell out of her. Whatever words she can say, she didn't have the chance when Kotaro continues while offended of her reaction to his sudden comeback. "Oh come on! Did you really think I let your pity party go on all night long!?"
"Get lost!" She shouted to his face. "You don't know ANYTHING about me, and I mean! It's not like you've died before-!"
"I 「HAAAAVE WHAT IT TAAAAAAAAAAKES」! ! ! ! !" Kotaro matches her shouting with his own louder one, leaning his face close to her startled eyes. "WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES IS IRRELEVANT BECAUSE IIIII DOOOOOO, GOT IT!? AND WHAT IT TAKES…! IS GOOD STUFF! GOOD STUFF THAT I DEFINITELY HAAAVE, ALRIGHT!?" Sakura recoils her face away from him, who looks like he's undergoing a breakdown given his voice can be heard cracking either from all the shouting or some emotions bubbling within his erratic words. "LISTEN TO MEEEEE! I WILL! NEVER! AND I MEAN 「NEVER ABANDON YOUUUU」! ! ! !"
Profoundly confused by what Kotaro is yelling about, Sakura's startled face changes to a dour and impeccable expression matching Kotaro's unyielding one, both of whom are determined to see who will break under pressure under their defiant staring.
With the Arpino concert only five days away and Sakura gaining her memories back that triggered her depression, causing her to renounce her status as Number One of Franchouchou, the fate of Saga Prefecture hangs in balance as Sakura Minamoto and Kotaro Tatsumi are intent on not yielding to their decisions…
…
…
…
"Are you two done arguing?"
"Huh?"
バキ バキ バキッ
Kotaro turns around alarmingly to stare at the empty space where the cracking sound is heard. Sakura leans on her right so she can see who has just spoke and the strange sound occurring nearby.
ガシャァァァンッ!
The quiet cracking sounds give way to an ear-splitting noise as a rift in the air three meters above the floor has formed. Both of them recoiled from the sound and appearance, with Kotaro, becoming more alarmed and nervous, moving his right arm in front of Sakura and walking two steps back along with her.
But if they thought there no more surprises will happen or at least not be so shocked of the bizarre sight after witnessing it with their own eyes, a figure leaps out of the dark space. Many tiny glass particles dance around the figure as their hair and attire sway from the rushing air with their hands and feet placed behind them due to the force he exerted in leaping out from the rift.
"Wha!?" No surprise Kotaro and Sakura are speechless upon seeing a man come out from the rift, though the former is overdramatic, but justifiably so, in his shock because he recognized immediately who the man is.
Making a landing on the wooden floor with his right foot bend behind his left foot to soften the landing and balancing with his arms, he rises up from a crouching position, straightening his posture before he turns his head to the two with cold eyes.*
バァーン
The two flinched at Xero giving them a cold stare, really feeling his piercing gray eyes digging straight into their souls that is made effective by his tranquil posture bereft of any blemish on his clothes and body. His unexpected appearance and placid stance really puts a big impression on Sakura, especially the part when he came out from a cracked hole floating in the air somehow. She's bewildered and freaked out thanks to his staring and the general eerie feeling he's radiating.
She doesn't express it nearly as much like Kotaro is doing. Anyone would think he's being hysterical over the sharply-dressed man, but it's only because they have no idea who Xero is unlike Kotaro, who has panic clearly written on his face because Xero just had to appear at this time when he's still trying to embolden Sakura's dispirited self back from the depths of her misery. Are you kidding me!? Why now!? Why you have to pop up literally from nowhere in this time of crisis, Xero!? Ugh! This is bad timing…! And I didn't bring Rianima with me if I'd known this scenario might possibly happen! !
"Who… Who is he?" He snaps out of her panicking thoughts when he heard Sakura whispered to him as she warily stares at Xero.
"H-Him?!" Shades turns to her as he replied. He answers with this appropriate statement. "He's… He's nothing good! He's the main enemy Rianima must take down to fulfill one half of my goal to save Saga!"
Sakura does remember what Rianima is so she's informed in that regard. Not so much with their goal Kotaro likely told them. "Main enemy?" She repeated curiously, becoming more wary of Xero.
"I have to make this meeting short, Tatsumi-san."
"Hm!?"
Hearing Xero speak, Kotaro and Sakura return their attention to him as he takes slow, steady steps. "I want you to hand Sakura-san to me." He requests ominously.
"Oh yeah?" Kotaro exclaimed, trying to push his mounting fear aside to challenge Xero's request and stand his ground. "Why would I hand Sakura-chan over to you when I'm sure you will kill her-!"
