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Rurouni Rewrites (Or Traveling Firecracker Salesman Enishi)
Part 3--Descendant of Tokyo Samurai Myoujin Yahiko
Kaoru: Wow, there's more than fifteen people here! The Kamiya Kasshin school is revived! Enishi: This isn't good. Kaoru: Huh? Enishi: Listen up, people. I'm not originally from this school, and I'm not taking any pupils. So if you came because you saw the disturbance yesterday, then this is just a waste of your time and mine. I don't teach kenjutsu and unfortunately, I'm all out of samurai sparklers and my next shipment doesn't come until next week. (Kaoru stands staring at an empty yard.) Enishi: Hmmm. I think it's about time manufacturing operations moved to Tokyo. Kaoru (slamming him with her shinai): You idiot!! They all left!! Enishi: (rubbing his head) Because I'm all out of sparklers-- Kaoru (attempting to strangle him): But why'd you have to tell them to leave!! (punching him) It would have saved the school!! Enishi: But I am out of sparklers and they didn't look like they could handle my more powerful firecrackers. (Later. They walk across a bridge, Kaoru carrying her kendo equipment.) Kaoru: Honestly! Enishi: You can't still be mad. Kaoru: Of course I am! There were more than fifteen of them! You could have at least convinced them to study kenjutsu! Enishi: A pupil who's only half interested won't last half a year. It won't help to worry about it. There's nothing you can do now. Kaoru: But with no pupils I have to walk to another dojo for practice! Since you won't practice with me. Enishi: I have to tend to my shop. Firecrackers don't get sold by chance, you know. (A kid walks straight into him from behind.) Enishi (doesn't seem to be bothered): Tell you what, I'll practice with you once I get an assistant. Kaoru: Wait! (running after the kid and wrestling him to the ground.) Enishi, this kid's a pickpocket! Here's your wallet! Kid: Damn you! Lemme go, you hag! Kaoru: Ex-excuse me! I'm the one they call the kenjutsu beauty! Kid: Shut up, hag! Enishi (as Kaoru hands him his wallet): Now, now. There's no need to fuss. I don't keep the entire day's earnings in there anyway. Here, kid. Next time don't get caught. Calling Kaoru a hag, I mean, though your pickpocketing skills do need improving. (picking up Kaoru's bag and walking away) Let's go. Kaoru: But--but Enishi! (the kid watches them go for a moment, then throws the wallet at Enishi.) Enishi: Hey, is that the thanks I get for giving you my wallet kid? Kid: I'm not a kid! I'm the son of a Tokyo samurai, Myoujin Yahiko! I haven't sunk so low that I need pity from strangers! I was just making fun of you cause you've got white hair! Don't get me wrong, you idiot!! Enishi: You've got issues with my hair, kid? Yahiko: Yeah. How come it's so white when you're not that old? Enishi: One day it just turned white. (abruptly changes subject) Look, I don't know what circumstances made you turn to pickpocketing but I do know that someone as young as you are should not have to resort to such things. If you're really in need of money, why don't you work for me part-time? I'll give you a 10% commission for every batch of firecrackers you sell, on top of your basic wages. Yahiko: Feh. (he gives him one last evil look and runs off.) Enishi (watching him go): Foolish pride, or a strong sense of honor? Kaoru: Just plain rude, if you ask me. Enishi: That child . . .reminds me of myself when I was younger. (Yahiko is sitting by the riverbanks as the sun sets. Two men approach.) Man1: Here he is . . . We've been looking for you, Yahiko. This month's payment is due today. Let's have it. Yahiko: Get out of here. Man1: What's that? Yahiko: I'm not stealing anymore. And I'm not with you yakuza creeps anymore either. (The second man--who is named Gasuke--strikes him with a sheathed sword-cane.) Gasuke: Don't talk to us like that. You daydreaming or something? What the hell you think you're gonna do? Yahiko: It doesn't matter. (remembering Enishi's words "Someone so young should not have to resort to such things…I'll give you 10% commission… ") Yahiko: I'm just sick of doing something as pathetic as picking pockets (Gasuke kicks him in the face.) Gasuke: Keh! You're pretty fresh. This is a good time to teach you who's in charge! (Kaoru is walking home over the bridge.) Kaoru: Mm--worked up a good sweat. I'll go home and take a nice bath. I wonder if Enishi's home yet? He left early, so he must be done with whatever errands he has . . . (she looks up and notices the two men walking away, with Yahiko slung across Gasuke's shoulder.) That's . . . (Inside the yakuza headquarters. Gasuke is beating Yahiko in front of a group of yakuza and their leader, Tanishi.) Gasuke: Stubborn brat. One word of apology and this would all be over. Tanishi: Wait a little. Gasuke, Hitokiri of the yakuza, if you go any farther you'll really kill him. Yahiko. (Yahiko turns an angry glare his way.) If you stop picking pockets how are you going to live? If you think you can get somewhere because