Chapter 19 81 Tetsu: AHH!! SFX: *thud* Tetsu: Oh crap, I totally forgot!! Man: But there are still thirteen left to go! Man: Ah! SFX: *running around wildly* Man: Where is Ichimura running off to now? Tetsu: Where's Hijikata!? Tetsu: I've got work, I've got work!! SFX: *siiiiiigh* 82 Hijikata: "Red maple leaves..." Hijikata: "Hide fleeting sorrow..." no, not "hide,", that's no good... Tetsu: *huff* SFX: *running Tetsu: *huff* SFX: *running* SFX: *thud* Tetsu: Waah!! Tetsu: Ow... Tetst: Ow...!! SFX: *creak* Hijikata: Ichimura... Hijikata: ...Because of you... my poetic masterpiece was ruined...] Tetsu: I... I... I'M SORRY!! Tetsu: But... Tetsu: I didn't spill the tea! SFX: *steam* Hijikata: You didn't spill the tea!? But you fell flat on your face!! 83 Hijikata: ...Tch. Hijikata: So you're still trying to beat 50 people, then...? Hijikata: Well? Hijikata: How many did you beat today? Tetsu: ..Um... SFX: *mutter* Tetsu: About seven... Hijikata: I see. Hijikata: Well then... Hijikata: How many people did you fight in all? Tetsu: ...... Tetsu: ...Let's see... SFX: *motion* 84 SFX: *dramatic sound* Tetsu: Forty!! 85 Chapter 19 Honor 86 Shinpachi: .....Heh. SFX: *haa!* Shinpachi: ...Wow, Tet-chan... Shinpachi: He's really gotten strong! Shinpachi: It's almost a waste to not have you teaching at the dojo! Shinsengumi member: Oh yeah? Then how come he still doesn't fight on the level of a Shinsengumi soldier? Shinsengumi member handwritten: ? Shinsengumi member handwritten: You think you're so smart... SFX: *sigh* Shinpachi: Stupid. Shinpachi: It's all in how you look at it. Shinpachi: Tet-chan is just like Hijikata-san. Shinpachi: He excels in real combat. Shinpachi: In a match where he has to worry about proper form and style, he's not so good. Shinpachi: But in a sudden attack outdoors, he'll never lose. SFX: *hahaha* Shinpachi: Hijikata-san likes to say that "If somebody's not trying to kick you, throw dirt in your eyes, or trip you up, it's not a real battle." 87 Shinpachi: Tet-chan proved himself to you guys at Ikeda-ya! Shinpachi: He's really fast!! SFX: *background noise* Shinsengumi member: But... that's... SFX: Heh... Shinsengumi: Maybe you're right - the look in his eyes has completely changed!! Shinpachi: ? SFX: *giggle* Don't know who this is: !? Shinpachi: Well, he's agile because he's small. Shinpachi: Who knows if he'll be able to maintain his speed as he gets taller and fills out a bit. Shinpachi: Actually... SFX: *point* Shinpachi: His skill is all due to Okita Souji's special training! Shinpachi: Well, probably. 88 SFX: *wild running* Shinsengumi member: Okita-sensei!! Shinsengumi member: Sensei!! Please train with me too!! Shinsengumi member: No, with me!! Shinsengumi member: No, me!! SFX: *waaaah!* Souji: Waaaaaah!!? Souji: What's this!? So many new students!? SFX: *struggle* SFX: *grab* SFX: *running* SFX: *grab* SFX: *fighting* SFX: Gyaaaaah!! Chibi Person: Soujirooou!! Chibi Person: So cooool!! Chibi Person: This is insane... Shinpachi: Well, I guess Okita Souji is going to be taking on some new students! Shinpachi: And there will be some more bruises!! SFX: *HAHAHAHA* Susumu: ....Hm? 89 SFX: *sound for surprising revelations* Susumu: You're all beaten up again today. Let me take a look. Tetsu: I am not beaten up! Tetsu: I just have a little ache in my legs and back! Susumu: So much that you come whining to me? Maybe I should cut you open. Tetsu: That's not funny!!! Susumu: I'm not trying to be funny. SFX: *sputter* Susumu handwritten text: Idiot. Tetsu: You are soo un-funny!!! Tetsu: How about that time when you cut Mimura open!? Tetsu: You were all "MUHAHAHAHA!!!" Susumu: It was a surgical procedure. He had appendicitis. Susumu: Well? Susumu: Can I at least record your height? 