"It no longer surprises me." "The smell of blood is as common as the smell of white plums." "Mankind lives in the hell of being slaughtered by bandits." "He lives in the hell of being sold into slavery." "Yes, it happens every day." "In the past, and in the future." "My sword is guided by the teachings of Hiten-Mitsurugi." "Yet, many times, I cannot use it to save even one person's life." "Not one living soul." "It is enough that I bury the corpses, I suppose." "I notice you've made graves for the bandits as well as your family." "They were slave traders, not my family." "I was sold to them after my parents died of cholera." "After they died, there were no bandits or slave traders." "Just dead bodies." "What are these stones for?" "Kasumi-san, Akane-san, Sakura-san." "I only met them yesterday, but I wanted to protect them." "I was the only boy in the group, but they tried to protect me." "They said, "Please spare the child."" "I was too young to help." "I wanted them to have special graves, so I wanted good stones." "Those are the only ones I could find." "I don't even have flowers to put on them." "It is unfortunate to enter Nirvana without having tasted good sake, so this is my tribute to them." "Thank you." "I am Hiko Seijuro." "I'm an itinerant swordsman." "Swordsman?" "My boy, you failed to protect something very delicate." "You were entrusted with those three lives." "Your tiny hands will remember how heavy their bodies were, but you will carry the far heavier weight of their lives with you forever." "You have already carried them." "Now, you must acquire the strength to support yourself and protect others." "Then, you will be able to live your life, and defend cherished lives." "Defend cherished lives?" "What's your name, boy?" "Shinta." "Much too delicate a name for a swordsman." "From now on your name will be Kenshin." "Kenshin..." "I am going to teach you, boy." "Teach you my forte!" "Rurouni Kenshin:" "Romantic Tales from the Meiji Era 1864 (Genji 1)" "I'm sorry, we're running late." "We should hurry up now." "I've heard the good news, Kiyosato." "You're to be married next month." "Yes..." "Your lovely childhood sweetheart will soon be your wife." "You're a very lucky man." "Thank you." "I feel badly about it, though." "If so many people are miserable, why should I be this happy?" "What are you talking about?" "The world is always in a terrible condition." "That shouldn't stop a man from being happy, should it?" "I will return no later than next Spring." "We must try to be patient, both of us." "I'll bring you back a ground cherry from my travels." "You are Shigekura Jubei-dono of the Kyoto Shoshidai, are you not?" "I have come to inflict the punishment you deserve, old man." "Assassin!" "You think you can change the world with the cut of your sword?" "Who are you?" "Answer me!" "Get away!" "You must not die now!" "Shigekura-san!" "I must not die now." "I will not die." "Surrender." "I will not!" "I cannot die." "I cannot die yet!" "I do not want to die." "I will not." "I refuse to die!" "I do not want to die." "Not yet." "Not now." "Do not let me die." "Tomoe..." "Himura, are you hurt?" "Not seriously." "I can't believe someone was actually able to mark you." "He must have had great skill." "No." "Just spite." "Iizuka-san, clean this up if you please." "Hey!" "Now, attack me!" "Faster!" "He will grow stronger." "No one can improve his skill with a sword without desiring to become stronger as well." "This boy desires nothing more than to increase his capacity." "He is pure." "Yes, he is so pure that I would almost call him a simpleton." "The principle of Hiten-Mitsurugi Ryu states:" ""The sword of Mitsurugi should be wielded for the people of the world."" ""For the protection of the weak."" "It's been a long time." "Someone was actually able to hurt you, were they?" "It was due to my carelessness." "Iizuka, who was this swordsman?" "A bodyguard of Shigekura Jubei of the Kyoto Shoshidai." "He's now deceased." "Is something wrong?" "No, quite the contrary." "I am attending a meeting tonight with Toshimaro and Miyabe-san." "Important matters of our clans' policies will be discussed." "You want me as your bodyguard?" "No, I want you to attend this meeting as my adjunct." "Oh, good for you." "No thank you." "I am your assassin." "That is the only way I can serve you." "If there is nothing else, I will excuse myself." "Come back here!" "Excuse us, Sir!" "What an obstinate attitude!" "How dare he repay your kindness with that kind of response?" "Kihei-tai?" "Yes, these will be all the bullets we will need." "They are the best." "They often exhibit extreme power." "This is what we will use to smash the Bakufu at last." "Certainly more appealing than tired, old samurai, but can you be sure?" "You're always so reticent." "Next!" "What's that boy doing down there?" "The "ki" in "kihei" is the same as "ki" in "kibatsu"." "How about that?" "Takasugi..." "I know you saw him with those wide-open eyes of yours." "That boy..." "I want him to come to Kyoto with me." "I cannot allow you to leave this mountain." "Master!" "While we discuss philosophy, scores of people are being crushed by the disturbance each day." "We must use our power now!" "Mitsurugi swordsmanship must be used to protect the innocent, right?" "You contemptuous whelp!" "What will you do after you lend your arm to this disturbance?" "If you want to affect a change in the current crisis, you will have to join one side or the other." "Therefore, you will also be used by those who hold the power down there." "I did not teach Mitsurugi swordsmanship to you so you could tarnish it that way." "You should not pay any attention to these external distractions." "Concentrate on your training!" "People are being oppressed all around us." "They are suffering." "I cannot just turn my back on them!" "I will not!" "Mitsurugi is the most powerful form of sword technique." "It is the black ship of absolute power that sails the land." "That's why we should use it now!" "To protect the