Rurouni Kenshin Chapter 227: Four More Days, One More Person This brilliant translation was taken from Miko's RK translations at http://rka.crosspaths.net//trans/trans.html. Needless to say, copyright of this translation belongs to Miko so please email her to show your appreciation! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Side Text: Though each have their own reasons for fighting, it is the same future that they are looking fixedly at! Title Page: Rurouni Kenshin - Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Act 227: Four More Days, One More Person Side Text: Even the lone island of imprisonment is visited by a subtle change... On the island, seagulls are soaring above the beach, and the sun shines brightly down on the mansion. Enishi, his sword poised, his eyes focused, practices his Watou Jitsu on a tree -- the trunk shatters into mere splinters at the force of his attack. He pauses, panting from the exhertion.... His eyes are downcast as Tomoe's image appears in his mind, wearing an expression of sadness. Enishi: (.......................) Behind him comes a voice. Kaoru: *looking out of a window on the ground floor of the mansion* I was surprised. You can move like that already. I guess, after all, that I shouldn't have helped you. [Yup, she's still wearing that fluffy bathrobe. ^_^;] Enishi: This has nothing to do with that terrible food that you serve. Kaoru: *angry* WHAT! Then don't eat it! You never finish the food I serve you, anyway! Enishi just looks back at her, unmoved, not angry nor affected. At that moment, Heishin arrives with his four body guards. Heishin: Boss, sorry for coming while you are busy. Enishi: *looking over* Heishin. Heishin throws a glance over at Kaoru. Kaoru braces herself, looking back a little indignantly. Heishin: There is some small matter that I would like to speak to you about. Enishi: What's that? If it's got nothing to do with you, what is it? Some small amount of time passes, enough for Heishin to relay the first part of the news. Enishi: The base at the Arakawa River was busted? Heishin: Seems like they found out where the base was from Gein whom we failed to finish off. The Japanese Police are not ones to be underestimated. Enishi: That's true. But it's none of my business. The organization will soon be yours anyway, so you can do what you will about this. Kaoru is still sitting at the window, leaning on the window sill on her elbow, looking bored. Heishin: Of course, that is what I plan to do. But there is one more thing I wanted to tell you about. At the same time, it seems that a man with a weapon attached to his arm was going beserk in town. Enishi smiles. Enishi: Oh, it's Kujiranami... And so what happened after he went crazy in the streets? Did he get killed? Heishin: No. I don't know any of the details, but it seems like a swordsman with a cross scar on his left cheek appeared and settled the whole incident--- Both Enishi and Kaoru wear similar expressions of surprise.... Kaoru: *crying out happily despite herself* KENSHIN!! Heishin throws Kaoru a slightly condescending glance. Heishin: ......Hnn. So it seems like this is about the Boss' private matter. He turns and starts to leave with his bodyguards. Heishin: I think that that man and the police are going to come here soon, so as the boss, please do something about it. Well, since this island is a natural fortress, I think that the best strategy would be to just wait for them to come and not move rashly. Ignoring Heishin, Enishi only looks shocked... Enishi: (........ Battousai has come back to life...?) Tomoe.... her expression a mix of sadness and... disappointment...? Something clicks in Enishi's mind, and he starts to smile... Enishi: Is that so. I understand now. So that's what it's all about... Kaoru looks at him, surprised. Enishi starts to grin maniacally, looking at the blade in his hand. Enishi: It's not enough to send him to a living hell. I must send him to the real hell quickly. That is my sister's true wish. Kaoru: *terrified* !! Enishi: *eyes wild* If I kill that man with these hands of mine, my sister will smile for me once more...! If I kill that man---! In the Oguni Clinic, a breeze brushes the windchime that hangs by the window. There are two patients in a room, one on each bed: Yahiko and Kenshin. Both of them seem to be asleep/unconcious. [Note: Kenshin's hair is down!!] Tsubame is holding a basin of water as Megumi starts to leave the room. Megumi: All right. I'm leaving the rest to you. If there's anything, just call. Tsubame: Okay. Misao and Aoshi are waiting in the hallway as Megumi emerges from the room. Aoshi is leaning against the wall, his arms folded. [Note: they're all wearing closed-end slippers] Misao: He just collapsed after that. But even so, he's been sleeping for three days straight now. Megumi: That's not so unreasonable. His wounds from the fight at the doujou hadn't been treated at all, and he has been going without food or water. And more than that, the psychological wound that he took was really