Chapter 28: The End of a Duel to the Death

(Kenshin twists the kodachi out of Aoshi's hands and drives the handle into his throat.)

Aoshi (thinking): Can I have... lost...

Kenshin: It's futile. Retreat! A second blow to the windpipe--

Aoshi (punching him): Not yet--!!

(They both fall.)

Yahiko: Kenshin!

Kenshin: I'm all right. (going spiral-eyed) Well, not really. But I'm fine.

Yahiko: Which is it?

Kenshin: Better than Aoshi--

(They turn to look at him, collapsed face forward.)

Yahiko: Is he dead?

Kenshin: No, just fallen. It wasn't the pain of the second blow to the throat but the breath he needed to for that last punch that caused him sharp pain, making it difficult to breathe... But in the end, his fighting heart wouldn't give up. He refused to accept defeat. (he smiles, patting Yahiko on the head.) When the Kaiten Kenbu knocked me down, your words showed a strong heart.

Yahiko (grinning): All right! Now to destroy Kanryuu and rescue Megumi!!

Kenshin: Now that you mention it, we still don't know where they are. Maybe we should try to wake Aoshi--

(they are startled to see Aoshi rising to his feet.)

Kenshin: You amaze me.

Aoshi: I was down...

Kenshin: Well... not for more than ten seconds.

Aoshi: Why didn't you deliver the final blow?

Kenshin: I'm a vagabond now. Not the Hitokiri. But even without the final blow, a man like you would understand which of us should get the victory. Answer me one thing, Aoshi. You were a great man, entrusted with the position of Okashira for the Edo Castle Oniwabanshuu. Was there no oppurtunity for you to become an officer in the new government? Why are you now a mere bodyguard? There must have been a place for you to use your own abilities...

Aoshi: That place was as distant as the mountains. I don't know where you heard about the Oniwaban, but I could have been anything from an intelligence officer to a bodyguard for important members of the government. But all the offers were only for me. Those like Hyottoko and Beshimi were considered mere one-trick ponies. Those like Shikijou were traitors. If you've seen Hanya's face you'll understand why he... And the others didn't even have a chance. How could the Okashira betray his followers for a government post? I refuse to be a traitor like the last Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu. But I understand Yoshinobu. What he did demanded total obedience. To not drag out the war and drain the country's resources was an important government decision. But I refuse this as well. When we were thrown out into the new Tokyo, the Oniwabanshuu stayed with me for ten years. One by one, they found new lives and left me. Finally there were only four left. The Oniwabanshuu, who could not fight when the time came for it, were left over. The miserable few who didn't know how to do anything but fight. I wanted at least to give them the honor of being known as the strongest--Deliver the final blow. Or I'll pursue you until I have satisfaction.

Kenshin: It doesn't matter. Challenge me, if that's what you want.

Yahiko: Kenshin!

Kenshin: But I cannot permit you to involve others in our fight.

(Kanryuu appears in the double doors, beside a cloth-covered object.)

Kanryuu: Ha--ha ha! You talk big even while you fail--you're pathetic, Shinomori Aoshi!! (confident he has their attention.) Hello. It's a shame to interrupt your talk, but I'm afraid I'll have to cut you short.

Aoshi: Kanryuu...

Kenshin: Good. I won't have to waste time looking for him.

Kanryuu: You're very self-confident. Will you be so brave when you see this?!

(He whips away the cloth.)

Yahiko: What the--

Aoshi: That's...

Kenshin: No...

A Gatling gun--!!!

Gatling gun--the weapon developed by the American doctor Gatling in 1861, which was the original form of the future machine gun. Not only was it used in the American Civil War, but as a result various forms were produced all over the world. In Japan, it was purchased in the domain of Echigo Nagaoka, during the third battle of the Boshin war by the minister Kawai Tsugunosuke, and it became a grave threat to the government army. Kanryuu: Yes, a Gatling gun! But this is the very latest model from the black market, not yet known by the armies of the world. There's no comparison to the ones from the time of the Bakumatsu. Very high-powered. Shall we try it out!!

(The gun chatters, spewing bullts. In the observatory, Megumi hears the noise.)

Megumi: Was that... gunshots? It can't be... (thinking) Ken-san...

(At the foot of the stairs, Sanosuke rolls over.)

Sanosuke: God, that's loud. Well, it woke me up, but--

Hanya (behind him): It sounds like something's going on upstairs.

Sanosuke: Hanya!

Hanya: Relax. I and Shikijou lost our battles. We have no intention of doing something so cowardly as cutting a victor's throat in his sleep. Now I'm more worried about Lord Aoshi. I'm going with Shikijou. You?

Sanosuke: You... you're not half bad, are you?

Hanya: I hear sarcasm.

Sanosuke: Nah.

Hanya: Wake up, Shikijou.

Shikijou: What, Hanya. Your face is exactly what I want to see when I wake up.

Hanya: Sheesh. If it's not one of you it's the other.