90 Tetsu: YES!! You're gonna be shocked!! Tetsu: I've grown at least 3 sun (1 sun = about 3cm) SFX: Hyaaa!! SFX: Ow... ow... ow... Susumu: ....... Susumu: Hmm... SFX: *rustle* Susumu: Perhaps you just have growing pains, then. Susumu: Don't worry, you're not sick. SFX: Ow... Tetsu: "Growing pains...?" Susumu: I'll explain as best I can. Susumu: Basically, you're growing so fast that you're body can't keep up. Susumu: So your bones and muscles ache. Susumu: So the brat's growing up quick, huh? SFX: *sigh* Tetsu: SHUT UP!! Tetsu: I don't care if it hurts, then!! 91 Tetsu: Anything else I should know? SFX: Hmph. Susumu: That's it. SFX: Heh. Susumu: You might be getting big, but you're still a brat. (Susumu calls him "udo no taiboku" - "a huge tree of udo." Udo is a plant kind of like celery, which grows pretty large but can't be used for its wood. So it's kind of like the English saying "all bark and no bite", or something like that, but proverbs are hard to translate.) Tetsu: ? SFX: *fast running* Susumu: Take care of yourself, or you won't grow strong. Susumu: Oh, has that nervous wreck calmed down at all? Tetsu: Huh? ...Oh! Tetsu: You mean Tatsu-nii. Tatsu: TETSUUUU!!! SFX: *dramatic noise* SFX: *sigh* Susumu: You'd think he was his mother, not his brother... Tatsu: You... Tatsu handwritten text: [How can he be so disrespectful!?] Tatsu: You've been hanging around here for your entire lunch break! This place stinks like medicine! 92 Tatsu: If you keep yourself shut up in a tiny room, you'll end up like that sneaky pincushion! Tatsu handwritten text: [Do you want to be a freak like him?] Text box: Stays indoors more than anyone. SFX: WTF? SFX: *speechless* Susumu and Tetsu: You hypocrite, you shouldn't talk. Tatsu: Look! SFX: *rustle* Tatsu: Your loving brother stayed up all night to mend these! Tetsu: Huh? Why would you bother fixing those old hakama? Tatsu: Idiot! Autumn is coming, so you can't just run around bare-legged! Tatsu: You should wear clothes as long as you can, or it's wasteful! Tatsu: It's an absolute rule that you should treat your possessions as if they were expensive. Tatsu: And look! I even bought you the kind of fish you like. SFX: *wrapped up* SFX: *revealing something* Tetsu: What!? What is with that crappy patchwork sewing!? 93 Tatsu: Okay, now try them on. Tetsu: Why me.....? Susumu handwritten text: [They're so noisy.] SFX: *surprise* Tetsu and Tatsu: ...... Tatsu: ...He got bigger... Tatsu handwritten text: He's growing faster and faster... SFX: *whimper* SFX: *sheesh* Tatsu: Come on, you're supposed to be happy but instead you're in tears! Susumu: ...Youth can be so cruel... SFX: *sigh* Tetsu: After lunch, I'm going to go out for a while. Tatsu: If you're going out, then I have a list of things you can buy for me. Susumu: Mm. Me too. 94 Tetsu: ...... Tetsu: What do you need this stuff for? Tatsu: Um... nothing important... Tetsu handwritten text: [What a weird shopping list.] Susumu: To make medicine. What else? Tetsu: Well, whatever. Tetsu: I can just pick this stuff up at the Ogura-ya, right? SFX: *slide* Tetsu: That's near the Komamono-ya, so it's no problem. Tetsu: See ya later! SFX: *door opening* Tatsu: ......! SFX: *shock* Susumu handwritten text: Bye. SFX: *panicking* Tatsu: The Komamono-ya... Tatsu: That's a brothel... why would he... Susumu: Probably to see "O-saya" in Shimabara. Susumu: I think he's got a crush on her. Tatsu: A... crush... 