Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Twenty-Four--End of the Dream
Part 215--Three Days' Work
Based on what I've found, I'm guessing he'll have a base in the Arakawa rivermouth area.
(Yahiko and Misao charge through Arakawa.)
Find Yukishiro Enishi's hideout!
Even if Kaoru's not there, there'll be some clue!
There has to be!
(They collapse, out of breath.)
Misao: Arakawa is too big!
Yahiko: Don't say that! You'll make it seem bigger.
Misao: Late summer is too hot!
Yahiko: Don't say that! You make it seem hotter.
Misao: But over the past three days we've checked this whole bank.
Yahiko: Just the other bank left! Half there!
Misao: But it's not like we can say "Is this the hideout?" and they'll say "Why yes it is" . . .
Yahiko: Don't say that either.
Misao: Well, we could spring a question suddenly, and if their response is suspicious we could check it out.
Yahiko: Anyway, let's head home. If we don't get going it'll be dark before we get back.
Misao: The dojo is so far . . .
Yahiko: All you do is complain.
Misao: But Lord Aoshi doesn't care at all! He's always gone when we get back! (We're like two ships in the night . . .)
Yahiko: So that's it. You're not a little kid! Put up with it until we find Kaoru!
Misao: What?!
(On the island, Kaoru stares out at the empty bay from the kitchen window.)
Kaoru (thinking): So in the end the ferry left. My escape was a failure. Four days until the next one comes . . . Until then, I'm alone here with Yukishiro Enishi. Not a good situation . . . (chopping angrily at a radish) So why does his precious hostage have to cook for herself! Cooking is harder than selling arms! If he has all this money he should hire a maid! (she stops.) Come to think of it . . .
(Enishi is on the balcony; Kaoru brings him a tray with some rice, miso soup and fish.)
Enishi: . . . What are you doing.
Kaoru: Nothing. Only if you're cooking for one you might as well cook for two. You've barely eaten anything since you've been here. I know no one's using the kitchen but me. So eat up!
(She turns to go.)
Kaoru (thinking): I've thought about for three days--the weakness I saw in him--if I attack the scars on his heart, it could make my sudden escape easier than I thought-- (aloud) You can wash your own dishes. (thinking) But . . . this doesn't change the fact that his Earthly Justice was a cruel trick on Kenshin . . I don't like this. (sighing) I'm too nice . . .
(Enishi remembers Tomoe greeting him long ago: "You must be hungry. Wait a minute, I was just making dinner . . .")
(He picks up the miso soup and sips it.)
Enishi: It tastes bad . . .
(When Yahiko and Misao arrive at the dojo, Oibore is sitting waiting for them.)
Misao: Oibore!
Oibore: Hey.
Yahiko: What are you doing here?
Oibore: On my weekly begging rounds. Give me something?
Misao: Oh, well, you want dinner?
Oibore: Thank you, thank you. (noticing Yahiko taking out his shinai) Oh, sword practice?
Yahiko: Yeah. If you don't do it every day, you'll never get good.
Oibore: Right! A warrior must be strong.
Yahiko: Oibore . . were you a samurai?
Oibore (pausing): Well, yes . . . but I was weak. I lost my daughter and my son, and you see me now . . .
Misao: Hmm . . . I guess a lot's happened to you . . . (closing her eyes dramatically) All right! From now on, you may think of me as your daughter.
Oibore: Oh, I could never do that! My daughter was a thousand times prettier than you.
(Misao storms off after sticking his hat full of kunais.)
Oibore: Well, if you live long enough, you lose a lot. Just as long as you don't throw them away. Whatever you live, you'll find again, but what you throw away you never get back. I know he's lost things, but he hasn't yet taken the step of throwing them away . . .
(In Rakuninmura, the men are gathered around a stewpot, eating and drinking.)
Man: Man, this is good! It's these stews every month that keep me going.
What about you, new guy?
Isn't it about time you had a drink with us?
(Kenshin is silent.)
Men: He's completely helpless.
That samurai hasn't eaten a thing since he got here . . . wonder if he's okay.
(Oibore's songbirds fly overhead.)
Man (to the birds): Oibore's not here.
(The birds fly on to hover around Kenshin.)
Men: That's strange . . . they'll only come close to Oibore.
Maybe they think he's a corpse!
A corpse! He'll be one soon enough.
Kuma: Idiots. It's crows that flock to corpses.
Man: Kuma . . .
Kuma (thinking): First the kids from the outside, now the birds that never got used to us . . .
(A bird alights on the hilt of Kenshin's sword.)
(At the dojo, Oibore is getting ready to leave.)
Oibore: That was quite a meal. I'll come by next time I'm this way.
Misao: Don't come back, you bum!
(Yahiko watches him go thoughtfully.)
Yahiko (thinking): . . . Who is he really?
Misao: Wait--Lord Aoshi never came home!
Yahiko: You're whining again. You really have been whining all day.
(In the graveyard. Gein digs until he uncovers a coffin.)
Gein: That's a relief. You really shouldn't let the important things go--
(When he lifts the lid of the coffin, a weighted net shoots out to engulf him.)
Aoshi (stepping out of the woods): You came back for it . . . When I saw that the second doll needed preservation from decay I guessed you wouldn't be far . . . Tell me. Where is Kamiya Kaoru?
(Gein slashes his way of the net, cutting Aoshi's cheek slightly.)
Gein: Okashira of the Oniwabanshu spies Shinomori Aoshi . . . So this is your work.
Aoshi: Diamond-edge wire--
Gein: Where have you hidden my creation of artificial beauty?
translations by maigo-chan
last updated 22 feb 2001