| Not Without my Daughter | The Epoch Will Come |
Not Without my Daughter
In the autumn of the 14th Year of the Taisho Era, Sakura was writing a letter to her family. On another sheet of paper, she wrote 'Bride', 'Marriage', 'Match-make' and 'dislike'.
Later, one of the Team Kaze members overheard Yoneda's conversation with Sakura and quickly misunderstood that Sakura was going to get married and Yoneda would be representing as her father in place of Kazuma (Sakura's late father). Though Team Kaze vowed to keep it a secret, one of them told Maria, who was very shocked. Unable to keep it to herself, Maria told Kanna, who accidentally blurted it out to Sumire, who told Orihime & Leni, who told Iris & Kanna. In the late afternoon, Koran decided to test her invention 'Spill your hearts out'. Inside, she unknowingly (because the invention turned out to be a gigantic loudspeaker) screamed out that Sakura was going to get married and all sorts of food, including roast pigs' would be there during the celebration. Luckily, the entire town thought that the next Hanagumi play was 'Roast Bride'. However, everyone was annoyed with Koran for leaking out the secret and nearly causing a sandal.
To make things worse, everybody was forced to act normally whenever Sakura or Yoneda was around.
At the train station, Oogami went to set Sakura & Yoneda off to Sendai while he travel off to Yokosuka for a class reunion. During the journey, Yoneda remembered promising Kazuma to look off Sakura if anything were to happen to him. Although Yoneda protested against Kazuma's intentions, he reluctantly agreed for he knew that it was the destiny for those who inherited the 'Haja (Slaying the demon)' blood.
Meanwhile, Team Hanagumi soon discovered that Sakura and Yoneda had left the theater.
Soon, they arrived at Sendai and the preparations of the wedding ceremony was proceeding as planned. Seeing the similar appearance between Sakura & the bride, Yoneda told Sakura that he wished Sakura would find a husband and happiness in the future. Sakura replied that she's happy to be part of Team Hanagumi.
The Epoch Will Come
Team Hanagumi were completely demoralized at the thought of Sakura's marriage and entire retirement (since those days, women were supposed to retire from their jobs after marriage). However, they had to respect Sakura's decision. After all, each of them would have to face this someday in their lives.
At the Shinkuji residence, Sakura was preparing herself in the ritual of 'breaking and rejoining the link', a traditional ritual for any women marrying into the Shinkuki family. The groom's family would wear masks on their faces while the bride's family wore none. Then, both of the groom and bride would draw a circle on white sheets of paper. With a sword, Sakura sliced the bride's paper in half, resulting in a semi-circle. This half sheet would be placed onto the groom's paper, resulting as a whole circle. This signified the breaking of the ties between the bride and her family as she rejoined her ties with the groom's family. By that time, the eldest of the Shinkuji family (Sakura's grandmother) would announced that the bride is officially a member of the Shinkuji family.
Meanwhile, Team Kaze found something 'important' in Sakura's trash bin. On a sheet of paper, were the words, 'Bride', 'Marriage', 'Match-make' and 'Dislike'. Everybody found it very disturbing especially the word, 'Dislike'. Instantly, Sumire 'linked' and 'deciphered' the words into one clear message - Sakura had been forced into marriage! Without wasting time, Team Hanagumi set out to rescue Sakura using the battleship, Shogeimasu.
Back to Sakura, Wakame (Sakura's mother) talked to Sakura about marriage. Sakura's grandmother interrupted and said that marriage would be a different issue for Sakura. As the head and successor of the Shinkuji family, she would have to lead the family. If she wish to be married, the groom must be married into the family. However, Sakura felt that it's impossible due to her heritage of the Haja blood. Later, Sakura's grandmother told Wakame that she hoped that the destiny of those with 'Haja' blood would end with Sakura for she couldn't bear to suffer another loss (for it was the ill-fated destiny of the 'Haja' descendants to sacrifice themselves whenever the demons attacked humans). It was not only her wish but Kazuma's wish as well.
On the way home, Wakame commented that the lifestyle of women had changed, including the values they believed in. She asked Sakura on her beliefs. Looking up in the sky, Sakura saw the battleship, Shogeimasu. She replied that she believed in Team Hanagumi.
The next day, Yoneda scold Team Hanagumi for creating a scene. Though the military tried to keep their presence a secret, the Sendai residences were already flooding the outer courtyards of the Shinkuji residence. In order to calm the fans, Yoneda proposed that Team Hanagumi to give them a performance.
In a twinkling of an eye, Team Hanagumi gave their most brilliant performances accompanied one of their song 'Yume no Tsuzuki (Continuation of a dream)'. After their performances, they managed to return to Tokyo where they set off Oogami to his new post in Paris.
And that's when the new Saga of Sakura Taisen will begin!
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