95 Tatsu: He's growing up too fast... he wants to experience adult things... but I have a duty to our parents... I'll have to castrate him... SFX: *doom* Susumu: That would be a joke if anybody but you said it... Susumu handwritten text: [That guy is really creepy.] Susumu: Well, if he has those manly urges, it won't be long before you're an uncle. SFX: *chirp* Tatsu: ...Look me in the eye when you tell bad jokes. SFX: *shamisen music* Tetsu: Yes!! It's Ichimura!! Tetsu: Hey, I'm here!! Hana: ......Hmph. Hana: You are sooo late!! 96 SFX: *hmph* Hana: It takes you longer than it does for a woman to get ready - were you fixing your hair and makeup!? Text Box: O-hana. Tetsu: Aww, chill out. It's not that big of a deal. SFX: *fume* Hana: What an idiot!! SFX: *shamisen music* Hana: I figured you'd be better at sneaking out of work. Hana: You're so late that the music teacher already got here! Tetsu: Oh yeah... SFX: *shamisen music* 97 Tetsu: ...... 98 Tetsu: I can just wait quietly until she's done. Tetsu: I like listening to Saya play shamisen. Hana: ...... Hana: Ah, I swear you come over here just to play around. Hana: Sure, you're good friends, but you've got to treat that girl right. Tetsu: ? SFX: *stretch* SFX: *shamisen music* Tetsu: [Wow, Saya's gotten good at this...] Tetsu: [It makes me feel really good.] 99 SFX: *shamisen music* SFX: *running* Tetsu: Saya! 100 Tetsu: Sorry I'm late, but I got to listen to you practice! SFX: *wave* Saya: ......! Hana: Well, I'll leave you two alone~ *heart* Hana: Now have fun today! *heart* Hana: And if you need a room for the night, you can always stay here! SFX: *giggle* *heart* SFX: *shake* Saya: ......!! Tetsu: Ah, I can't. Tetsu: We're not allowed to spend the night away from headquarters! Tetsu handwritten text: [The punishment is seppuku.] SFX: *laugh* SFX: *pissed off* Hana: YOU CLUELESS IDIOT!! 101 no text 102 Tetsu: ! Suzu: [I'll be watching you... Tetsu.] 103 SFX: *grab* Saya: ......? Tetsu: [Suzu...] Tetsu: What's wrong, Tetsu: Saya? Tetsu: [I wonder what Suzu thinks of me.] Tetsu: Hey, Saya! Tetsu: We've still got some time left. SFX: *footsteps* Tetsu: Let's walk to the edge of town! Saya: ? 104 Tetsu: It's hot, so let's have fun! SFX: *splash* Tetsu: ......*gasp* SFX: *smaller splash* Tetsu: Waah, it's still a little cold! Tetsu: Come on, Saya, get your feet wet - it feels good! SFX: *shaking head like you're laughing at somebody* Saya: ...... 105 SFX: *bubbles* SFX: *wind* SFX: *very small splash* Saya: ......Ah. 106 SFX: *very small splash* Tetsu: *gasp* Tetsu: ! Tetsu: Saya... SFX: *bubbles* Tetsu: Um... Tetsu: While I was underwater... Tetsu: I found this... 107 Tetsu: I want you to have it, Saya. Saya: ......! 108 Hana: Tet-chan is like a god to O-saya. Hana: Ever since they first met. Hana: But this place... Hana: Is a house of pleasure... Hana: God doesn't come here. SFX: *slide* O-kyo: ...... O-kuo: O-hana... Hana: Don't worry, O-kyo-neesan. Hana: I've made up my mind. Hana: I've just been putting the decision off every day since I came to Shimabara. Okami-han: O-hana. 109 Okami: Have you finished getting ready? Hana: Okami-han. Hana: It's been almost eight years since I was taken in by this shop. Hana: Thanks to you, I've lived to turn fourteen. Hana: Tonight, I will become an oiran. (An oiran is a high-class, expensive prostitute) Hana: I shall work every night to repay my debt to you.