people from these painful times!" "That is the purpose of the Mitsurugi technique!" "Swordsmanship is a method of murder, do you hear me?" "You can decorate it with all sorts of pretty words, but that is what it is." "Kill some people in order to protect others." "Murder some to save all." "That is the final principle of all sword technique." "As you know, I have murdered hundreds of evil men, but they were all human beings." "They were merely trying to live their lives the only way they knew how." "If you leave this mountain, you will live a life of murder under the direction of men who write their own justice." "If you throw your lot in with them, the Mitsurugi technique will make you a mass-murderer." "You may be right, but I want to rescue with my own hands those who are suffering!" "Many people, countless lives, as many as I can!" "I want to be their savior!" "I must leave in order to do so!" "Master!" "I am wasting my breath on a simpleton like you!" "Go!" "Go wherever you want to go!" "Thank you very much." "That half-witted pup!" "He has decided to live according to his own principles." "Because he is so pure, he has no other choice but to do this foolish thing." "Hey, you're bleeding." "It's so nice with the sun shining!" "It is!" "The snow is starting to melt!" "Wait!" "I wonder if it will be nice tomorrow?" "Well, I hope so." "Here they come." "Saitou-san, is something wrong?" "I thought I smelled blood." "No, Saitou-san, it is only because you have cut down so many men recently!" "Okita-kun?" "Yes, Sir?" "Before you speak you should taste your words to make sure they are palatable." "Yes, yes!" "Who do they think they are?" "Walking down the street like they're emperors." "Tonight, okay?" "I smell perfume." "It's white plum." "I'm surprised you are familiar with such a sensual scent." "Look at her!" "Nice, eh?" "Well, I'll see you later." "Oh, my!" "I saw the Mibu wolves coming down the street today!" "I was so scared I moved to the other side of the road!" "I heard that they've been performing summary executions of patriots lately!" "That scares me!" "Cherry blossoms in the Spring, and starry skies in the Summer." "The Autumn brings the full moon." "The Winter brings the snow." "These things make sake taste good." "If you don't like sake, then there is something wrong with you." "Someday you will understand how to taste it." "Then, we will enjoy it together." "That woman is bad news." "I know, but I can't forget about her." "You're good, but lately you've been absolutely incredible." "What do you mean?" "You don't even give them a chance to scream anymore." "Hey, what's wrong?" "There's a superstition that goes like this." "If a wound is made by the sword of someone with a strong hatred, that wound will not heal until revenge has been exacted." "A wound?" "Strong hatred?" "Exactly, it may never go away." "Sister..." "Still cleaning up?" "I heard that the meeting the other night went very badly." "What happened?" "Well, Miyabe-san and Katsura-san got into a very intense argument." "Miyabe-san and his group are planning some sort of major disturbance here in Kyoto." "What does Katsura-san think?" "He says we should wait and see what happens." "One of the envoys told me that the argument got so heated that" "Miyabe-san almost drew his sword." "That doesn't sound good." "That's an understatement." "I am going to be straight with you." "Are you willing to kill people?" "There is no point in mincing words." "I will need you to murder people for me." "However, in order to create a new world, we must first destroy the old one." "It is not pleasant, but it needs to be done." "You told me you wanted to use your skills to protect people." "I am asking you if I can borrow those skills." "Will you kill people in order to create a new world?" "Will you do it?" "Hey, boy!" "Who are you?" "I'm Iizuka, examiner of assassinations." "This is your first assignment, right?" "Hold yourself together." "There are some that become insane or make themselves sick after their first job." "I'm fine." "I'm stronger than I thought." "Good." "You need to be quick, accurate and certain for this work." "No point in staying around after the work is done, so let's get the hell out." "If there is a new world that can be created by my sword, a world where anyone can live peacefully and without fear..." "If my arm can create that world," "I will..." "I will serve as Heaven's justice." "I will kill." "What do you think of the boy?" "He's perfect." "To be honest with you, he is the most prized member of my Kihei-tai." "But I will let you have him on one condition." "What is it?" "The boy's soul will be ruined by this work, you know?" "Therefore, you must keep your life clean and virtuous." "Promise me you will never again draw your sword." "As the leader of the Choshu clan, I have no intention of drawing my sword again." "Can I have your word on that?" "You have my word." "My life as a swordsman ends tonight, Takasugi." "Good." "Now, you can concentrate on leading the Choshu clan in the dying days of the Tokugawa Shoguns." "I will handle everything else." "Thank you." ""Though I die and my body decays in the fields of Musashi,"" ""my Japanese spirit will live on."" "Master, the Shogunate had you put to death in the worst of fashions, but your honorable ideas live in me." "Insanity!" "Absolute justice may appear to be insanity at times!" "That is what motivates the Choshu clan and myself, master!" "Go with him." "He will take care of you." "If I sleep late, I may miss the rest of my life." "You are truly a born killer, my boy." "You killed all of those men, and didn't get one drop of blood on your clothes." "Let's go drink sake together." "No thank you." "Suit yourself." "I can easily drink alone." "I'll see you later." "He's been with us for a year." "He has grown, but he looks different in more ways than that." "His mind remains the same, without stain or regret." "So, he pleases you, right?" "No, he will start to feel divided inside." "Part of him will be