Chapter 64: Playing Tag

Kenshin: Shinomori ... Aoshi...

Misao: You know them? Tell me where they are!! Are they okay?

(Kenshin walks along the road; Misao marches determinedly after him.)

Misao: Hey, wait a minute! You can't just shut up and walk away! Tell me where Lord Aoshi is! How is Hanya? And Beshimi and Hyottoko and Shikijou? Hey, shrimp! Redhead! X-scar! Girly-man! Edict breaker! I mean you, the weirdo in the red kimono!

Kenshin: My name is Himura Kenshin, so I'd prefer it if you called me that.

Misao (hopefully): So if I call you that, will you tell me about them?

Kenshin: No. They're completely different matters.

Misao (kicking him): Don't make fun of me, you jerk!!

Kenshin: Oro!

Misao: Answer me! Where the hell are Lord Aoshi and--

(Kenshin walks away, ignoring her.)

Misao (thinking): I'm not giving up! This is my first real clue since I started looking for Lord Aoshi and the others!

Kenshin (thinking): She's very stubborn ... Should I tell her how the Oniwabanshuu met their deaths? Even if I keep silent, she'll continue searching and find out someday. Maybe it would be better to tell Miss Misao the bitter truth, rather than let her continue this reckless search. However,

Until I kill you, no one will. Kenshin (thinking): Since I'm her only clue, she'll stick close to me. There's no way of knowing when Shishio's faction will attack on this journey. There's no reason for her to walk with me any further. (aloud) Can I lose you?

Misao: Huh?

(Kenshin jumps into the bushes.)

Misao: Hey--! (grinning evilly) Heh heh, so the fool thinks he can run. I'm a woman who would be very helpful to Lord Aoshi as one of the Oniwabanshuu in better times. I'm especially proud of my speed ... huh? He's already just a speck! (chasing him) Dammit, what are you!

Kenshin (thinking): She's not giving up ... I'm running pretty fast, but she's keeping up, she wants to see Aoshi and the others so much ... yet...

Misao (thinking): Damn ... He's so fast. I'm keeping up now, but in the end ... He's no ordinary man. Could he have fought Aoshi and the others...

(She trips and falls.)

Misao: Oh no! You--

Kenshin (stopping): This game of tag is over.

Misao: What are you saying, I'm not done yet. I'll chase you until death to find them--

(She finds herself standing on the edge of a deep gorge. Kenshin, from the other side, turns and walks away.)

Misao (thinking): What ... on earth ... How did he get across? What do I do now ... I can't jump over this. But I have to stop him. Attacking from behind, with no cloak, if I aim for his feet at least one should hit him. Kansatsu Tobikunai!!

(Kenshin whips his sword out of its sheath. The kunai clatter away down the gorge.)

Misao (thinking): Just the wind from drawing his sword kept off my tobi kunai...

Kenshin: Give up. Go back to Kyoto. I don't know the circumstances of how Aoshi took you in and raised you, but living with the Oniwabanshuu, continuing to fight on the path of violence, you would have been in danger. Aoshi knew that too; that is why he left you with your guardian in Kyoto. It's better that you stop thinking about him. For your own happiness.

(Misao bows her head and walks away.)

Kenshin: I'm sorry.

Misao (whipping around): You can say whatever you want! Forget what? I can't forget, that's why I'm still searching!

Kenshin (thinking): She's running for the jump. (aloud) That's crazy, stop!

Misao: Forget the most important person in my life? Where's the happiness in that?

(She leaps--and falls short. Kenshin dives after her.)

Misao (thinking, as Kenshin catches her): He really is amazing. He must have fought with Lord Aoshi. But it's all right. No matter who he's up against, Lord Aoshi could never lose. Wherever he is now, he's doing fine. Together with the Oniwabanshuu...

(A little later. Misao comes to her senses, lying on the ground with a compress on her forehead.)

Kenshin: So you're finally awake.

Misao: Did I really faint?

Kenshin: Yes.

Misao: ... But why did you wait here until I woke up?

Kenshin (continuing down the path): For certain reasons, I wouldn't be surprised if I'm attacked somewhere along my journey. Because of this danger I cannot let anyone travel with me. Stay back a little and pretend we're strangers. Trying to get rid of you would mean going through all this foolishness again, and I can't take it. And if I say no, you'll follow me anyway, right?

Misao (starting after him): You got that right! I'm definitely going to see Lord Aoshi again!