Rurouni Kenshin
Volume Two--Two Hitokiris
Part 15--A Runaway Beauty
Kaoru: Kenshin--!! (checking the well) Where are you? (his room) Are you here? (knocking on the bathroom door) Kenshin!! That’s strange. What could have happened? He isn’t anywhere. (thinking) He couldn’t have . . .
Yahiko: Kenshin just went out somewhere with Sanosuke.
Kaoru: Really.
Yahiko: (You don’t believe me!) Do I look like I’m lying?
Kaoru (breathing a sigh of relief): This time I thought he really had gone off wandering for good. I’m so glad.
Yahiko: I thought of that too, but you're worrying too much. You should get Kenshin a collar or something.
Kaoru (picturing The Master and her pet kenshin): Ewww.
Yahiko: Whadduya mean, eww? (You didn’t have to take me seriously!)
Kaoru: But where did they go?
Yahiko: The Shuueiya. It used to be a restaurant, but it's more of a gambling hall now.
Kaoru: Ga--GAMBLING HALL?!
(In the Shuueiya. Men place their bets as the dice are thrown.)
Sanosuke: Okay, which is it?
Kenshin (wearily): Five-six split.
Dice-thrower: A five and a six!
Sanosuke: Leave it to the Hiten Mitsurugi School. Its readings are fantastic!
Kenshin: You said it was important, so I came, but . . . Sano, gambling halls are illegal.
Sanosuke: What’re you talking about, that reverse blade of yours is illegal too.
Kenshin: That’s true, but . . .
Sanosuke: Don’t worry about it. Everyone here is a friend of mine. No one cheats, no one makes or loses a fortune. In the group it’s just fun and games. You can’t take everything so seriously. You should relax. Your whole life won’t be any fun at all. (a significant look) I had to drag you here, so give in and have some fun. Make today your last day for gloomy thoughts.
Kenshin: . . . Did Miss Kaoru tell you about Jin’eh’s end?
Sanosuke: Don’t know a thing about it. More importantly, what’s the next one?
Kenshin: Snake eyes.
(outside.)
Man with beard: Wait!! Wait, woman!!
(He chases her down the street. Another man jumps out in front of her.)
Man 2: Too bad. End of the road!
(She stops, trapped.)
Beard: You’ve given us a lot of trouble!
Man 2: Think you could escape by yourself?
(She darts through the Shuueiya doors.)
Man 2: She’s still trying to run!
Beard: Follow her! She’s not getting away!
Man 2: Wait, Megumi!
Dice-thrower: Snake eyes again!
Sanosuke: All right, all right, all right!
Gambler 1: Today’s your day, eh, Sano?
Gambler: It’s been a while. Maybe you should let up a little.
Sanosuke: You’re joking. Prepare to lose your shirt!
(Whatever he said, he's having the most fun.)
Kenshin: Sano . . .
Sanosuke (tossing the blocks around): So where's Yoita from the candy shop? That gambling fool hasn't been here today.
Gambler 1: You didn’t know, Sano? Yoita died earlier this month.
Sanosuke: What! He died--was he sick? Or did he get in an accident?
Gambler 1: It was opium. It was a mistake. He smoked a lot once, and . . .
arrow Opium--the oldest drug, made from the dried juice distilled from part of the poppy flower. Similar to morphine, it causes terrible withdrawal symptoms. At the time, it was a forbidden throughout the country as a strong drug that could destroy a country.
Sanosuke: That idiot . . . getting mixed up in something like opium.
Kenshin: But that’s strange. Opium is a costly drug. An ordinary person shouldn’t be able to buy a lot of it at once . . .
(Megumi bursts into the room.)
Sanosuke: What do you want?
Kenshin: Oro.
(She catches sight of Kenshin’s sword and throws herself into his arms.)
Megumi: Save me!
Kenshin: ORO?
Megumi: Some terrible men are chasing me. Please save me!
Kenshin: Um . . . if you say so . . .
(Her pursuers dash in after her.)
Beard: Megumi, you--
Knife: You can’t run anymore!
Sanosuke: One thing after another. What do you want?
Beard: Shut up! Stay out of this! Just hand over the girl, or else-- . . . ?
(Sanosuke punches him.)
Sanosuke: I’m in a bad mood right now, so watch who you’re talking to.
Knife: What--what do you think you’re doing? We're the personal bodyguard of Mr. Kanryuu! Stand against us and you’ll be his enemies!
Sanosuke (kicking him): I warned you, small fry.
Gamblers: Kanryuu . . .
This isn’t good.
That’s the Takeda Kanryuu that . . .
Kenshin: Takeda Kanryuu? Who is he?
Sanosuke: A young businessman on the outskirts of town. On the surface. But something's going on underneath. He’s suddenly gained a lot of power and influence in the past few years. Now, he’s a shady character who’s amassing his own private army. Everyone from yakuza up to politicians wants to avoid a fight with him. (turning to Megumi) If they’re Kanryuu’s soldiers, are you his mistress?
Megumi: No! I really don’t know anything about all this. Not even this man Kanryuu--
Beshimi: It's not nice to lie, Megumi.
(A small man, with spiky hair and large, slit eyes is sitting cross-legged in the corner of the room.)
Gamblers: How--how long has he been here?!
(Kenshin, frowning, notices the missing board in the ceiling.)
Beshimi: You thought you only had two guards. You’re always watched by one of the Okashira’s followers. In the bedroom. In the bath. Even in the toilet.
Megumi: But it’s true I’m not his mistress! Go back and tell Kanryuu! This time I’m escapin him!
Beshimi (cackling): Cute. Specially when you think you're running out of her . . .
(he flicks two pellets, and the two men on either side of her go down.)
Sanosuke: Tomo! Genji!
Beshimi: Rasenbyou. (holding up the tiny metal cones.) Next, both your legs. As a punishment for running away.
(He snaps them out. Kenshin darts forward and pulls up the tatami floor mat to block.)
Kenshin: I’m not sure what’s going on, but I won’t sit by and watch people being killed or hurt.
Beshimi: Don’t fool with me. If you think you can keep off my rasenbyou with one tatami mat--
Sanosuke: You b*****d, what have you done to my friends--
(Beshimi panics as Kenshin and Sanosuke come at him from different directions. They take him out together.)
Gambler: This can’t be good. Three of Kanryuu’s soldiers . . .
Megumi: Hmm. You’re strong. The swordsman is especially good. Well, how about it, boys? Will you protect me from Kanryuu as I escape? I’ll pay you twelve times the reward.
Sanosuke: You’d better explain yourself first.
Megumi: Huh?
Sanosuke (snatching her wrist): Two of my friends are hurt! You can’t tell me it's not important to know the reason why!!
Megumi (pulling away): Ow! That hurts! Don’t grab so hard!
(Some little paper packets fall out of her sleeve. They pause. Kenshin picks on up and breaks it open.)
Kenshin: When you spoke of a reward, did you mean opium?
(Megumi stares back defiantly.)
Volume Two -- Two Hitokiris -- End
