Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Twenty-Four--End of the Dream
Part 213--Bargaining Point
(They stand outside the police station.)
Yahiko: All right . . . Let's do it.
Misao: You really think this is going to work?
Yahiko: Yeah, we'll get in.
Misao: Right!
Yahiko: Go!
(They charge off.)
Megumi: You sure they're okay?
Aoshi: It's their plan. Let them do what they want.
(Inside, Chou slumps in a chair while Saitou reads his report.)
Chou: Oh man I'm tired. I been running around all day . . .
Saitou: . . . Hm. It's not enough. (He tosses the report aside.) You don't have enough evidence. You'll have to go out again.
Chou: What!! What's wrong with the stuff I already got?
Saitou: I can't bring anyone in on this.
Chou: Forget it! Being an undercover agent sucks!
Saitou: You always say that. Stop talking and work.
(There's a knock on the door.)
Voice: Delivery . . .
(Yahiko bursts in, wearing a false mustache and glasses and carrying a big tray.)
Yahiko: Got your order of soba right here!
Misao (similarly disguised): Order up! Here's your nice fresh sushi!
Yahiko & Misao (thinking): We're in! Now if we can just lure Saitou out--
Saitou: It's the Kamiya brat and the girl from the Aoiya.
Chou: What do you want?
Yahiko & Misao: They guessed right away?!
Saitou: It doesn't matter, just get them out of here.
Misao (tearing aside her disguise): Well if we have to--
Yahiko: We'll do this by force!
(Chief Uramura enters with Megumi and Aoshi.)
Chief: Inspector Fujita, you have guests. (noticing Yahiko) Oh, you're here too.
Yahiko: How could you let Aoshi in here?!
Chief: Well, I heard all about everything from Miss Takani and thought I should let him have a look.
Yahiko: You're too trusting!
Saitou (to Aoshi): I see you got sick of meditating.
(A little later. The soba & sushi are gone.)
Saitou: What do you want? I don't have time to waste with you. Get to the point.
Yahiko: We don't have much time either, so tell us quick. Where is Yukishiro Enishi now?
Saitou: I have no reason to tell you. Go home.
Misao: That's too quick!
Yahiko: We're not asking you to tell us for free. What if we had important information to trade?
Saitou: Would it be something like, Kamiya Kaoru is still alive?
(Yahiko and Misao are struck dumb.)
Saitou: Guess it was.
Aoshi: How did you know?
Saitou (tossing down some papers): Look at these. Documents found in the cellar of Yukishiro Enishi's hideout.
Chou: If it's my work, you know it's the best.
Yahiko: What, you're a spy for Saitou now?
Misao: That is so uncool.
Saitou (as Aoshi reads): An almost impressive document detailing Kamiya Kaoru's physical appearance. And what could be learned from the confiscated Iwanbou third model. A mysterious hollow large enough for one person was found in the belly. If you think about it, it all makes sense--
Megumi: Then why haven't the police done anything?
Saitou: The search for Yukishiro Enishi takes priority over the verification of the life of one girl. That's the circumstances we're working under.
Misao: What? That's your reason?
Saitou: All right, all right. I'll look for Kamiya Kaoru when I have the time. Now go on home.
Misao: No way. You think that's good enough?
Yahiko: Saitou. Then what about this. If you tell us where Yukishiro Enishi is now, you can leave the search for Kaoru to us. Then you can concentrate on finding Yukishiro Enishi with a clear conscience . . .
Saitou: Hm. In other words, I can abandon the search for Kamiya Kaoru.
Yahiko: Yes. Kaoru's our friend. Wherever she is, we'll do everything we can to find her!
Saitou: Fine. With the condition that you stop bothering me, I accept. At the present time, we're not sure of his location.
Misao: What!?--After all that?
Saitou: Listen. He's an arms merchant. He deals in guns and artillery. It would be too obvious if he had to ship goods overland from the Japan Sea coast to Tokyo. I'm sure you can work the rest out yourself.
Megumi: If a land route is too difficult then . . . a sea route!
Saitou: Congratulations. The correct answer. I'm guessing he has a base at the Arakawa rivermouth. If that turns out to be wrong, the most likely base for a sea route--
Yahiko: Arakawa! Let's go, Misao!
Misao: Right behind you!
(The adults watch them go.)
Saitou: I suppose they're got guts at least . . Shouldn't you be looking after them? They're your responsibility.
Aoshi: Really? I think this is best. If they act now, it'll lead to a way out. They're at a point where they can understand that. The boy who looks up to Battousai understands a little.
Saitou: But if Battousai is broken, what then? I'd heard he was in Rakuninmura. Has he still given up?
Megumi: You've heard? Haven't you seen him?
Saitou: If he died now, it would just mean he'd lost. That dandy said it before--our fight boils down to a matter of survival.
Aoshi: Battousai isn't so weak he'll die here. You've known him the longest. You should understand that. The match is still to come . . .
Saitou: That's fine. These things should be settled face to face.
Aoshi: While we're here, let me ask one thing. Are the police are putting their full strength into finding Yukishiro Enishi because of the risk he'll flee to Shanghai? You have no authority overseas, much less there.
Saitou: Actually, it's the opposite. The organization's number two . . . We've received word that he's left Shanghai for Tokyo. It seems they've decided to open a real market in Tokyo. I can close my eyes to Yukishiro Enishi's precious little Earthly Justice, but I can't allow that. Their organization hasn't been around long, and the scale won't be large, but it will be powerful. They won't just circulate weapons, but prepare special, individually designed skills. That's what the weapon that the one-armed man received from Yukishiro Enishi is. The strength of an Armstrong cannon is in local conflict. If it were used them, fighting would reach new heights . . .
(Kujiranami sits alone in his cell.)
Kujiranami: Ba .. tou-sai . . .
(Megumi and Aoshi are walking out of the office.)
Megumi: So what do we do now?
Aoshi: We can leave the search of the rivermouth to the other two. I'm going to lay a trap, as I originally planned.
Megumi: Hm. But, like Yahiko said, you can't know when that will--
Aoshi: No. There are circumstances that won't allow him to wait. I'll catch him soon.
(A small sailing ship sails into the inlet on Enishi's island.)
Gein: Finally . . . I've been waiting.
(Kaoru sees it as well.)
Kaoru (thinking): It's here . . . My chance to escape!
translations by maigo-chan
last updated 30 jan 2001