Chapter 215 - "Mikka Keika" or "Three Days Passed" ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "After investigating with that thread, I suspect there's one or two in the Arakawa River Opening area" Yahiko and Misao run all over the Arakawa River Opening (Delta?) area. "Find Yukishiro Enishi's hideout! Even if Kaoru isn't there, there should be more information! For certain!" Yahiko and Misao tell each other in their minds. Misao and Yahiko sit down exhausted. "Arakawa is too big!" Misao complains. Yahiko yells back, "Don't say that! It feels even bigger that way." The comedy dual continues, "It's too hot for late summer!" "I said don't say it! It feels even hotter now." "Even then, we investigated all of this side of the river in the last three days," Yahiko says, "We only have the other half left!" Misao gripes, "But I don't think anyone will say 'yes' if we ask 'is this the hideout?'" Yahiko replies, "Don't say that either." Misao continues, "Well, we can see the reaction when we ask the question suddenly and see if they're being suspicious." Yahiko agrees and says, "Well, let's go home for today. If we don't leave now, it'll be dark by the time we get back." Misao gripes even more, "It's a problem that this is far from the dojo too." Yahiko looks towards her, "You're full of complaints today." Misao flings her arms about and whines, "Because Aoshi-sama won't pay any attention to me! He's never home at night too.. We always miss each other." Yahiko turns around, frowning "That's your real opinion, huh?" As they start walking home, Yahiko says, "You're not a kid, so bear it until we find Kaoru!" Misao yells back, "What'd you say?!" Across the sea, Kaoru is thinking to herself in Enishi's hideout. "In the end, the communication ship left and I failed to escape..." Kaoru is in the kitchen of the mansion. "It's four days until the next one comes.. Until then, I'm alone with Yukishiro Enishi here." Kaoru sighs, "It can't get more tense than it is now." Kaoru starts cutting the daikon (Japanese raddish?) violently saying, "Geez! Why do I, the hostage, have to cook for myself?! It's better than not being fed, but still! If he has the money to buy weapons, he should hire a maid or two!" Kaoru stops chopping and thinks back.. In the balcony of the mansion, Kaoru sets a tray with food on the table. Enishi asks, "What do you mean by this?" Kaoru looking unamused says, "No reason. I made it because it takes the same effort to make food for one person or two." Looking towards Enishi Kaoru says, "You haven't eaten much since you arrived here, right? I can tell because there's no evidence of anyone using the kitchen other than me." She points at Enishi, "You eat it, understand?" Kaoru walks out and thinks, "I thought about it for three days. If I pick at the weakness -- the wound in his heart -- that this man showed, I should be able to escape easily than expected." Kaoru tells Enishi (as she's walking out), "Clean up after yourself, all right?" Walking away, she continues her thought. "But.. That would be an inhumane method that's similar to the 'Jinchuu' Yukishiro Enishi set up for Kenshin. "I don't like doing things that way..." Kaoru sighs, "I think I'm being too nice.." Enishi watches Kaoru walk away. He's reminded of the time when he visited Tomoe in the mountain village. "You're hungry, right?" Tomoe asks. "Hold on. I was just making dinner right now." Enishi takes a sip of the miso soup Kaoru left. After a pause, he mutters, "It tastes awful..." Back in Tokyo at Kamiya Dojo, Misao and Yahiko see Oibore sitting inside. "Hey, Oibore!" Oibore lifts his hand and smiles to greet them. Yahiko asks, "Why are you here anyway?" Oibore sticks out his hand and says, "I stopped by on my route to my weekly begging. Give me something." Misao sighs, "I guess we have no choice. You want to eat dinner here?" Oibore bows down and thanks, "Arigata ya." [note: this refers to thanking the person, as well as thanking dieties] Oibore sees Yahiko take out his shinai in the yard and asks, "Oh, you're gonna start practicing your sword already? (as soon as you get home)" Yahiko replies, "Yeah. If I don't continue it everyday, I won't get stronger." Oibore smiles broadly, "Yep. A warrior has to become strong first." Yahiko looks at Oibore and asks, "Oibore, are you a former samurai.. a member of the warrior class?" Oibore replies, "Sort of.. But I was weak. I lost my daughter and son during the Bakumatsu commotion, and I'm like this now." "I see. You had your share of problems, huh?" Misao says. "Okay. You can think of me as your daughter today." Oibore laughs and says, "That'll be a bit difficult! Since my daughter was few hundred times more beautiful than you." Misao walks away upset, and Oibore's hat is stabbed with Misao's tobi-gunai (throwing daggers). Oibore continues talking as if nothing happened, "Well, you always encounter losing some things during your long life. As long as you don't throw 'em away, that's fine. Things that were lost can be mysteriously found again, but things that were thrown away never seem to be mysteriously found again. "I don't know what he lost, but he's stuck one step away from throwing it away." In Raku-nin Village, the men are sitting around a boiling pot. "This once-a-month nabe is the only reason to live," one says. Another man turns to Kenshin and asks, "Hey newcomer. Why don't you have some too?" Another adds, "Why don't you drink to signify our unity?" Kenshin sits in the same position and doesn't respond. "That samurai hasn't eaten anything since he came here, right? I wonder if he's gonna be all right?" A pair of birds fly overhead. One raku-nin says, "Oh, Chichun's (refering to the birds). Oibore isn't here today." The birds fly towards where Kenshin is sitting. The men are surprised. "It's strange that the Chichun's are going to someone other than Oibore," one says. Another laughs, "Maybe they're mistaking it for a corpse." Another joins his laugh and says, "Maybe it's already a corpse." "You idiots. The ones that flock around a corpse are crows," a guy (named Kuma-san) says. Looking at Kenshin, Kuma-san thinks, "Next to the brats of Shaba (old lady?), those Chichun's never came close to any of us..." One of the birds land on Kenshin's sakaba-sword, which is still chained. Night falls, and back at the Kamiya Dojo Oibore starts leaving and thanks Yahiko and Misao. "Thanks for the food. I may drop by again when I feel like it." Misao yells, "Don't come back! You good-for-nothing!" Yahiko watches Oibore and thinks, "I wonder who he is for real?" "Geez! Aoshi-sama isn't coming home again!!" Misao yells. "What, you're complaining again? You ended up complaining all day long" Yahiko responds. Another part of town.. in the graveyard, a masked person is digging. Gein laughs softly, "Now I can relax a little." A barrel (casket) is peeking out from the ground. "One shouldn't let an important thing out of one's hand..." Gein says as he lifts open the barrel. A light flashes, and a big net bursts out of the barrel. Aoshi walks towards Gein wrapped around in the net. "You came back to retrieve it, just as I suspected. After seeing the necessity of preservation of that second doll, I knew you were going to be back soon." Aoshi continues, "Tell me where Kamiya Kaoru is." A thin string whips out and Aoshi quickly steps back. The string cuts the net. "Onmitsu Oniwabanshu Okashira, Shinomori Aoshi.. It was your trick, huh?" Gein says as the net that was covering him falls around him. Aoshi's right cheek is cut slightly, and he mutters, "Zan-Kousen..." [literally: Cutting-Metal String/Line] Gein's eyes widen in fury as he yells, "Where did you hide my most beautiful masterpiece?!" - the end - chap 214 | main | chap 216 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: All images, characters, whatnot belong to WATSUKI Nobuhiro, Weekly Shounen Jump, Shueisha. Translation by Shizuki. Anyone (on SASS ML) has permission to use my translation, mirror it at another website, etc. provided that it is not used for profit or to hurt the parties listed above. All comments should be addressed to shizzie@ucla.edu Whew. Is that enough for a disclaimer?