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Rurouni Rewrites (Or Traveling Firecracker Salesman Enishi)
Part 4--The Revival of the Kasshin School (In the Kamiya dojo.) Kaoru: No! Your grip is still wrong! A week after Yahiko's wounds have healed. The dojo has been reopened and training has begun-- Yahiko: Oh, shut up! Like this, hag? but-- Kaoru: I told you not to call me that! Knock it off! Enishi (shakes his head): Hnh . . . Yahiko: Make me, if you think you can! Enishi: Why don't you two just quit bickering and get on with the fight! Kaoru: Enishi, you tell him! This kid's mouth is just too foul!! Yahiko: I'm here because I want to be strong. No one said anything about fighting with a little girl! Kaoru: Little--! Yahiko: Enishi, you told me I could be strong. You teach me to fight! Enishi: I have no desire to pass my self-styled watoujutsu on to future generations, though my firecracker trade secrets are another story. You're of the Kamiya Kasshin school . . . you'll become strong as a practitioner of the sword that protects life, and as my sales assistant, you will sell the best firecrackers Tokyo has ever seen. But you're not listening, (sarcastically) so if you two will excuse me, I have to go tend to my shop. Kaoru: KNOCK THAT OFF!! Yahiko: MAKE ME!! (Two young men are running through the streets, chased by two others swinging what appear to be pickaxes.) Man with Pickaxe: Hey! Wait!! (In the front yard of the Kamiya dojo) Kaoru: Yahiko-- Yahiko-- YAHIKO!! (Yahiko is actually sitting on the roof behind her.) Kaoru: Jeez. It's just the second day and already he's slacking off. He's got a bad mouth and a warped personality. What on earth did Enishi see in him . . . ? (A thrown shinai hits her from behind.) Yahiko: I heard that! I just decided that I could learn more training by myself than from a hag-faced girl! (he jumps down.) Are you even strong enough to teach? Kaoru: I'm only an adjutant master and still in training. But. (She hooked his shirt with her shinai.) At least I'm stronger than you. (She flips him around and carries him off like a fish on a pole.) Come on. Yahiko: Hey! Put me down! (The two being chased open the front gate.) Hira: Miss--Miss Kaoru! Kaoru: Hira? Hira: Please help us! Kaoru: Sato too! What's wrong? You're hurt! What happened! Man w/ Pickaxe: You can't run anymore. We'll kill you here! Kaoru: Who are you? And what do you want with students of my school? Man: Shut up. Stay out of this! (They charge. Kaoru leaps between them, knocking them both out with a single-blow. Yahiko stares, impressed.) Kaoru: Who are those guys? Aren't you going to explain? Sato: They . . . they were drunk and causing trouble in town . . . they were bothering people and we tried to quiet them down. They chased us to get back at us. Other voices: Where are they? This way! Here they are! (A large group of fighters appear; like the first two, they are all wearing matching jackets and hakama.) Sato: That's--the whole group of them-- Kaoru (thinking): There's too many! (aloud) Everyone back to the dojo! (they rush in) Yahiko (thinking): These guys . . . (The doors slam shut.) Fighter: Hachisuka! Hachisuka (who is the leader): Terrific. We'll show them what we do with those who mock the Hishimanji Gurentai! (Inside) Kaoru: I remember now. They're the Hishimanji Gurentai. Yahiko: Hishimanji Gurentai? Kaoru: They're like a militia of criminals. I don't know much about them, but they're harder to shake off than the yakuza. Times like these I sure could use Enishi's help. Yahiko: What? Where is he? Kaoru: Off to conduct some business in town. So I asked him to do some shopping while he was there…rice, salt, miso, soy sauce . . . he keeps complaining about my shopping list, so he's bound to buy more food. Yahiko: Idiot. (I didn't know Enishi was such a picky eater) Sato: What . . . what do we do, Miss Kaoru? Yahiko: Whadduya mean, what do we do? You're the ones that started all this. Kaoru: It's not their fault. Yahiko: Then you're the real fool. If you seriously believe their story. (everyone looks at him.) I noticed it when you were running. (to Hira) Your breath reeks of sake. The ones causing trouble weren't the Hishimanji. It was probably you. You started a fight with one of their followers. Kaoru: This . . . is this true? Hira: I'm sorry. (A cannonball smashes through the wall of the dojo.) Hachisuka: You can't hold out against the Hishimanji! Come out! We'll destroy your old dojo! Kaoru: A mokuhou!! Yahiko: Where'd they get something like that! Mokuhou--a simple gun in use during the first part of the Bakumatsu. Although the barrel is of oak and the balls of clay, it carries as much force as a normal gun. Hachisuka: Surprised? This is the power of the Hishimanji! You think you're so good with your swords? We'll pay you back for breaking the arm of one of our own! Kaoru: So you were drunk and pulled your swords in a fight. And someone was hurt? (No reply--Hira and Sato are cowering on the dojo floor.) Yahiko: They're worse than the jerks outside. When the