great. Megumi looks worried for a moment. Megumi: And also---... Misao: *puzzled* And also? Megumi: No, it's nothing. For now, let's just wait for him to wake up again. Aoshi glances over at Megumi, as if seeing straight through her. Misao, on the other hand, is excited. Misao: That's right! Even though he's like this now, when he wakes up, it'll be time to go rescue Kaoru-san! Someone else comes down the hall with slippered feet. Saitou: Four days. He passes the three who are in the hallway, speaking as he keeps walking, not stopping for a moment. Saitou: *cigarette held between his lips* Four days later, an elite task force from the police station will be going to the island. If he makes it in time, then we will take you all along. If you don't make it in time, then you'll have to figure out what to do on your own. Saitou: I have no intention of going along with an idiot who keeps returning to the beginning, throwing the same dice over and over again. Misao: *pissed off* What the hell was that, Himura finally came back to life! Megumi: *resigned, not too flustered* It seems like he is somehow in a bad mood. [small words: Though he's always like that.] Saitou takes his cigarette from his lips and holds it between his fingers, in thought. In his mind's eye, he sees once again the resolution in Kenshin's eyes when he faced Kujiranami the day before... Kenshin: *quiet and resolute* I refuse. No matter what happens, I have no intention of killing anyone any more. Saitou says nothing. His eyes seem to carry the weight of the years, his face covered by shadows. Saitou: (So in the end, is that your beginning----....) The cigarette falls from his fingers, wisps of smoke fleeing from it as it burns still. Misao and Aoshi depart from the clinic. Misao: Bye now. We'll come again tomorrow. Misao marches happily ahead of Aoshi. Misao: *cheerful* Well, lots of things have happened, but all we have to do now is wait for Himura to wake up. Aoshi: *expressionless* No. Misao: *blinks, pauses for a moment* Oh, that's right. Aoshi: Though his wounds might be serious, we can't not bring him along. Misao: That's right. That's right, isn't it. He worked the hardest of all of us... In the clinic, battered, bandaged, lying on a bed is Yahiko. He seems to be asleep. Beside the bed is Tsubame, sitting there, watching over him. She smiles, placing her hands over Yahiko's, a tear in her eye. After seeing Misao and Aoshi off, Megumi breathes a sigh. Megumi: (Well, for now, there's four more days...) She furrows her brows. Megumi: (And... one more person---...) In Shinshuu, in a post town along the highway. There seems to be many stores around there, and many travellers pass through the streets. The people stop and stare as some bullies seem to be harassing a young girl who is standing in front of a sake house [sake: japanese wine]. She shouts loudly. Girl: What do you want! I said get out of my way, so move aside! Goons: Hey, hey, nothing to see here! Boss: You don't have to get so worked up. I only want to talk to you for a second. The girl is holding some kind of a package as she is confronted by a heavyset man who seems to be the boss of the gang. Two other goons are hanging around him, one of whom is carrying a stick. Girl: *defensive* If you want to talk, then talk to my father! Boss: *grins threateningly, rubbing his chin* But your dad is someone whose uses his fists even before he uses his mouth, so talking to him turns into a fight immediately. There's nothing we can do about it! Boss: Well, I'm also better at fighting than I am at talking, but if I kill him, then there's no point to it at all! I thought that I'd leave a message, and though the contents are the same, it will be his cute daughter's---... Behind the door of the sake house that they are standing in front of, comes a voice. Voice Behind Door: Shut up. Both the girl and the boss turn towards the door, the girl anxious and the boss suspicious and slightly surprised. One of the goods gets pissed off. Goon: What is this! How dare you talk back to the Onidaoshi no Fudousawa-san of this post town! [speculation: onidaoshi-- someone fierce enough to 'defeat a demon'; fudou: immovable, can also mean real estate as in 'fudousan'] He throws the door open, ready to drag the offender out into the street. Goon: Hey, who the heck are you, come on out..... What awaits the goon is a hard punch right into his face! The goon falls backwards at the impact, blood spurting out of his nose. Goon: *falling back* !! Enraged, Sanosuke emerges from within the sake house. His eyes are dark... his expression not unlike that of Anji when he was furious. His holds one fist clenched as his other hand holds a cup of sake. Sano: I said shut up, can't you hear? If you're picking a fight, then I'll take you up on it! Even though I have country yakuza for opponents, it'll still be a better form of entertainment than drinking sake! [yakuza: gangster, mobster, triad member] *End Act* --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to Main [1]