his true self." "The other part will be a ruthless murderer." "Shinsengumi?" "No, you are like me, a hired assassin." "I really must go back tonight." "We will hold Miyabe-san's group back for the time being." "And warn the men to be cautious about the Shinsengumi." "I will." "Are you finished for the night?" "I am finished talking about the world for the night, yes." "Would you like another sake?" "No, thank you." "It does not taste good to me tonight." "Are you all right?" "What a ridiculous idea!" "To burn Kyoto to the ground!" "You..." "You made it." "You made the bloody rain fall." "She saw me!" "Should I..." "Kill her?" "That smell." "Flowers for sale!" "Beautiful flowers!" "Flowers for sale!" "Welcome home, Mr. Himura." "Madam, prepare a room for her please." "Choshu soldiers are so restless." "You kill all night, and now you've found yourself a woman." "Hurry and get a room ready." "There are no vacancies." "Absolutely no vacancies." "This isn't a whorehouse, anyway." "Why don't you take her to your room like a gentleman?" "I'll bring you some hot water and fresh clothes." "Are you finished?" "Thank you very much." "I'm done, but..." "What do you want to do about this?" "Hey!" "Are you feeling better?" "I'm sorry, I was drunk last night." "I know you took care of me." "I should be more careful." "What is your name?" "It's Tomoe." "Yukishiro Tomoe." "She was drunk?" "More?" "You're new around here, right?" "My name is Tomoe." "What a beautiful girl!" "It's very nice to meet you." "Hey." "I hear you brought her home with you last night." "Where did you find a desirable woman like that?" "I bet she has some stories to tell." "So, how did she taste?" "The landlady told me." "You had her in your room all night, didn't you, Himura?" "Don't scare me like that!" "You made me swallow the plum pit." "Well?" "What is it?" "Forget what you saw last night, and leave this place immediately." "Does my presence bother you?" "Your family must be worried about you." "I'm a lost cat." "If I had a home, I wouldn't have been drinking sake late at night." "Has your wound stopped bleeding?" "I hope so." "This is yours, isn't it?" "Yes." "Kyoto is a dangerous place." "That will be useless to you in a place as wicked as this." "You should find another place to live, a place where you will not need that at all." "A place where there are no assassins?" "Is that what you mean?" "A lost cat?" "Yes." "Are you going to hire her?" "Do you have to ask?" "You're the one who begged me to make a place for her here, aren't you?" "That was last night." "It was an emergency." "I appreciate that you and the other men are such good customers for my inn, but you keep us very busy and we are extremely shorthanded." "Do you know how much you all eat?" "I've been watching her." "She's a very good worker so far." "Everyone has things in their past that they would like to keep secret." "That's no reason for me to put her out." "Good, I found you!" "What is it?" "Katsura-san and Katagai-san have returned." "Perhaps this woman is bringing softness to his eyes." "Who is that woman?" "Is she the one the men are snickering about?" "That's her, all right." "Iizuka-san!" "She smells of white plums." "Katsura-san!" "I'm not casting aspersions on her." "Iizuka, check out her background just to be safe." "Yes, Sir." "Himura?" "Yes, Sir?" "We didn't come here to talk about that woman." "You killed a man last night." "Yes, just as we planned." "I mean the man who tried to kill you on the road last night." "We didn't have time to clean that one up." "Please don't be mad at me." "I didn't know that we needed to keep an eye on you all of the time." "Who do you think he was?" "Your opinion." "An assassin sent by the Shogunate." "Shinsengumi?" "No." "I've never seen a swordsman as brutal as he was." "I would guess that he..." "Belonged to the Niwaban-Shu." "Yes." "Only a few select members of our clan know about your existence." "I can't see how anyone would know to send an assassin after you." "There might be a traitor among us." "I think he's right." "This is a critical matter that requires my personal attention." "For now, concentrate on the Shinsengumi, and allow me to investigate this." "Understood?" "Yes, Sir." "Himura?" "Yes, Sir." "Spring will soon be over." "What?" "The pomegranate trees are blossoming." "What have you discovered?" "It's clear from her accent and manner that she isn't from Kyoto." "I'm certain that she was educated in a fine home." "She has beautiful handwriting." "I thought she might be from a samurai family in the Kanto region." "However, I could find no record of her identity anywhere." "And the Yukishiro name does not appear in any of the samurai family registries." "I asked around in the whorehouses about a woman who smells of white plums, but no luck there." "She could have destroyed her records." "If she were a spy." "Well, she hasn't been seen talking to anyone from the outside, so it's unlikely that she's a spy." "My guess is that she is the daughter of a poor, old samurai." "He probably sold her into prostitution for money, and she drifted here." "That sort of thing happens every day." "I see." "Is that all you have for us?" "That's the best I can do." "Thank you, anyway." "Be careful, Kogoro." "Politicians in our hometown are starting to become restless." "They are not sure if the Tokugawa Shogunate will move against the Choshu." "Matters are very unstable as it is." "My sixth sense tells me something." "We need to keep an eye on Miyabe-san and his men." "For now, we need to be patient." "Is it bad news?" "My letters haven't contained good news for many years." "Really?" "What about the ones I wrote you?" "Those were different." "How is Takasugi-san?" "He's in bad shape." "He can't have contact with women for fear of spreading his disease." "Even with his consort?" "I feel sorry for her." "Uno understands." "Does she?" "Shinsaku is..." "He is like a brandished sword." "No one can deter him from his way." "I see." "If Takasugi-san is like a brandished