"Don't you dare suggest that." Xero's threatened, his voice going octaves deeper that freaks them out. It appears to go all the way round at him too as his eyes widen briefly when he realizes his voice changing its tone. "I mean… *clears throat* don't even think I'm here tonight because I want her dead, please. This I swear on my grave. I only intend to take Sakura with me somewhere far from this observatory. This site is hardly a fitting location for a second, and unequivocal, final fight I shall be having with Rianima soon, and I don't want to incur structural financial losses if I accidentally damage it."
"T-Take me somewhere far?" Sakura parroted.
"So you're going to kidnap her, then!?" Kotaro insinuated, his fear changing into outrage as he spreads his arms wide and shields Sakura with his body. "Over my dead body!"
Seeing he's not going to acquiesce to his demand, Xero closes his eyes and sighs. Even though it sounds like he's disappointed, his next words and small smile plastered on his face contradicts that notion. "…You are surely devoted to her, Tatsumi-san, perhaps to a fault. If I was a different bad guy, I would killed you on the spot… But fortunately for you, I'm not that sadistic. After all… we do 「share」 our goal in saving Saga Prefecture, even if I'm your enemy and I will end up dead, once and for all."
"Eh?" "What?" Both Sakura and Kotaro let out to their own puzzlement.
"Linkin Park!"
"GUNIGUNI!"
In a blink of an eye, Xero and Linkin Park are suddenly standing before Sakura, who recoiled so greatly she steps backward only for her back to collide with the railing. Cornered in between Xero and the railing, she had just realized she has no way to go.
"Hawawawawaaaah!"
"S-SAKURA-CHAN!" She heard Kotaro scream behind Xero, who have realized Xero swapped places with him. He quickly gets up on his feet and charge up straight to him with fists at the ready only to be suddenly paralyzed mid-charge. "AAACK, HEY! I CAN'T…! I CAN'T MOVE!"
"Ah ah ah, Tatsumi-san," Xero wags his finger mockingly without turning his face to him so Sakura wouldn't leave his sight. "I'm in a hurry, so don't force me to delay it."
"D-Don't! Don't you dare… HURT HER!" Kotaro screamed at him.
Xero quickly turns his head around and glared straight to his shaded eyes. "Suggest that within my earshot one last time and I'll shut you up. Permanently."
"E-Eeep!" Believing he's serious and really frightened out of his wits thanks to him, Kotaro closes his mouth and never said anything again. Oh crap! N-Never thought h-he's so scary up close when he s-spoke in that s-s-scary tone!
With the producer getting the message, Xero turns his face forward to address Sakura, who's stuttering in fear over what he said. His facial features softened before he gives out this statement to both of them. "Sakura-san and I will be in the forest located in Higashimatsuura district of Genkai, near a seafood restaurant. I'll be waiting."
After imparting the location, Xero, Linkin Park and Sakura vanish without a trace. With Xero gone, Kotaro is free from his paralyzing restraints, much to his partial relief as he lets out a big breath he didn't know he's holding on until he exhaled.
Deep breaths, deep breaths… Kotaro repeated as he greedily inhale large amount of oxygen to his lungs and expelling carbon dioxide to calm his beating heart. He was afraid and sure Xero was going to kill him on the spot when he threatened him. Good thing I didn't wet my pants! I hadn't brought spare pants and underwear. Many seconds later, his mind is now clear of any fear after drawing breath many times as he liked.
Pushing his glasses, Kotaro turns to the spot where Sakura was standing on. Reminding himself she was kidnapped by Xero to a forest located on Genkai's east makes his blood boil in anger. Kotaro has now a very low opinion of Xero due to his actions to seek a good death at the hands of Rianima. If that spawn of the curse thinks he can get away with attacking Franchouchou and kidnapping Sakura just to lure us for the sake of a fight so he can be killed…?! Ohhhohohohoooo! The zombie Stand Users will get your head once we found you, Xero! He clenches his fist, determination driving his body to dash out to the observatory's parking lot. I do not want to wish death on pretty much anyone, but for you Xero… I have already made you an exception since the Zombie Land Saga project started!
With that thought driving him away from the observatory, Kotaro sprints to the parking lot where his van was parked. Three minutes of running later, Kotaro made it to see Romero was obediently waiting for his return. He plans to return to the mansion, tells Rianima Sakura was kidnapped by Xero and then escort them to Genkai district. Just as he grabs the handle of the van, he heard voices coming from his side.
"There you are Shades! This is where you've carried Sakura to, huh!"
Flinching in surprise, Kotaro turns to his right and sees the zombie girls and guys marching up towards the van.
"What!? You zombies actually followed me!? Without your makeup!? !" He exclaimed, removing his hand off the handle to face them irritatingly, mostly about them not wearing makeup.
