* Rurouni Kenshin Manga Translation *
* Volume 11: The final curtain *
* Chapter eighty-five: With sorrow and rejoice *
Kenshin: Kaoru-dono...
(Kaoru looks at Kenshin still standing at the door frame)
Hiko: Your friends?
Kenshin: ... Yes.
Hiko: What day is today to attract such a big crowd? An entire bunch of self
inviting free-loaders.
(Misao and Yahiko winces)
Hiko: Kenshin, go to the river below and bring up two pails of water.
Kenshin: Oro?
Hiko: I only have water for one person here, surely these little kids cannot
survive the entire night on that alone can they!
Kenshin: Why must I be the one asked?
Hiko: Do you have the facial thickness to allow ladies and children the
night mountain route?
Kenshin: I did not mean that, I mean why cannot Master -
Hiko: How dare you! (points to the door) Do not continue your blabberings!
Go bring the water at once!
Kenshin: To be his disciple is a real misfortune...
(Kenshin approaches the door where Kaoru is standing)
Kenshin and Kaoru: ...
(he walks out without hindrance)
Yahiko: OEI! Have you lost your tongue!
Misao: YEH! Use your hand if you've lost your tongue!
Kaoru: Umm...
Misao: My gosh!
Yahiko: What's with the relapse at the climax of it all?
Hiko: Three of you...
(Kaoru, Yahiko and Misao turn to look at Hiko)
Yahiko: *Hiko Seijuurou... Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu's current successor...*
Kaoru: *At the same time the one who taught Kenshin all his skills'...
Master...*
Misao: *But... I have this irascible feel of suspicion within...*
Misao and Yahiko: May we know how old you are this year?
Hiko: Huh?
Kaoru: ...
Hiko: Forty-three. Is there something wrong?
(Misao and Yahiko bulge their eyes out with a thunderous background)
Yahiko: What in the world does the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu practice? Why does
this guy and Kenshin look so young?
Misao: Wait a minute! You mean Kenshin isn't a young man by any chance?
Yahiko: Of course! He's twenty-eight this year!
Misao: TWENTY-EIGHT?
Yahiko: I KNOW! The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu has a formula of ever-lasting life!
Misao: ALL RIGHT! Then I want to learn too!
Hiko: We shall proceed.
Kaoru: Yes, please do you continue.
Hiko: I know you are all Kenshin's friends, but what's with the search?
(Kaoru is speechless as Misao and Yahiko stop clammering)
Misao: (holding a ladle) Please state!
Yahiko: To let Kaoru and Kenshin meet again. (holds the ladle) Come - !
Misao: To let Kaoru and Himura meet again.
Yahiko and Misao: (both holding ladles pointed at Kaoru) Please speak!
Kaoru: ... I came here... to see Kenshin again...
Misao and Yahiko: And then?
Kaoru: Huh?
Misao: And after you meet him?
Yahiko: To request his prescence back in Tokyo again?
Misao: Or to pour out your entire woe to him?
Yahiko: And then stay to assist his mission here?
Kaoru: Huh? What? Eh? This... The reason I had for leaving Tokyo was because
I really desired to meet him again... and at that moment... I really feared
there would be no future meetings between him and me...
Misao and Yahiko: (dumb-struck)
Kaoru: At the restaurant, there was this incessant yearn to fly him a punch,
but all this vanished for the thought of futility when I met him again...
Hiko: (bringing his hand up) Umm... so it is so. I cannot figure out what is
it that blockhead has in him, but by the looks of it, that impeded disciple
of mine enjoys great popularity.
(Yahiko stands up)
Yahiko: Hey! What did you mean by that?
Kaoru: Yahiko!
Yahiko: (pointing) You may be Kenshin's master, but you can't be conscious
of his every side! The Kenshin we know is NOT a blockhead!
Hiko: Little boy, you seem to understand my impeded disciple very much don't
you?
Yahiko: LITTLE BOY?
Hiko: I lost news of him after the great governmental reform. And during
this time, what he utilized the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu I taught him to know
for... is what I as his Master wish to know.
(picture of Kenshin with two buckets of water at the river)
Hiko: (voice over) I do not wish to ask him straight in the face... I wish
to hear, while he is away, those who have been close to him all this time,
and what they have to say about him -.