sword, then perhaps Uno-san could be a sheath for him." "A sheath?" "Perhaps so." "His bones were cut, weren't they?" "Yes, it was obviously a Jigen technique swordsman." "No." "You're wrong." "We are the Shinsengumi!" "Surrender in the name of the Kyoto Shugoshoko!" "The assassin probably swept Soudou-kun's first attack." "Hey, are you all right?" "If he had received the blow from a Jigen swordsman, he might have had his sword cut in two, but..." "The level of skill is higher." "Remarkably so." "Had I known a swordsman of this caliber was out there," "I would have accompanied these men myself." "Who could have done this?" "A ghastly man." "That much is certain." "Ambushed again!" "This time, by the Shinsengumi!" "I'll take the news to Katsura-san myself!" "There are spies among us for sure!" "You should patch your wound before you clean your hands." "You are still awake?" "We may be in separate rooms, but it doesn't matter." "I can't sleep when you are out." "Do not concern yourself with me!" "Somehow, I feel that I am going to dream of the bloody rain tonight." "Sleep well." "Good night." "What did Katsura-san say to you, then?" ""You must remain calm, and refrain from action until I instruct you further."" "That's all he said." "What does that mean?" "We can't do anything?" "Why?" "The Shinsengumi are killing patriots in the clans every day!" "Now is our chance!" "We should attack them first and stop them now!" "He's right!" "That's exactly what we should do!" "Enough!" "We know that there is a traitor in our clan!" "We need to think twice before we make any further plans!" "Striking out now would be exactly what the Mibu wolves would want us to do." "The prudent thing to do now is wait." "Is it raining again?" "Yes." "I'm sick and tired of the rain." "The flower vendor said it would be the last one of the season." "The rain is depressing, so we should brighten the day by arranging irises." "What shall I do?" "Peel some potatoes, please!" "I will." "You resemble each other." "The iris." "It is so conspicuous in the rain." "But not in the sunshine, you know?" "A child..." "Even a child can commit murder." "However..." "I'm sorry." "It's very cold outside, and you sleep so close to the window." "I'm sorry." "Have you read all of these books?" "Not even one of them." "It is comfortable to sleep against the stacks, that's all." "An assassin doesn't need anything else from books." "Will you kill people for the rest of your life?" "Perhaps you should find a place where you could live in peace, a place where you would have the time to read these books." "You wouldn't have to sleep with a sword in your hand." "I have done that since I was a child." "I have seen too many people killed not to be careful." "And this is how you will live your life?" "That is what has been given to me." "Besides, I will not live for long." "And there is no reason why you should care about it anyway." "But..." "I am a killer who brings the bloody rain." "You don't want any part of that." "You shouldn't cling to things that smell of blood." "I'm sorry that I made such impertinent remarks." "I accept the fact that I will never understand why you live the way you do." "I'm sorry I disturbed your sleep." "Tomoe-san?" "Thank you." "Pardon me." "I know it is very late." "Katsura-san?" "No, don't wake anybody." "I need to talk to you." "Justice that seems like insanity?" "My teacher, Yoshida Shoin, taught me that principle." "Himura is the embodiment of that very difficult idea." "You give a child a sword to preserve your philosophy?" "I have a friend named Takasugi in my hometown." "He is a good man, but his methods are sometimes very extreme." "However, he has a sheath who stands with him, and keeps him from slashing too wildly." "She is a woman named Uno." "A sheath." "Would you be his sheath?" "Would you be the one to tame Himura's brandished sword?" "Why me?" "My role in his life is to drive his passions and make him kill." "A killer who is driven so can often cause tragedy unintentionally." "So he needs that calming force." "I know none of this makes any sense to you." "Yoshida of the Choshu clan and Miyabe of the Higo clan are now in Kyoto." "According to the confession of Furutaka, we should expect even more patriots to be here already." "The weapons we discovered at Masu-Ya weren't enough for a large assault." "There must be another merchant who is supplying them." "I will arrange the inspection details, and mobilize them tonight." "According to Furutaka, they are planning a meeting for this evening." "I smell something." "I am certain that the Choshu clan is planning something." "Something big." "The leader of the Choshu clan is Katsura Kogoro, right?" "Probably." "I will seek out Kondo-san and consult with him." "I didn't expect Toshi-san to get this involved in our cause." "Hijikata-san is willing to use the Shinsengumi in this matter." "Do you think the assassin will attend the meeting tonight?" "I doubt it." "The man who does the dirty work is seldom invited to secret meetings." "As a swordsman trained in the Tennen Rishin technique, what would you do if you saw him?" "Exactly as I was taught." "I hope I do come face to face with that demon." "What would you do as a Mugai Swordsman, Sir?" "Sorry, that was a stupid question." "The Gion Festival has begun." "Kyoto is crowded with people." "This will be our best opportunity to create a disturbance with true impact." "At this point, there will be no way to stop the trouble from happening." "Was it a message from Miyabe-san?" "Yes." "If you have a special woman, you should make sure she gets out of Kyoto before nightfall." "Is this related to the news we heard from the meeting?" "What else could it be?" "What does Katsura-san say about all of this?" "We have not seen Katsura-san in many days." "There are rumors that he and Miyabe-san have officially cut ties." "Cut ties?" "I will find out what more I can." "What will you do about Tomoe?" "Nothing." "I don't care about her." "No one else thinks that." "You