Chapter 30: Two Destinies--Aoshi

Sanosuke: Aoshi's gone?!

Chief: There's no windows... and no one's gone in or out the doors.

Sanosuke: He's really gone!? How'd you let him escape?!

Chief: Don't be foolish! We have every exit covered. It's impossible that anyone could have gone in or out without our noticing. The perimeter of the mansion is also secured.

Yahiko: Well, then he really is a spy. He disappeared like smoke...

Kenshin: No... there's another entrance below us.

Megumi: Kanryuu's secret passage! While we were in the observatory and the police were entering, he got out through the passage in the roofspace! It goes from the roofspace, through the walls and comes out in the woods. I'll take you there!

(In the woods, a square of turf has been dragged aside to reveal a shaft with a ladder.)

Megumi: The door's open. He came through here.

Chief: Search the area! He can't have gone far! Don't let so much as a cat escape!

(Aoshi appears standing atop a wall, holding the four heads of the Oniwabanshuu. The police freeze at the sight.)

Chief: What are you doing? Seize him--

Sanosuke (silencing him): Stop, or he'll just kill them. (to Aoshi) It's not your fault. You couldn't stop the Gatling gun. They died for you, but they don't want revenge.

Kenshin: Aoshi... if you can't forgive yourself, then fight me again now. Fight and destroy me. And lay the name of "strongest" on their graves.

Aoshi (turning away): Battousai. Until I kill you, no one will.

(He disappears.)

Chief: He's getting away! Follow him!

Megumi: Kenshin...

Kenshin: It's all right. Comforting words will do no good now.

Megumi: But now it'll be you he's after!

Kenshin: I'll be all right. Now this time, let's really go home.

(At the Kamiya dojo. Kaoru greets them with open arms, all ten fingers bandaged from her cooking efforts.)

Kaoru: Welcome back!!

Kenshin: We're home.

Kaoru: Ouch, you really look hurt...

Kenshin: Miss Kaoru, your fingers...

Kaoru: Oh yes! There's breakfast and I prepared a nice hot bath after your hard work. Help yourselves!

Sanosuke (passing her by): I'm tired, I'm going to bed. (Lemme borrow a futon.)

Yahiko: Me too.

(Kaoru (looking heartbroken): But, I worked so hard... )

Kenshin: I'd like a bite to eat.

Megumi: I'd like something too... if it's all right.

(They look at her in surprise, and then smile.)

Kaoru: Of course!

And so the curtain closes Megumi: This tastes terrible.

(Kenshin restrains the furious Kaoru.)

On the matter of the opium and the two destinies of the fight to the death. (Later. Megumi is about to leave with the doctor.)