Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translations
Volume Eight--On the Meiji Toukai Way
Part 65--Each on Their Way
Today is the third day since Kenshin left the Kamiya dojo. He should already be on the second half of his journey, but--
Misao: Himura. Hey, Himura. It's lunchtime already. It's time to eat. Hey! Hey, I'm talking to you. Hey! (losing her temper and throwing a kunai at him)
Quit ignoring me!
Kenshin (bleeding profusely): Ohhhhh (that hurt!)
Misao: What! You're deliberately walking through the forest. You're still trying to lose me,
aren't you!
Kenshin: It's not deliberate. It's just that cutting through the forest is quicker than
returning to the road. By evening we'll be back on the highway, but I hadn't
intended to stop until then. You can eat while you walk, so if you have food, please go
ahead.
Misao (pulling out a packet of food): I see. Let's go, then.
(little arrow--Hardtack. At the time, it was round.)
Misao: What about you? (Aren't you eating?)
Kenshin: Unfortunately, I didn't bring a lunch.
Misao: Oh. But these are mine, so I'm not giving you any.
Kenshin: Yes, yes.
Misao: But, if you tell me about Lord Aoshi, I'd be more than happy to share.
Kenshin: That's all right.
Misao (taking a bite): I wonder what they're doing right now . . .
(Elsewhere, Sanosuke fells a tree with a punch and another with a kick.)
Sanosuke: No. Just destroying nature isn't training. (he plunks himself down.) Think about
it. I never did any training besides fighting all the time, so I don't know
what to do. On top of that, I definitely should be on the Nakasen Way, but I
was in the woods before I knew it. Well, let's figure out where Kyoto is.
(digging a magnet on a string out of his pack) That's north . . . Kyoto is west, so it must be . . .
that way. All right! On to Kyoto!
While Sanosuke is lost--
(At the clinic, a patient sits nervously with a pile of powder on his head. Megumi absent-mindedly applies a match to it.)
*At the time, acupuncture and moxibustion were part of the doctor's arts.
Doctor: Megumi!! What are you doing??
Megumi (thinking): I wonder if Ken-san's all right . . . Just Shishio's faction would be bad enough, but Shinomori Aoshi's after him too. (aloud) I'm
worried.
(The patient runs around screaming; the doctor rushes in with a bucket of water.)
As Megumi's worries become worse--
(A ship at sea. Yahiko is sick in a bucket.)
Kaoru: Are you all right, Yahiko?
Yahiko: I'm not all right. I didn't know a ship would shake like this. You look fine.
Kaoru: I'm a little seasick, but it's not going to bother me. Those two days when I was cowering worried everyone, so I decided I'm not going to whine
anymore.
(Yahiko smiles; and is sick again.)
Kaoru is back to her old self again, and Yahiko is almost dead of seasickness.
Kaoru (thinking): That's right. I'm not going to whine anymore. I have to be stronger too! And then I'll see Kenshin again . . .
(back on the road)
Misao: Then there's Hanya. He's a really great kempoist. I learned from him.
Kenshin (looking all over, and finally finding a snake): It's a pit viper. (Careful, careful.)
Misao: I'm telling you about everyone, so listen up! Jeez, I'm getting to the good stuff
about Lord Aoshi too.
Kenshin: Aoshi . . .
Misao: Exactly. He became the Okashira at a really young age. He was a genius among geniuses as a spy. A master of kempo and the kodachi. He's serious, he
takes his responsibility seriously, and he's kind and always thinks of the group. But on the surface, as the leader that unifies the Oniwabanshuu, he appears
completely emotionless. To encourage them before battle he has a forced smile of self-confidence, but he never really smiles. He's probably this way now. But
someday I'll find Lord Aoshi's hidden smile and--Hey!!!
(Kenshin is already pushing on.)
Misao: What, you'd rather walk on than listen to me talk? You'd rather push through the
grass and--huh? (thinking) Come to think of it, yesterday he was walking through this
kind of forest with no trouble. Why today-- (aloud) Hey. Why're you deliberately
wasting time by beating a path through the grass?
Kenshin: It's easier for you to walk this way.
Misao (thinking): If he was trying to lose me, he could do it whenever he wanted. His
personality is completely different, but he's a little like Lord Aoshi the
way his real feelings don't come to the surface. (aloud) I changed my mind. You're
probably hungry, Himura. I'll show some mercy. (holding out a donut)
Just one, though (the rest are mine.)
Kenshin: Thank you. (There isn't something in this to make me confess, is there?)
(Misao: Don't take it then!!)
(A noise behind them)
Misao: Himura, what was that--
Kenshin: Shh. Be as quiet as you can and separate yourself from me.
Misao: Someone really is after you?
Kenshin: It's all right, hurry. (thinking) This is bad. If I'm attacked now Miss Misao will get involved. I can't stop it. (running towards it) Better get a
head start!
Misao: Wait! I'm one of the Oniwabanshuu! I can help--
(She enters a clearing. Kenshin is standing before a man slumped against a tree, holding a sword and bleeding from a dozen places.)
Misao: Is he dead?
Kenshin: No, but . . . (to the man) Do you have something left to say? Since we were brought
together like this, I'll do all I can.
Man: Please . . . (he is holding a boy cradled in his arm) My brother . . . and the village. Save them from Shishio's men . . .