rescued her once, so why not do so tonight?" "I must go." "But why?" "Don't think, just go." "Where is your hometown?" "Yamashina." "I see." "Return to your parents immediately." "I will be finished soon." "Thank you for being so thoughtful." "The landlady ordered me to do this." "I see." "Is something wrong?" "No." "Well..." "Would you like to go out with me this evening?" "I have the night off." "I would like to have a relaxing night in the city." "But it's not relaxing to be a woman alone in a city of men." "I see." "What is it?" "It's been a long time." "The sake tastes good to me." "It's because of the festival." "Is that why?" "Tohdoh, Heisuke, and Okita will be led by the captain." "The rest will follow me." "Kondo-san?" "We will be searching the inns in the Kawara-Machi district tonight." "This operation will be much like playing a game of Go or Shogi." "If we let any of them escape our careful detection, we will be attacked at the next turn." "Therefore, they must all be arrested or killed tonight." "Let's go!" "Rise!" "I am the opposite of you." "Lately, I don't enjoy sake as much as I used to." "It doesn't taste good to you?" "No." "I feel like I don't want to depend on sake anymore." "Strange." "Depend on?" "I see." "Has the bleeding stopped?" "I don't think about it." "Then your wound has healed." "Well, it's stopped bleeding anyway." "I look at your wound." "It makes me think of what the men you kill see before they die." "You say you kill people to make others happy, but..." "What?" "I don't think it makes you very happy." "People die every day." "I don't choose my targets at random." "Yes, I guess you are deciding who deserves to live and die." "Or, rather, you've entrusted that decision to others whom you follow regardless of how you may feel." "Knowing more about the people whom I kill would disrupt my concentration." "I do what I do to create a better world." "That's all I need to know." "Get out of here immediately!" "What's wrong?" "Katsura-san is in danger!" "Later tonight, Miyabe-san's clan will burn Kyoto to the ground." "You're not serious!" "Afterwards, they will move the Emperor to Hagi, and reinstate the government." "Katsura-san is opposed to the idea, of course, and has tried to talk Miyabe-san out of it." "But their ties have been cut." "Worst of all, the Shinsengumi may have found out about this plan." "I need to rally the men, and you need to get to the meeting right away!" "Where is it being held?" "At the Ikeda-Ya in Sanjo Kawara-Machi!" "Soshi!" "Upstairs!" "Who are you?" "This isn't him!" "What's going on?" "Blow out the light!" "We are the Shinsengumi." "There he is!" "That must be him!" "Go back the way we came." "A brandished sword needs a good sheath." "What are you talking about?" "I want to see." "I want to see you do your work." "I want to see it with my own eyes." "Did you find Katsura?" "I don't know." "The assassin isn't here, though." "Chain vests?" "You're in my way!" "Back down!" "We are the Heima Shigesuke trained in the technique of Hokushin Itto-Ryu!" "I don't care!" "Katsura-san!" "What?" "I've already told Miyabe-san that I will have nothing to do with this." "The Shinsengumi have attacked the men at Ikeda-Ya." "Ikumatsu, you must get away from here and hide yourself." "Understand?" "Katsura isn't here." "Miyabe has committed hara-kiri in the rear vestibule." "I see." "What's the matter?" "I thought I smelled the bloom of the plum tree." "But it's Summer." "Yes, it might be blossoming out of season." "Is Katsura-san here?" "No." "I heard about the attack." "It's dangerous for you to be here." "Hurry and escape through the back entrance." "Tomoe-chan, do you remember?" "The iris, it thrives most in the rain." "Even if it is a rain of blood." "Himura?" "Katsura-san, I'm so relieved that you are alive!" "I wish I were dead." "Soldiers from the Kyoto Shoshidai have surrounded the house of the Choshu clan." "I've lost everything." "For now, we must concentrate on leaving Kyoto quickly." "I'll have someone prepare a house for you in Otsu." "You will both live there as husband and wife." "No one will suspect who you are if you have a house and a wife." "Iizuka will be our messenger." "Wait there for word from me." "Be careful, I'll see you soon." "Do you understand, Tomoe-san?" "Should we go to Otsu?" "As husband and wife?" "Reversed." "The conservatives gain power." "Reversed." "The conservatives gain power." "I wish Uno were here to cook for me." "You're Tomoe-chan from the Kohagi-Ya house, aren't you?" "You're the flower vendor!" "Where are you going?" "Kyoto is in ruins." "You shouldn't return to that place." "We must hurry." "Who is that man?" "He is my husband." "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." "It's such a beautiful day." "The firewood will dry out well." "I apologize." "I have no daikon radish to season the food." "I don't mind." "Without it the food tastes flat." "We should plant some crops." "I don't know about daikon radishes, but we could grow something." "I helped my father farm when I was a boy." "I should be able to do it myself." "Is that so?" "Hey!" "You're pretty good at that!" "What is it?" "I think the two of you can really pass for an actual married couple." "I'm going to finish planting the remaining seedlings." "Did I say something offensive?" "No." "Do you have news?" "Yes." "Our situation is looking bleak." "Because of the disaster in Kyoto, our compatriots are being purged from the capital in Hagi." "Purged?" "Conservatives in the Choshu clan are trying to save face with the Tokugawa." "They're forcing the radicals to perform seppuku as a sign of good faith." "Ritual suicide is a daily occurrence in the new capital." "It's horrible." "However, we have prevented the Shogunate from declaring all out war on the clan." "Both sides have suffered great losses, and the battle is far from over." "Anyway, we are currently trying to get Takasugi-san out of prison." "Hopefully, he will be able to revive the Kihei-tai." "If so, we will be