false Battousai thing was going on they ran off with their tails between their legs. And now they run back here when they're in trouble. (A second shot shatters the wall.) Hachisuka: You can't hide forever! Come out! Yahiko: Go ahead and take them. They're no concern of ours. Hachisuka: Idiot! You too. You and the girl are accomplices for sheltering them. Kaoru: I'll surrender for your revenge. These three stay here. Yahiko: Wait! What is this!! Kaoru: They were taught kenjutsu by my father and I. They left, but their foolishness is still my responsibility. I intended to teach those who would learn the sword that protected life-- (she drops her shinai)--but it looks like it was nothing more than an intention. (she takes a few steps towards Hachisuka) Yahiko, you've got a bad mouth, but the line of your sword is good. Try hard. Hachisuka: So you hold yourself accountable for their sins . . . (licking his lips) A woman warrior isn't half bad. Yahiko (hitting him in the face with a flying kick): Don't make me laugh!! Myoujin Yahiko is nothing like those two losers!! I'm not just sitting here while you get hurt!! Hachisuka: That brat! I won't stand anymore. Kill them! Enishi (from behind): Yeah, you could try that, but you'll have to get past me first. Everyone: Enishi!! Enishi: Those two may have done something wrong, but nothing justifies wrecking the dojo. You should stop this lynching here before you get carried away. Besides, the craftsmanship of your cannon is lousy. How much did you pay for this piece of junk? I bet my Jinchuu special can do more damage than that. Hachisuka: Shut up! Who is he? Fighter: Hachisuka, you can't, it's him. It's the firecracker salesman that destroyed the Sword-bearing Police all by himself a while back. It's gotta be him. Hachisuka: You fool! You're scared of one salesman! We have this--use the mokuhou!! FIRE!! (Enishi stares down the barrel of the cannon. With a backhanded stroke, he cuts the ball in half. The two halves fly to either side and explode.) Enishi: This hybrid sword combines the best of both Chinese and Japanese sword craftsmanship . . . it can cut down anything, besides people, without mercy. I'll say it again. Stop this foolish lynching and you won't get hurt. (A little later. The Hishimanji have left.) Enishi: I see. This all happened when I was out? Hira: Um . . . Enishi: Leave before I change my mind and demand that you repair all the damage and pay Kaoru monetary compensation for tarnishing the reputation of her school. From now on, forget you were students here. Don't pick up a sword again. Not even my samurai sparklers. (Hira and Sato begin to walk away.) Kaoru (with her back turned): Hira. (They look back.) Kaoru (without turning around): That shoulder . . . go show it to a doctor. (They leave. Enishi puts an arm around Kaoru's shoulder, in an attempt at sympathy. Kaoru instinctively turns to Enishi and sniffles against his chest) Enishi: Cheer up, Kaoru. Those two were sissies. You surely wouldn't want such cowardly idiots to be associated with your school, nor do I think would you want teaching students with little potential for both understanding your philosophy and good swordsmanship. Yahiko: Stop whimpering. It's not like you. I'd never do something like that. (She glances at him.) Yahiko: I'm your student. It's pointless to try and suddenly be like Enishi. First, I'll have to be patient and settle for you for now. (He runs off towards the practice ground.) Enishi (looks over shoulder): Just remember, your shift starts in two hours! (goes back to comforting Kaoru) Now now, everything's going to be okay. I'll have a carpenter come over right away to repair the dojo, and the house while we're at it. Maybe I could add an office…
Yahiko: We don't have time to waste crying. Come on, Kaoru! I want to get strong fast!! Kaoru: So now instead of insulting me, you're suddenly on a first-name basis? Yahiko: Yeah. So why don't you disentangle yourself from Mr. Salesman for a moment and teach me some kenjutsu! Kaoru(disentangling herself and clutching her shinai): Why you little brat! He was just being sympathetic, and I was not that entangled in the first place! Enishi, you tell him! (Enishi is busy relocating his stall away from the practice area and does not seem to hear. A customer walks in) Customer: I'd like some sparklers please. (notices damaged dojo) Oh wow, did your firecrackers cause that?! Enishi: No, but I've got some that can literally blow your roof off. I'm not quite sure they're legal here, so they're off the market for now. So, how many sparklers do you want? In the early spring of the year 1878 in the Meiji era, while small, the first steps are taken. [main] [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [top] Disclaimer: Site created by the ExK no Tenshi-tachi. Enishi, Kaoru & other Rurouni Kenshin characters belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro-sensei, Sony, and Shonen Jump. The rest are products of the webdominatrices' imagination. Please don't sue us. We're very poor. |