Chapter 20: A Reason to Act

(Megumi whips the cover off a plate of ohagi (mochi--white sticky rice balls--covered with anko--sweet bean jam.)

Megumi: It's been a long time since I made these.

Yahiko: Oh.

Kaoru: Wow.

Kenshin: Mmm.

(Yahiko and Kaoru dig in with both hands.)

Kenshin: They're delicious!

Megumi: Thank you. But, ohagi taste good no matter who makes them.

Kenshin: Not really. Before, when Miss Kaoru made some, they were more like mud pies--

Kaoru (slugging him): You talk too much.

Megumi: Ohh, that violent girl is giving you trouble, isn't she.

Kenshin (spiral-eyed): Oro--

Megumi: What if you got rid of her and switched to me--

Kaoru: ME--GU--MI--!! Don't you start that just when my back is turned! I told you, I'll throw you out if you keep that up!

Megumi: Oh, now, but a man's free to like anyone he wants. If you keep on making these accusations you're just showing that you have no confidence in yourself. You should try learning to make better ohagi instead of complaining.

Kaoru (beaten down): I just can't take this.

Yahiko: I thought she was being more polite, but she's just the same.

Kenshin: But she's a lot more cheerful than she was. (smiling) These are good times.

Kaoru: They're not good!

Sanosuke (walking up, tossing a paper packet): What's with the early-morning comedy routine?

Kenshin: Hey, Sano.

Sanosuke: The old man had a look at it. It's definitely the new form of opium that's on the streets now.

Kenshin: I see ... well, have you had breakfast yet?

Sanosuke: No thanks. I'd rather eat the little girl's cooking than anything made by that opium woman.

(He turns away.)

Sanosuke: I haven't slept all night. Wake me up when the noon cannon goes off.

Kaoru: Wait a minute! (to Kenshin) You can't let him get away with that!

Kenshin: Miss Megumi, please don't mind him. He knows you're the one behind the opium, but at the same time he knows about your past. He'd like to blame you, but he can't. And on top of that we haven't heard a peep out of Kanryuu for a week. He's raised his fist, but now he doesn't know what to do with it. So he's irritable. It will be a while before he can be more gentle...

(Megumi is washing the dishes by the well.)

Megumi (remembering): Opium woman...

Book-seller: Hallo ... Good morning! Lending library. I've got plenty of new books, would you like one?

Megumi: Well...

Book-seller: I've seen you often around here lately. Have you just moved in?

Megumi: No, not really. I'm just a houseguest...

Book-seller: Oh, I see. (he raises his hat, revealing Hanya's devil mask.) How nice.

(He has his hand over her mouth before she can scream.)

Hanya (holding up a vial): Quietly ... any awkward struggling and this could end up in the well.

Megumi (thinking): Mercury!

Hanya: Kanryuu wants to see you. Just to talk, you don't have to go back with him. Will you do this for him?

(Megumi meets Kanryuu in a clearing in the forest. Kanryuu casually lights his cigar.)

Megumi: What do you want.

Kanryuu: You know without me telling you. Are you ready to come back yet?

Megumi: Did you really think my answer would be yes? Death would be better.

Kanryuu: Is that so. There's just one thing ... if you don't come with me, the Kamiya dojo will burn to the ground. My soldiers, the Oniwabanshuu. We could surround the perimeter with five hundred men. Not even a rat could escape when it burns. "You kill a cuckoo if it doesn't sing." But, you'd be lonely all by yourself, so I'll give you a few companions in the next world. This has gone on far enough. Why don't you stop dreaming? No matter what you say, it's a fact that you made the opium that killed so many people. Even if you did meet your family again, what would they say if they knew one of the famous Takanis was producing opium? So you see, it's futile to run away. You and I and the opium all share the same fate, from now till eternity. Ah yes, the house will burn at midnight tonight. You don't have much time, so think quickly and settle this. I'll see you later.