able to turn Hagi into a battlefield." "How is Katsura-san?" "We don't know where he is." "I'm sorry to say that we believe he has turned coward, and run away." "That's impossible." "The world is a sad and surprising place." "All we can do for now is wait." "I have some money for you from Katagai-san." "That package is for you, also." "It's full of medicines to sell." "Sell medicines?" "You need a visible source of income so you won't arouse suspicion." "But there's no one around here for miles." "You may find it necessary to travel some day." "This will provide you with a good cover to do so." "You are still only one day's walk from Kyoto, but don't even think about going there yet." "The conservatives and the Shinsengumi are on the lookout for our men." "They have killed more men than even you were able to dispatch." "I'll check back to make sure you're all right and take you back when it is time." "Farewell, Tomoe-san." "I hope you enjoy being a druggist's wife." "I forgot how beautiful the harvest moon is." "I saw red dragonflies this evening." "I can't help wondering what will happen to us." "How long will we be able to stay here?" "For a while." "That's all I can say." "We need to get back here by sunset." "Are you ready, yet?" "Yes, I'm coming." "m 0 0 l 0 20 70 20 70 0" "Medicine" "The villagers seemed to believe that we are husband and wife." "Yes, and we sold more medicine than I expected." "I'm relieved." "You didn't bring your knife today." "That's right." "Because the wife of a druggist doesn't need to be armed." "It's getting cold." "Let's hurry up." "It tastes good." "Really?" "I haven't tasted sake this good in a long time." "I suppose." "What's wrong?" "It's nothing." "Here." "I understand." "Well, take care." "I hope you're not getting bored living the life of a peddler." "Not at all." "I didn't kill people for amusement." "Besides, I don't get restless living here." "I've discovered many things here that make me happy and content." "Very good." "But I hope your skills don't wither out here." "Farewell." "Good luck, boy." "I'm sorry, but I'm not good at dealing with that man." "Forgive me for not seeing him off." "Oh, no." "We worked so hard." "There's been too much rain lately." "It'll be fine." "At least half of these will survive." "It's part of the risk of farming." "But..." "But..." "But..." "You never ask me about my past." "About anything personal." "I should apologize to your father because we are living like this." "Even though I know it's only a ruse to hide our true identities." "I could ask you about your life, but it would serve no purpose." "So I don't." "You are..." "Never mind." "Take this, Tomoe-chan." "His parents want you to have it as a keepsake." "Thank you." "Thank you so much." "You know the only reason he went to Kyoto was because Tomoe-chan wanted to marry an eminent man." "He wanted to help the Shogunate, but the only reason he became a bodyguard was because she's so arrogant and insolent." "She caused this tragedy." "Don't talk like that!" "This calamity has wounded Tomoe-chan more than anyone else!" "Sister?" "What's wrong with you?" "Talk to me!" "Sister!" "What's wrong with you?" "Sister..." "Sister..." "When you aren't killing people, you are so noble." "Katsura escaped, but the boy is still within our grasp." "The time will come, and he will be defenseless." "I should have guessed." "His energy has waned over the last few months." "More importantly, something in his eyes has changed dramatically." "He will be no match for your terrifying preparation." "Katagai." "It was only a matter of time, but we better get this job done quickly." "Hey, Enishi!" "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." "The rain will soon cease, and it will then be your turn," "Yukishiro Enishi." "Sister!" "Enishi?" "I've finally found you!" "This is my little brother." "His name is Enishi." "Little brother?" "Yes, I sent him some letters from Kyoto." "He tracked me down somehow." "I see." "You probably have many things to talk about." "I'll go check on the crops." "I'm so surprised to see you." "How is father?" "He's fine, I guess." "When did you leave Edo?" "Right after you left six months ago." "Who has been taking care of you, and how did you know I was here?" "It was easy." "I'm an envoy for the Shogun." "His fate is sealed." "You should be happy, sister!" "Finally!" "Finally, the time has come to punish that awful assassin!" "That's what you wanted, isn't it?" "That's why you set out from Edo all by yourself, right?" "That's why you are in this lonely place, living with that man." "Go back to Edo right now." "What are you talking about?" "You are the eldest male child of the Yukishiro family, Enishi." "You shouldn't have left home to seek revenge." "I don't care about my family name!" "I want to help you, sister!" "That's why..." "You must go back, Enishi." "Do you understand me?" "What's wrong with you?" "Why do you want to protect that terrible man?" "!" "He deserves whatever he gets." "Don't you think so, sister?" "He destroyed your happiness!" "He's your mortal enemy, isn't he?" "Give this to father, please." "Tell him to keep it as a remembrance of me." "Please?" "Do you understand?" "Sister..." "Do you?" "I've told you where we will be waiting for you." "I wish!" "I wish you'd come to your senses!" "We'll bring in a great harvest." "Yes, we will." "I thought this was an impetuous idea with no chance of success, but I guess my farming instincts are still with me." "You seem so happy right now." "Do I?" "If your life had taken another route, you could have been happy living like this." "Working your field." "Eating the food you raised with your own hands." "I've been thinking since we arrived here." "I was trained in the teachings of Mitsurugi swordsmanship." "I was taught to live in balance with the world around me." "I wanted to create a new world for those who do not have power." "I wanted to insure the safety of the common man." "But now I realize this was a misguided idea." "The