"Except me and Bucciarati-san." Ai stated.
Initially, Kotaro was about to rant at them for going out while unmasked so people will see them what they are beneath their public persona, but he realized that the zombies having found him means he doesn't need to go back to the mansion to recruit the bodyguards. He's displeased the girls also went out too and was thinking of sending them back home for their safety, but he's standing on borrowed time so he discards it.
"Ah! Good timing, all of you!" Kotaro opens the passenger door and beckoning them to get inside. "I was planning to go back to the mansion and recruit Rianima for a very important mission! One that you six Stand Users must succeed at all costs!"
"Important… mission?" Avdol parroted.
"And, Kotaro-san… Where's Sakura-san? Wasn't she with you?" Junko questioned, having noticed the red-haired girl is not present.
"Xero kidnapped her!" He swiftly revealed impatiently. "He's holding her hostage in a forest east of Genkai!"
?!
"WHAT!?" Everyone shouted in unison.
"Look, we don't have time to talk about my attempt on convincing Sakura that she does have what it takes to be an idol! Get inside the van, all of you! Work those putrid legs, c'mon! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"
The zombies didn't need to hear more of Kotaro's shouting as they get inside the van in a rush. Once the girls are in the passenger's seat and the guys entered the small pocket space, Kotaro runs around the front of the van and enter the driver's seat after pushing Romero to the left seat. He ignites the van's engines, and soon, Kotaro drives away, pushing the pedal as hard as he can in order to move down the mountain fast. At this rate, he's risking themselves flinging off the road and tumble down the rugged slope, but he, Franchouchou and Rianima are in a hurry to rescue Sakura from Xero's hands.
All they can hope during their journey to the Genkai district is Sakura being safe. This also hopefully means Rianima will finally finish Xero off so Saga becomes truly safe.
Meanwhile, two small figures scamper to the parking lot, having witnessed Sakura's kidnapping and Kotaro informing the zombies of what happened before they embark down the mountains. They were watching up from the roof of the main building when they have found Shino appearing out from the rift, which they have only learned he was capable of creating open portals three days ago. They would have then try to make him stay while either one of them go back to the pine grove and inform Emi he was found at last, but of course, they didn't get to do it after he made his exit with Kakyoin's friend taken hostage.
They have heard Shino pinpointed the place he shall be waiting. Well, even if they may haven't heard him, they just have to leave it to Emi's prefecture –wide soul sensor to sense his location. Right now, they need to hurry also since Kakyoin's friend, who they believe her name is Sakura, is in danger against the entity keeping Shino alive as a zombie.
Hartzler and Lynn look at each other and bob their heads up and down, like they are nodding in affirmation of their next course of action. The tabby cat and the great horned owl take off running or flying towards the direction of Niji-no-Matsubara to brave the mountain's slope to impart the news of Shino's appearance and kidnapping of Sakura Minamoto.
With the pieces set in their places, the final fight against Xero will soon begin…
To be continued
* Imagine Xero's second appearance like the scene where Dio Brando comes out from a horse carrier before facing Jonathan Joestar dramatically, face framing, sound effects and all.
Finished!
Continuing from the previous chapter's events, turns out Sakura suffers from a depression due to living a life full of misfortune where everything she tries to do ends in total failure, culminating in her death via a truck accident. Coupled that with her losing memories of her time as a zombie, she vows out from Franchouchou, which the girls and Rianima sans Kakyoin don't accept so they, and later Kotaro himself, tries to reassure her of her worth and the accomplishments they made. However, after Kotaro told her that he would never, ever abandon her no matter the circumstances, Xero makes a sudden appearance to capture Sakura somewhere, vanishing soon after. Kotaro, Franchouchou and Rianima would then venture onward to the site Xero disclosed while Hartzler and Lynn makes a beeline back to their home to inform Emi and Kakyoin of Sakura's kidnapping as it was depicted near chapter 37's end.
In my estimation, there will be ten more chapters left in this story, plus an epilogue. Hopefully, I can finally finish it when spring season rolls around. I can't believe this is happening. I am close in completing a single fanfic! Wish I can express my excitement more, but I would repeat the same set of phrases over and over!
The next chapter will see all the characters gather together before the final battle starts. On par with the course with the final fights of every JoJo part, I can bet it's gonna be awesome and insane. I hope I can match up with the highs of JoJo fights within the limitations of a written story, so wish me luck, everyone! You wouldn't miss this as I, at least, go all out of Living Things' final conflict before Franchouchou's big solo concert!
Adieu for now, my readers! Please stay safe and hope you enjoy the last remaining days of this year! Have a good day/night!