your family was samurai, you're making a big mistake. It's the Meiji era now. We live in a world where only money talks. Honor is just another word. If anything, the samurai who tried to cling to what they had are the ones who've gone to the dogs. You can see the daimyo Okugata's daughters lolling around the pleasure quarters. They say when they catch thieves, they're all samurai. It's pathetic. Forget your samurai family and remember your lowly life. And live long as a follower of Tanishi. Yahiko: Don't make me say it a thousand times. I'm done with you. Gasuke: You act like this to the boss who picked you up out of the gutter when your parents died! You brat! They were samurai, but your father was a poor man with only three koku of land and only two servants! He died like a fool shielding the Emperor's army! Your mother worked in the pleasure quarters until she got sick and died, a stupid whore! I don't know which one you take after, but you're your idiot parent's idiot child! Yahiko: SHUT UP!!!! (he bites Gasuke between the legs, who goes down howling.) Yakuza: Gasuke! Yahiko: My father saw the trend of the times. Although he was ashamed to betray the Bakufu to the Emperor's army, he joined the Shogitai and sacrificed himself for justice. My mother shaved her life away to nothing to raise me until she was destroyed by her illness. My parents had honor. They lived nobly. And I won't permit you to speak badly of them!! Gasuke (livid, drawing his sword-cane): Won't PERMIT--you brat!! I'll kill you!! (He is knocked over by a flying screen door as Enishi kicks his way in.) Yakuza: Who--who the hell is that! Tanishi: It's a raid. Call everyone in! Enishi: You can call, but they won't come. When they wouldn't let me enter, those outside were treated to a short nap. I am the traveling firecracker salesman Yukishiro Enishi, also a son of a Tokyo samurai. I'm paying you this visit to bring back the child. Gasuke: So, you're a samurai brat too! Whadduya mean, "visit"! I'll settle this!! (One blow smashes him into the ceiling.) Enishi: I was still speaking. Be silent there for a while. (to the boss) What do you think? Will you show off your good nature and generously give him to me? I think it's better than suffering the shame of having your company destroyed, but-- Tanishi: I--I understand. Have it your way. Enishi (sheathing his sword): Good. But you should be ashamed, extorting money from kids to fund your operations. Is your gang such small fry that you can't even get competent adults? (turns to Yahiko) You okay kid? (Yahiko smacks his hand away.) Yahiko: Who asked you to save me? I could have fought alone! I could have fought them!! Enishi: I hate to burst your bubble kid, but at the moment, you can't. And that girl you called a hag got so worried about you, she asked me to look for you. (Yahiko stares at him. Enishi picks him up and slings him over his shoulder, walking out the way he came.) Enishi (nonchalantly): I live with her, so I have to do what she says sometimes. Yakuza: That--that bastard's running away! Tanishi: Stop. It doesn't matter. Those were the eyes of a tiger. I don't know if he's really just a salesman, but those eyes tell me that he's someone I don't want to cross. If we fought him, our lives would not be enough to pay. One brat is a small price to settle things. (As they walk home) Yahiko: Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. (There are tears in his eyes.) Dammit. Enishi: Is it your own weakness that bothers you, kid? Yahiko: Dammit. I want to be strong. Strong so I don't need anyone's help . . . so I can defend the honor of my parents myself. Enishi: I see. (At the Kamiya dojo.) Kaoru: He's late . . . Well, Enishi is probably okay, but that kid . . . (Enishi slides the screen door open.) Oh, he really is hurt. There's a carriage outside waiting to take him to a doctor-- Enishi: The adjutant master of the Kamiya Kasshin School. From now on, your master. That is, when you're not working for me. Yahiko: Wait a minute!! Are you telling me to learn kenjutsu??! From that hag??!! Kaoru: Master?! That kid's not gonna be my pupil--!? Enishi: Exactly. Well, now it depends on your efforts. All the preparations are in order. You'll be as strong as you want--Yahiko. And so, the second guest of the Kamiya dojo, Yahiko: Feh! I'd do it even if you didn't say it. Myoujin Yahiko, son of a Tokyo samurai, joined the group. Kaoru: Wait--you just called me a hag again!! Yahiko: So what's your problem, hag? (turns to Enishi) What do you see in her anyway? Enishi: If I were you, I wouldn't let her hear you calling her hag. Yahiko: You didn't answer my question. Kaoru: Yeah, you didn't answer his---(realizing the implications of what she was saying, blushes furiously) Enishi (grins): Well wouldn't you like to know... [main]
[Part 1]
[Part 2]
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Kaoru & other Rurouni Kenshin characters belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro-sensei,
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