best thing I can do is live here, and create life instead of destroying it." "I've never known peace until now." "It is only recently that I have understood what that word means." "Living here and walking to the village and coming home with you." "It made me realize how horrible my life as an assassin really was." "There's one reason I've learned this essential lesson." "It's you." "You are the one who showed me this new way to live." "May I tell you something?" "Please." "My father is an employee of the Shogunate in Edo." "He is neither a skilled swordsman nor a statesman, but he is a kind man." "My mother died while she was giving birth to Enishi." "For him I am both his sister and his mother." "I love him dearly." "We were never wealthy, but we always lived happily." "I was engaged to be married late last year." "I'd known my fiancé since we were children, and he was now an envoy for the Shogunate." "My brother was very jealous, but other than his childish behavior everything was fine." "Shortly before the wedding day, my fiancé was killed in the streets of Kyoto." "When I heard the news, I couldn't stay in Edo any longer." "Tragedy often causes people to think the wrong thing." "So, I came to Kyoto." "Trying to escape the pain of what my life had become." "That's when I met you." "That is the kind of woman I am." "I am sorry." "I am so sorry." "I've been deceiving you." "Enishi, tomorrow you will return to Edo with your sister." "I will." "If the assassin is dead, she will want to come home." "Won't she?" "Certainly." "Everything will be complete." "The mission will be over for you and for me." "Oh, heavens." "I'm risking my life on this gamble." "But I can't lose!" "We're almost home." "Yes." "Winter is coming on strong." "We won't be able to return to the village until after the snow melts, but we should have enough food to sustain us until then." "We should hurry." "It's too cold to tarry." "I... will..." "I will... protect you." "I will protect you." "He died in an unfamiliar place, and my happiness vanished with him." "I was not smart enough to keep him close so that my happiness would never leave." "It was my fault." "It was my fault because I never told him how much I loved him as he was." "When he died, I almost went insane with hatred." "I had to hate someone." "So I plotted with others to bring about your destruction." "I am that kind of woman." "And yet, you say you will protect me." "He was the son of a Shogunate employee, and I had known him since we were little." "He was very much like my father." "Neither a skilled swordsman, nor a clever statesman." "But he was such a kind man, and he tried so hard at everything he did." "I loved that quality in him." "Then he asked me to marry him, and I was so happy I thought my heart would burst." "But in my bliss, I could not speak the words that would keep him near me." "I couldn't let him know how happy I was." "Maybe it was my fate." "Maybe I am unworthy to be happy." ""You cause the bloody rain to fall."" "You said that to me on the night we met." "Yes." "You also told me that I could never be happy living an assassin's life." "Yes, I did." "You were right." "However, I can't stop killing, yet." "The new world will come soon." "Once it has arrived," "I will seek ways to protect people that will not involve taking lives." "I will also look for a way to atone for the terrible things I have done." "If you are with me, I will be able to become a new man." "Tomoe?" "Yes." "I will protect you, and make sure that you are happy." "Yes." "This man destroyed my happiness." "Then, he gave me a new happiness." "Farewell." "Farewell to you, my second love." "Tomoe!" "Tomoe!" "Iizuka-san?" "!" "I found the spy." "It's Tomoe." "She's meeting with her conspirators in a cottage on the mountain." "Go there." "Kill her!" "She can't be." "I have evidence." "Her journal." "Her journal?" "Remember the man who cut you?" "She knew him." "He was her fiancé." "Shortly before the wedding day, my fiancé was killed in the streets of Kyoto." "Sister!" "I better not waste any time." "I'll get out of here and find the next ship out of Japan." "Goodbye, Himura." "How long will we be able to stay here?" "Why did you involve Enishi in this matter?" "The boy was doggedly asking about his sister in Kyoto, and an elder from the Shogunate sent him to me." "It was very much the same as when you were recruited." "Where are the others?" "They're hiding along the road, waiting for him to arrive." "Why didn't you wait to hear from me?" "What could you tell us?" "About his weaknesses?" "We know those already." "Did you even need me?" "Of course." "Even the cruelest murderer is easy prey for unexpected emotions." "That's why we needed you." "You are his weakest point now." "He is coming here." "He has found out that the woman he loves has betrayed him, and his mind is in disarray." "This will prevent him from using his full abilities." "That was our goal, you know?" "You planned this all along." "You tricked me." "So, what will you do about it?" "You've fallen in love with him, haven't you?" "Woman is such a pathetic creature." "I understand what has happened, of course." "Human emotion is an unreliable and shifting foundation." "The separation between love and hate is no thicker than a whisper." "The nature of a woman is even more unreliable." "A malignant assassin can appear as innocent as a newborn baby in the eyes of the woman who loves him." "I didn't realize you thought so little of me." "Don't be a fool." "It requires strength and clearness of thought to bite through your own tongue." "Besides, nothing will change if you commit suicide at this point." "Kill yourself, if you wish." "Perhaps you want to escape the memory of the origin of your involvement with us." "Does Kiyosato haunt you?" "What was Kiyosato to you?" "Wasn't he the dearest being in the world to you?" "I know that you were the one he loved most of all in this world." "If that were not true, he would never have gone to Kyoto." "He wanted to be a