Part 153: The One-Armed Man

(Tsubame is walking along a path through a bamboo grove in the early morning. Small birds fly along her path.)

Tsubame (to the birds): Good morning. You're looking well.

(One alights on her finger and she smiles.)

(She notices Kenshin standing alone in the midst of the bamboo.)

Tsubame (thinking): Mr. Kenshin... What's he doing here so early?

(Kenshin closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and gives a mighty battle-cry. Around him, bamboo splits with the force of his ki. Tsubame screams and falls.)

Kenshin: Miss Tsubame.

Tsubame (looking sheepish): Um. Good morning...

(They set off together down the path.)

Kenshin: You're going to mow the fields?

Tsubame: Yes. If you don't take care of soy beans you won't have a good harvest. Mr. Kenshin, were you practicing?

Kenshin: You couldn't really call it training. It's just exercising strict control of my ki so my body doesn't get rusty. But let's not tell the others about this.

Tsubame: But Mr. Kenshin, of course you train your body and mind. You don't need to hide it--

Kenshin: No, but I don't want to deliberately make it known. If I don't do this from time to time, my heart's condition worsens and my mood becomes dark. The sword, the fight--a swordsman is bound to these two things by bonds he cannot sever. But since I said "I'm home" when I returned, I haven't wanted everyone to notice this...

Tsubame: Oh. I'm not sure I really understand...

Kenshin (patting her on the head): It's a little complicated. (Sorry, sorry.)

(They come to a fork in the road.)

Kenshin: Well, I'm headed this way.

Tsubame: Thanks for carrying the basket. Oh, everyone's coming to the Akabeko at five today. After that we're going to Asakusa, so don't forget. It's to celebrate your safe return... Didn't they tell you?

Kenshin: Oh, that. But are they serious? We drank all night the day we got back, and that's pretty much all we did that last month in Kyoto...

Tsubame: Mr. Sanosuke said we should. He says you can do fun stuff as much as you want.

Kenshin: All Sanosuke wants is a free meal. I wish I could learn to think like that.

Tsubame (thinking, as Kenshin walks on): The best swordsman in Japan, that Yahiko looks up to... When Yahiko grows up, maybe he'll be a swordsman like that...

(At the Akabeko)

Sanosuke: He's LATE! It's four-thirty already!

Kaoru: He still has half an hour. Anyway, you're always late.

Sanosuke: Yeah, but no one expects me to be on time.

Yahiko: He's probably just taking it easy cause of the heat.

Tsubame: Oh, it's nothing like that.

(Yahiko looks startled; Tsubame giggles.)

Tae (to Kaoru): You didn't come together?

Kaoru: No, I came straight from lessons at the other dojo.

Tae: You can't keep doing this! And you said you were getting along so well. Kenjutsu's important, but it's just not right for a girl your age. How long are you going to go around covered in sweat? If you think just because you're living together you can be careless, you're making a big mistake. Kaoru, if you'd just look after yourself a little, wear a little makeup--