Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Eighteen--Do you Still Have the Scar?
Part 153--The One-Armed Man
(Tsubame is walking along a path through a bamboo grove in the early morning. Small birds fly along her path.)
Tsubame (to the birds): Good morning. You’re looking well.
(One alights on her finger and she smiles.)
(She notices Kenshin standing alone in the midst of the bamboo.)
Tsubame (thinking): Mr. Kenshin . . . What’s he doing here so early?
(Kenshin closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and gives a mighty battle-cry. Around him, bamboo splits with the force of his ki. Tsubame screams and falls.)
Kenshin: Miss Tsubame.
Tsubame (looking sheepish): Um. Good morning . . .
(They set off together down the path.)
Kenshin: You’re going to mow the fields?
Tsubame: Yes. If you don’t take care of soy beans you won’t have a good harvest. Mr. Kenshin, were you practicing?
Kenshin: You couldn’t really call it training. It’s just exercising strict control of my ki so my body doesn’t get rusty. But let’s not tell the others about this.
Tsubame: But Mr. Kenshin, of course you train your body and mind. You don’t need to hide it--
Kenshin: No, but I don’t want to deliberately make it known. If I don’t do this from time to time, my heart’s condition worsens and my mood becomes dark. The sword, the fight--a swordsman is bound to these two things by bonds he cannot sever. But since I said “I’m home” when I returned, I haven’t wanted everyone to notice this . . .
Tsubame: Oh. I’m not sure I really understand . . .
Kenshin (patting her on the head): It’s a little complicated. (Sorry, sorry.)
(They come to a fork in the road.)
Kenshin: Well, I’m headed this way.
Tsubame: Thanks for carrying the basket. Oh, everyone’s coming to the Akabeko at five today. After that we’re going to Asakusa, so don’t forget. It’s to celebrate your safe return . . . Didn’t they tell you?
Kenshin: Oh, that. But are they serious? We drank all night the day we got back, and that’s pretty much all we did that last month in Kyoto . . .
Tsubame: Mr. Sanosuke said we should. He says you can do fun stuff as much as you want.
Kenshin: All Sanosuke wants is a free meal. I wish I could learn to think like that.
Tsubame (thinking, as Kenshin walks on): The best swordsman in Japan, that Yahiko looks up to . . When Yahiko grows up, maybe he’ll be a swordsman like that . . .
(At the Akabeko)
Sanosuke: He’s LATE! It’s four-thirty already!
Kaoru: He still has half an hour. Anyway, you’re always late.
Sanosuke: Yeah, but no one expects me to be on time.
Yahiko: He’s probably just taking it easy cause of the heat.
Tsubame: Oh, it’s nothing like that.
(Yahiko looks startled; Tsubame giggles.)
Tae (to Kaoru): You didn’t come together?
Kaoru: No, I came straight from lessons at the other dojo.
Tae: You can’t keep doing this! And you said you were getting along so well. Kenjutsu’s important, but it’s just not right for a girl your age. How long are you going to go around covered in sweat? If you think just because you’re living together you can be careless, you’re making a big mistake. Kaoru, if you’d just look after yourself a little, wear a little makeup--
Kaoru: That’s enough! I’m fine! Maybe you should be worrying about yourself! You’re turning 2** this year!
(Tae turns to stone.)
Tsubame: Kaoru, you can’t say that!
(The door opens.)
Sanosuke: Hey, you made it.
Kaoru: Ken--
(A very large, well-muscled man, Kujiranami, stands at the doorway. Bandages are wound around the stump where his left hand should be.)
Tae: Welcome, sir! What can I do for you?
Yahiko: What a businesswoman!
Kujiranami: The cheapest meal you have . . .
Tae: Right away.
(She brings out the meal.)
Yahiko: Hm? That’s salmon. Isn’t the cheapest meal barley?
Tae: It’s okay, I’ll charge him for the barley.
Sanosuke: That’s enough. If you’re just feeling sorry for him cause of how he is you can stop that right now. Shallow sympathy like that just looks like scorn or pity. Especially to a rough guy like him--
Tae: That’s not it! He probably fought in the Boshin or the Southwest war. It’s thanks to people like him that we live in peace. The least I can do is show my thanks--
Sanosuke: Sympathy or pity? He’ll let you know.
Tae (to Kujiranami): Here you are, sir.
Kujiranami: . . . I asked you for the cheapest meal.
Tae: Well, that’s . . .
Kujiranami: Thank you, miss.
Tsubame: Oh, I’m so glad.
(Tae (grinning): Love and peace, yay!)
Yahiko: I think she’s just happy he called her miss.
Kaoru (knuckling Sanosuke): See, people can tell what you really feel. But I guess after what we’ve been through it’s hard not to doubt people.
Sanosuke: Guess so.
(Outside)
Old Lady: Thank you very much. I know my way from here.
Kenshin: The streets downtown are tricky. Be careful.
Old Lady: I will.
Kenshin: Well then . . . I’m a little late, but I think I’ll make it.
Kujiranami (getting up): That was delicious.
Tae: Oh, are you leaving? I was just getting you your tea.
Kujiranami: The sign outside says you close today at five. I don’t want to get in your way.
(As he leaves, Kenshin comes in, so that for a moment they face each other. Kenshin looks startled, but Kujiranami just walks on.)
Kenshin (thinking): There’s no mistaking him . . . That’s the man I--
Kaoru: What’s wrong, Kenshin?
(flashback to the Bakumatsu. Kenshin and Kujiranami are fighting in the streets. Kenshin takes off Kujiranami’s left hand with a massive upward stroke.)
Kenshin (thinking): He didn’t realize I was Hitokiri Battousai . . .
(Later that night)
Mt. Ueno--A large hill standing on the northeastern side of Tokyo, where the Battle of Ueno in the third stage of the Boshin War was fought.
Even in the modern age, the people of downtown Tokyo are very fond of it as one of the famous sights of Tokyo, with Kanei Temple at its peak and Shinobazu Lake at its base.
(Kujiranami climbs the hill to find Enishi waiting for him at its peak.)
Enishi: How was the Akabeko, Mr. Kujiranami?
translations by maigo-chan
last updated 23 september 1999