hero for you, even though he was ill equipped as a swordsman." "He should have stayed with me." "If only he had stayed with me, I would have been happy." "It is man's nature to strive to please his lover, his community and the all-powerful Shogunate." "Until he is certain of this achievement, he can never know true peace." "That is why we must eliminate any threat to the Shogunate, regardless of the severity of that menace." "It is this attention to detail that has kept the peace for three-hundred years." "We are the keepers of this society, and we are in harmony with our human nature." "We put our lives at risk to protect the happiness of the system." "Can you understand that?" "Every man is full of sin." "We live and die in sin." "It is our fate." "We will kill him to preserve the Tokugawa Shogunate and society as a whole." "Your feelings for him are sinful." "However, everybody is prone to make mistakes, but you must remember Kiyosato." "Remember your first love." "Tomoe..." "Tomoe..." "Tomoe..." "He's still strong even after all this time, I see." "As I expected, I will have to be the one who finishes him off." "That is the way I will atone for allowing so many of my followers to die at his hand." "I will avenge Kiyosato for you." "Feel free to watch his death." "It would be the least you could do for your Kiyosato, who died as he tried to make you happy." "Kiyosato-sama..." "Prepare a room for her, please." "Choshu soldiers are so restless." "You kill all night, and now you've found yourself a woman." "Nothing." "I don't care about her." "No one else thinks that." "You rescued her once, so why not do so tonight?" "Katsura-san, you're safe!" "I wish I were dead." "I've lost everything." "Should we go to Otsu?" "Should we go to Otsu?" "Should we go to Otsu?" "Otsu..." "Should we go to Otsu?" "!" "Look at yourself." "You've used up your remaining strength just to arrive at this place of execution." "Now you know that when a man has to fight without anything to protect, the battle is harder." "Yet, from the beginning, you had nothing to preserve, unlike us." "By the order of the Shogunate, and as the chief of its field operations," "I will see you dead." "I will do so because I could not protect my men from your sword, villain!" "I killed many men in order to safeguard the well being of the common man." "But my idealism caused you to lose your love." "I stole an important life from you." "I did not know I had done it." "I fell in love with you." "I made promises, but I am not fit to protect you." "Even though I..." "I..." "Yes, and we sold more medicine than I expected." "You seem so happy right now." "Without it, the food tastes flat." "I saw red dragonflies this evening." "Tomoe," "I will protect you." "I don't understand what a woman is." "Tomoe..." "I am so sorry, my darling." "Sister..." "Tomoe, I've lost you." "Now I understand how much you suffered." "You were living with a pain like this." "It was so hard for you." "You should have hated me." "But you protected me." "You allowed me to live." "But now you are free from your pain." "You will not suffer anymore." "I will continue to live with my broken heart." "It will serve as my atonement for what I did to you." "I must make reparations for the lives I have destroyed." "It will be difficult, but I will do it." "I have lived a hard life, but I can still remember the warmer parts of life." "You taught me that." "Hopefully..." "Hopefully, I will be all right." "I know I must say goodbye to you." "But now..." "But now let me stay for a while." "We are together." "For now." "Tomoe." "Prepare to set sail!" "I better get going before anyone finds me." "Prepare to set sail!" "What a way to start the new year." "I've always had rotten luck." "I suppose they want to clean my dead body from the street." "Well, life is a gamble, so I'm willing to make one final bet." "Himura," "I heard about what happened here." "I'm sorry." "Katsura-san?" "I found the real spy, and have trained a new assassin." "Damn, right after New Year's and my luck's already bad." "This new boy will handle assassinations from now on." "Even so, we still require your skills." "The Shinsengumi and the Bakufu hunt patriots with renewed determination." "If we cannot fight them off with greater ferocity, our cause will be lost, and we will be executed." "I understand." "Himura?" "Yes." "I worried that your life as an assassin would destroy your inherent humanity." "I asked Tomoe-san to be a sheath for your ungovernable rage." "A sheath?" "Yes, I believe that she can still serve that purpose for you." "I want you to believe that." "Katsura-san?" "I will lend my sword to your cause." "Tomoe saved my life." "I think she knew I would have to fight once more." "I believe that." "I see." "However, once the battle has been won..." "You will withdraw from our clan?" "I'm not saying that." "But I will never kill again." "Ever." "Shinsaku, the world has turned out just as you said it would." "I was wrong to doubt you." "Hiten swordsmanship should only be used to protect the new world." "It should never be used to destroy the old regime." "I'm so sorry, Himura." "Tomoe, I must leave you now." "I found them!" "Over here!" "Get the rebels!" "Don't let them escape!" "We're gaining on them!" "Get them!" "Leave them alone." "What was that?" "You!" "If you leave now, you will live." "He has red hair." "And a cross-shaped scar." "It is the assassin." "Sir?" "Okita-kun, stand back!" "But Saitou-san..." "I am very sensitive to the smell of blood, boy." "You cannot defeat him in your current condition." "Let's go." "Bakumatsu..." "In Kyoto, there once was an Imperialist known as the Hitokiri Battousai." "He was a man who killed like a demon and cleared the way for the new Meiji era with his bloody sword, but with the end of the upheaval, he disappeared without a trace." "What's your name, boy?" "Shinta." "Much too delicate a name for a swordsman." "From now on your name will be Kenshin." "Kenshin..." "Fin" "Rurouni Kenshin Reminiscence"