Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Twenty-Five--Truth
Part 227--Four Days and One Man
(A calm day on the deserted island. Enishi slowly pulls himself into stance,
then strikes a tree with his sword, knocking it into splinters.)
Kaoru (from a window, behind him): I'm surprised you can already move like that.
I suppose you're not the kind to send your enemies salt.
Enishi: It's no thanks to your bad cooking.
Kaoru: What! Don't eat it then! You only ever eat about half of it anyway!
(Heishin, with his four massive bodyguards, approaches.)
Heishin: I'm sorry to interrupt, boss.
Enishi: Heishin.
Heishin: A word.
(He eyes Kaoru.)
Heishin: What's going on here?
Enishi: None of your concern. What is it?
Heishin: We failed to take care of Gein, and he's revealed the location of our hideout.
The Japanese police seem quite capable.
Enishi: I see. But that has nothing to do with me. The organization is yours to do with as
you wish.
Heishin: Of course. But there's one more thing. At around the same time, the one-armed man
stole a weapon and went on a rampage through the city.
Enishi: Kujiranami . . . he was crazy to start with. So? Did he die?
Heishin: No. I don't know all the details, but a swordsman with a scar on his left cheek
played a role in bringing him in.
Kaoru: Kenshin!
Heishin (glancing her over again): Hm. I thought you might have something to do with that.
(turning to go) The police and that man are on their way, so you'd better do what you can.
Of course, the island's a natural prison, so the best plan might be to wait.
Enishi (thinking): Battousai . . . recovered?
(Tomoe looks down at him, unsmiling.)
Enishi: That's it. Now I understand. That was why. A living hell was nothing!
I'll send him to the real hell--that's what my sister wants! If I kill him with my own
hands, she'll smile for me again! If I kill him--!
(A cool summer breeze blows through the Ogata clinic. Kenshin and Yahiko are both asleep
in hospital beds; Megumi and Tsubame tend to them.)
Megumi: I'll leave them to you. If anything happens just call.
Tsubame: Okay.
(Megumi goes outside to where the others are waiting.)
Misao: I thought we were good to go. But all he's done is sleep for three days straight.
Megumi: That's not surprising. His wounds from the fight at the dojo were untreated, and
then he went without food or water for so long. The wounds to his heart were even worse.
And . . .
Misao: And?
Megumi: Nothing. We just have to wait until he wakes up, that's all.
Misao: Right! And once he wakes up, we're off to rescue Kaoru!
Saitou (walking down the hall towards them): Four days. In four days' time we can launch
a special unit to land on the island. If he wakes up in time, we'll take you with us.
If not, you'll have to get there on your own. Now that we're back to where we started,
I don't feel like being fool enough to hope the dice come up the same again.
Misao: What?! But Himura just came back!
Megumi (looking at Saitou): You're in a bad mood, aren't you. (Of course, you're always
like that.)
(Saitou recalls Kenshin's words: "I cannot. Whatever the reason, I will not kill again.")
Saitou (thinking): So deep down that's what you are . . .
Misao (as she and Aoshi set off home): Okay, we'll be back tomorrow!
(She skips along happily.)
Misao: Well, a lot happened, but now all be gotta do is wait for Himura.
Aoshi: No.
Misao: What's that?
Aoshi: His wounds were severe, but that doesn't mean we're not taking him with us.
Misao: . . . You're right. You're right. He's the one that fought the hardest.
(Tsubame, watching Yahiko sleep, takes his hand in hers.)
(Megumi is getting ready to go home as well.)
Megumi (thinking): There's just four more days. And one more person.
Shinshuu. A waystation on the Kaidouzoi.
(In the small country town, something of a crowd has gathered in the streets.)
Tough: Whadduya you think yer doing! Get out of here! Nothing here to see!
(A heavily-built man--Fudozawa--is menacing a girl.)
Fudozawa: Don't look so tense. I just want to talk to you.
Girl: If you want to talk, you can talk to my dad!
Fudozawa: Your dad would rather throw a punch than say a word to me. If I try to talk to
him we'll just end up fighting. Not that I wouldn't mind fighting, but killing
him won't solve anything. I thought I'd give him a message for you to deliver.
Especially since he's got such a sweet little daughter.
(A voice from inside a nearby bar): Shut up.
(A moment of silence.)
Tough: Hey, who's there! You think you can talk to the demon-killer Fudozawa like that?
Come on outta there--
(One punch sends him flying. A pissed-off Sanosuke appears in the door.)
Sanosuke: Maybe you didn't hear me. So any of you want a fight, I'm in! A coupla country yakuza
might pass the time better than drinking!
Truth--End.
translations by maigo-chan
last updated 30 may 2001