Kenshin: *So Kaoru-dono and Yahiko are both in Kyoto...*
(picture of Sano in the sky)
Kenshin: *Then it would only be right if Sano would make his way here
too...*
Sano: (voice over) Of course!
Kenshin: *They have built in the problems of Shishio and me another brick
of obstacle. However...*
(some water spill out of the bucket)
Kenshin: ...
(he's back at the hut)
Hiko: (a silent) Hm.
Kenshin: ? (he stoops) Master, where must I put the water -
Hiko: Your ten years in the life of a rurouni must has gotten you all over
the country to help a number of people!
(Kenshin stares)
Hiko: Is this because of a fifteen year realization of the Hiten Mitsurugi
Ryuu's true belief? Or just to redeem yourself for all you have killed for
this new era...
Kenshin: Both points... are valid. And one more I have made known fifteen
years ago. How many people are suffering and how many are without homes?
Whatever the reason, it does not allow me to sit and watch wide-eyed!
Hiko: Hmph... You impeded disciple can really have that look when you become
serious! (he stands up) COME WITH ME! The last skill of the Hiten Mitsurugi
Ryuu, your Master shall impart to you!
(Kenshin wide-eyed in surprise)
Misao, Kaoru and Yahiko: !
Hiko: Shishio Makoto's practiced such a great sin, and we as kenkakus of the
Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu cannot just sit by and feast!
Kenshin: Master...
Hiko: Now is not the time to find another disciple for re-training. To be
very frank, the quickest way out would be my personal appearance, but as it
is, I'm too lazy to bother about such atrocities now.
Kenshin: (as everyone else falls to the ground) Master...
Hiko: Thereby you must take up the responsibility, and defeat Shishio
Makoto!
Kenshin: (looking determined)
Kaoru: (as Kenshin and Hiko leave the hut) Kenshin!
(Kenshin and Hiko turn back slightly)
Kaoru: I disregarded the danger and flew to find you in Kyoto... are you
angry... ?
Kenshin: A little. However, also a little... loosened of the pressure...
Kaoru: (staring in anticipation and surprise)
Kenshin: Shishio and his gang are in every corner, and you all must be very
careful where you tread.
Misao and Yahiko: (locking arms) Relax! With us around Shishio is nothing!
Kaoru: *Kenshin, you are still unwilling to turn back and release me a
smile... but... but...*
Bright spark
Hiko: Before we start, I have something to clarify first. If you do attain
the final technique, then the difference of you and I shall only be in the
words 'senior' and 'junior'.
(he strokes his chin)
Hiko: Hang on a mite, it should not be as exaggerated as that. You still
have a long way to go if you wish to surpass me!
Kenshin: ...
Hiko: However, you must not lose yourself because of that.
(Kenshin snaps)
Hiko: Do not think that your own sacrifice and bearing down everything will
save this new era you call Meiji.
(side view of Hiko)
Hiko: Similarly, a person's happiness shall be forced breathless because of
you. If you truly offer yourself up, then she who has came the long way from
Tokyo just to see you one more time shall thereafter lose her happiness.
Kenshin: Master... you mean...
Hiko: (unsheathing his sword slightly) However strong you become, you are
ultimately still a man with flesh and blood, you need not transform yourself
through the maze of deities or be over indulged.
(he pulls his sword out)
Hiko: I have finished my words. BEGIN!
Kenshin: (sweating)
Yahiko: Ummmm -...
Kaoru: What's wrong with you, Yahiko? *Bearing with your bowels?*
Misao: You've been 'um'ing since the beginning of time.
Yahiko: I remember there's an important matter to inform Kenshin about...
*Bearing my bowels your head!* Um - (eyes wide open) Um...
(getting agitated)
Yahiko: Of course! It's Aoshi! Shinomori Aoshi! That dangerous man's in
Kyoto for Kenshin!
Misao: (gigantic snap)
(Aoshi stands in a clearing with the wind blowing)
Aoshi: ...
END TRANSLATION
(c) Nobuhiro Watsuki Translation: ruroken@geocities.com
(
geocities.com/athens/olympus) (
geocities.com/athens)