Chapter 47: Sanosuke and Nishiki-e (the End)

(The large building of the Department of the Interior. A few nightwatchmen stand outside the gates.)

Sanosuke: It's time.

Tsukioka: Let's go.

(A bomb explodes.)

Guards: What was that?? A bomb!!

(Further explosions.)

Guards: More explosions! They're still out there! Call all guards to the gates!

Sanosuke (as they rush in): You adjusted the length of the fuse to make them go off at different times. Good thinking.

Tsukioka: If we can get inside we've got it! The office will be smashed to pieces! The race is on to beat the guards here! Get out of the garden now! Don't stop!

(He reaches the high outer wall and sets his back against it. Sanosuke puts his foot into Tsukioka's cupped hands and leaps to the top, turning to help him up.)

Sanosuke (thinking): Before the Sekihoutai was formed, I heard the captain used arson and theft against the Bakufu, but... (out loud) What's wrong, Katsu? What did you stop for...

(Kenshin is standing on the other side of the wall.)

Sanosuke: Kenshin...

Tsukioka: You beat us here... who are you?

Kenshin: Himura Battousai. Once the legendary Hitokiri.

Tsukioka: Really... the Hirokiri Battousai we heard about... You came to bring Sanosuke back?

Kenshin: No... that is for Sano to choose. There would be no sense in my doing so. I am here to stop your crimes.

Tsukioka: So the Ishin Shishi again stand in our way. But, this time (producing two bombs) we cannot lose! Take this!

(He lights the fuses and throws them. Kenshin shears the fuses off and they fall harmlessly to the ground.)

Kenshin: Yes... and so I cannot overlook your foolish behavior in silence.

Tsukioka: Enough of your fancy talk!!

(A storm of bombs; a storm of severed fuses. Finally Sanosuke puts out the fuse on a bomb Tsukioka is about to throw.)

Sanosuke: Leave it there. You can't beat him. This is taking too much time. The guards'll be back in a minute.

(He punches Tsukioka in the stomach.)

Tsukioka: Sa... no...

Sanosuke: Don't think badly of me.

(Tsukioka collapses.)

Sanosuke: Sorry I had to make trouble for you, Kenshin. Hey. If I'd gone along with him, you'd have taken me out too, right?

Kenshin: Yes... because I couldn't let this halfhearted conspiracy go by. Forgive me.

(Sanosuke smiles, very faintly.)

Sanosuke: Thanks.

(Later. Tsukioka groans, then sits bolt upright.)

Tsukioka: This is... my room. (He catches sight of the now-empty closet.)

Sanosuke: If you're looking for the bombs, Kenshin took them all. He's going to find some out of the way spot and bury them.

Tsukioka: Damn him! That government dog!

Sanosuke: That's not it. He's like us, he has to think about how the government should be... no. As one of those who built today's government, he can, more than us...

Tsukioka: What are you blathering about? How are we like the Hitokiri... !!

Sanosuke: I know. The Hitokiri began the killings of the new era; he did a lot of dirty things. So, he couldn't watch the Sekihoutai do something dirty in silence... Hey, Katsu... they say the captain and the Sekihoutai did something dirty. That's not what the captain hoped for. He lived for the ideal of equality for the four classes. Now, after so long, we can't live for dirt.

Tsukioka: This has nothing to do with being dirty or clean! It doesn't matter what the means are as long as we achieve our ends!

Sanosuke: Then the Sekihoutai really would become a false government army. If you say the government is dirty, you can't sink to their level. No matter how carefully or deliberately, that's the way it is. We have to revive it in a way that would make the captain smile on this world.(leaving)

(Later. Kenshin and Sanosuke walk through the market.)

Kenshin: So what did Tsukioka Tsunan do after that?

Sanosuke: I don't know.

Kenshin: Oro?

Sanosuke: We had different opinions, so we split up. It'd be awkward to meet again.

(They come upon the nishiki-e booth.)

Merchant: Oh, if it isn't you again. Glad to see you.

Sanosuke: What is it?

Merchant: Yeah, Mr. Tsunan asked me to give you this. It's his last nishiki-e. I don't know what he's thinking. Suddenly out of the blue, he tells me he's going to start an illustrated newspaper to protest government wrongs. I couldn't change his mind so I said I'd let him go, but... Oh well. He was a popular artist.

Sanosuke: Yeah, too bad.

(His last picture is of Captain Sagara, smiling calmly.)

Tae: Tsunan's last picture! Please!

Tsubame: I want it too...

Sanosuke: No way!

Kaoru (shocked): Tae...