Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Eighteen--Do you Still Have the Scar?
Part 152--Do you Still Have the Scar?
(A large steamship pulls into port.)
Passenger: So we’ve finally arrived in Osaka.
Passenger 2: Yes . . . It was a long voyage from Shanghai.
(Enishi is standing at the railing, looking out. He is dressed in Chinese-style pants and jacket, wearing small sunglasses and carrying a wrapped sword. Overhearing their conversation, he smiles slightly.)
Enishi: Long? . . Long indeed. It’s been ten years since I last saw Japan . . .
(A hot summer morning. Kenshin and Yahiko are training outside the dojo.)
Kenshin (blocking Yahiko’s stroke): Close. Try a little harder.
Yahiko: I’m not done yet!
(He whacks at Kenshin so furiously that he seems to leave the ground.)
Sanosuke (sitting on the porch fanning himself): What do you think you’re doing in this heat. (looking up) First I’ve seen you train with Yahiko. You’re not passing on the school, are you?
Kenshin: Oh, I’m not teaching him the Hiten Mitsurugi school.
Yahiko: WHAT?? (kicking Kenshin in the head) That’s what I thought we were doing!
Kenshin: (Oro!) Wait, wait, you’re growing strong under the Kamiya Kassin school, right? To that end, I thought I should do all that I can to help you. Was I wrong?
Sanosuke: You lose, Yahiko. If you don’t like it, you’ll have to beat Kenshin with the Kamiya Kasshin school.
Kaoru (coming out into the yard): Yahiko! Time for work, okay?
Yahiko: Kay, be right there. Kenshin, we’re training again tomorrow!
Kaoru (to Yahiko): I’m coming with you today.
Yahiko: What? Why?
Kaoru: I’m going to see Tae and Tsubame. So, Kenshin, we’ll be back this evening.
Kenshin: All right. See you then.
Sanosuke (getting up): Well, it’s time I got going too.
Kenshin: Oro? But there’s some youkan cooling in the well.
Sanosuke: Oh, sounds good. But today I have to get the hand checked out. The vixen will never shut up if I keep her waiting. (walking off) I’ll come by tomorrow, save some of that youkan for me.
(Kenshin watches him go; Sanosuke suddenly turns back and seizes Kenshin by the front of the shirt)
Kenshin: Oro?
Sanosuke: What do you say? (I take my food seriously!)
Kenshin: . . . Roger that.
Sanosuke (slapping him on the back): All right then. Remember, I’m counting on you.
Kenshin: I think I overestimated you a little.
Sanosuke: See ya!
Kenshin: I give up. (heading back into the house) Well then . . . Maybe I’ll do some laundry.
(At the Oguni clinic; Megumi is changing the bandages on Sanosuke’s right hand.)
Megumi: Ken-san’s acting strange?
Sanosuke: Yeah, a little. He smiles all the time, but it feels like he’s drawn a line somewhere and he’s not gonna let himself step over it.
Megumi: That’s true . . He’s a vagabond, so he could leave at any time. No more than he needs, right . . .
Sanosuke: So even though he won’t say straight out that he’ll train Yahiko, he’s been practicing with him every day since we got back from Kyoto. I think the girl’s picking up on it too, but she’s not worrying herself to death about it like before. To be nice about it, they’re perfectly natural together. To be mean, you’d think he’d finally settled down--(catching himself) Sorry. You probably aren’t real happy to hear that.
Megumi: It doesn’t matter. If Ken-san’s happy, that’s enough for me.
Sanosuke: I don’t know if you’ve had a change of heart or what, but when you try to be all cool and say “Ken-san’s happy,” you just totally screw it up.
Megumi: Maybe you’re right . . . (with fox ears) What a nice thing for you to say.
Sanosuke: (What’s with those ears?) I’m always nice.
Megumi: All right, that’s it for today. Come back in ten days.
Sanosuke: What? You mean you’re not done yet?!
Megumi: I’m treating you for free, so quit complaining! Your right hand was hurt worse than Ken-san was. (It’s not like this came out of nowhere! It’s the side effect of that Kiwami no whatever!)
Sanosuke: Oh yeah, that reminds me. It’s been bothering me lately. That scar of Kenshin’s. If it’s such an old wound, why’s it still so clear?
Megumi: Hm . . . I’m not really sure, but this is something Dr. Oguni told me a long time ago. It’s really just a superstition, but they say that if someone attaches strong feelings to a sword wound, as long as he carries those feelings, the scar will not fade.
Kyoto--
(Enishi approaches a recently-visited grave.)
Enishi (crushing the flowers beneath his feet): So it’s true that Battousai was in Kyoto.
Iwanbou (standing to his side, grinning stupidly as always): Yes. He goes by Kenshin now, but it’s him. You just missed him, he’s returned to Tokyo. The other four have gone on separately without waiting for your arrival. They’ve finally caught the trail of the man they’ve searched for since the Bakumatsu. You can’t blame them for being impatient.
Enishi: . . . I’ll ask you one thing. Does Battousai still have a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek?
Iwanbou: Yes--I didn’t see him myself, but from talk in the Shishio faction, I can say that he does.
Enishi: So it’s still there . . . Then my sister has not yet forgiven him. (turning abruptly.) Tokyo, you say. We must hurry, Mr. Gein.
Iwanbou: Yes.
(Iwanbou’s body tears apart, revealing a man inside dressed as a bunraku puppetmaster, with a skull mask. He laughs.)
translations by maigo-chan
last update 23 september 1999