Part 154: Revenge's Signal Flare

Enishi: I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Kujiranami.

Kujiranami: Who are you? Why do you know my name?

(Enishi only smiles.)

Kujiranami: If you don't have anything to say, get out of here. I'm waiting for someone.

Enishi: If you mean Mr. Gein, he's looking for a place with rooms for six people. It's our first meeting, so I wanted a really first-class hotel.

Kujiranami: Then you're the one Gein was hinting about, the sixth, the one coming from Shanghai.

Enishi: Not the sixth. Strictly speaking, you'd have to call me the first. I couldn't leave Shanghai because of my work, so Mr. Gein's been handling things on my behalf, but I'm the one behind it all. I've covered all the expenses. But there won't be any leaders or underlings among us. We're all comrades, working for the same goal.

(A pause.)

Enishi: How was the Akabeko? According to Mr. Gein, Hitokiri Battousai has relations with the shop.

Kujiranami:... It's a good place. It's been a while since I've eaten a meal in peace, like a human being.

Enishi:... So, you wish to bow out?

(Flashback. Battousai slices off Kujiranami's hand. He kneels, clutching his bleeding wrist.)

Kujiranami: Give me the final blow. The Ishin Shishi have won at Tobafushimi; it's all over. The coming age will be like this battle--an age of guns, without skill or soul... I have been a warrior all of my life! I have no wish to see this age! At least let me die here, by the hand of the one they call the strongest. Finish me.

(Battousai turns away.)

Battousai: I'm sorry. I don't want to kill anymore than I have to. Live, in the new age...

Kujiranami: Wait, Battousai! It's not enough that the Ishin Shishi have stolen my honor? You would even steal a warrior's death? Battousai!!

(in the present)

Kujiranami: No!

(Enishi smiles again.)

Enishi: The wind's picking up. Please be very careful not to miss.

Kujiranami: A stupid request.

(He pulls the bandages off his right wrist, revealing a cap and peg stitched to the flesh. He picks up a cannon barrel and sets it on his arm.)

Kujiranami: The weapon is a part of me--Kujiranami Hyougo will not miss!

Enishi: Then I ask this of you, Mr. Kujiranami. With your new right arm, set off the signal flare of our revenge.

(Kujiranami bares his teeth in a grin.)

(Kenshin and others are walking home.)

Kaoru: Look! Fireflies!

Tae: How elegant... Why don't we stop here for a while?

Sanosuke (who is carrying Yahiko piggyback): Yeah, so I can put this drunkard down.

Kaoru: That's not elegant...

Yahiko: Wha' the hell you talkin bout. Whose drunk, rooster head?

Sanosuke: Oh, okay, okay. In that case you're getting down.

Tae: Kaoru, come over here!

(Kaoru joins Tae and Tsubame playing with the fireflies.)

Sanosuke (to Kenshin): Kay, so what's up. I know you're hiding something. It's normal for you to suddenly go all dark on me, but today you've been unbelievable.

Kenshin: That's a little rude.

Yahiko: Yeah, yeah! You get any darker, you'll turn into Aoshi!

Kenshin: That's rude to Aoshi. (If Miss Misao were here she'd hit you.)

Sanosuke: I don't care what you keep from the girls, but if you're trying to hide something from me--if you still see me as a weak point--I'm gonna find out what it is even if I have to beat it out of you.

Kenshin: You're right... I'm sorry. It's something I should have told you.

(He explains.)

Sanosuke: So that whale-mouth's arm is your work. But he didn't notice you, right? Then aren't you letting it get to you too much? I mean, I know this stuff has been weighing on your mind for a long time, but still.

Kenshin: But--

Sanosuke: No buts. It's about time you got used to peace. Look over there.

(Kaoru, Tae and Tsubame are laughing among the fireflies.)

Sanosuke: You see the shadow of war in any of that?

(Kujiranami fires.)

Kaoru: What was that?

Tae: Fireworks?

Kenshin: No... I remember that sound. (thinking) That distinctive thunderous peal... That's one of the three great weapons of the Bakumatsu.

Kujiranami: A hit.

Enishi: Well done.

Kenshin (thinking): An Armstrong cannon!