02x02 - Ayako no Dokidoki Daisakusen!

[bunniefuu]

Live on and bide your time

Just carry your life and
pierce through this destiny

Wear your shame and chase your dream

For the people who believed in you

[The Elusive Samurai]

Things that won't make history

All those foolish little things

They tangle and untangle, over and over

And we breathe

What should I devote this life to?

What fate awaits me?

Even this emotion like curse

If it keeps me tethered

Live on and bide your time

Just carry your life
and pierce through this destiny

Wear your shame and chase your dream

For the people who believed in you

Come and find me, follow my clapping

Life is short, so sing and dance

Flowers will bloom for those who run

Suwa Grand Shrine is much obliged
to the Governor of Shinano

for his generous offering
at the Misayama Festival the other day.

This is a gift from us,
as a token of appreciation.

If you would be so kind
as to deliver it to Sadamune for us.

Yes, sir. My lord will be delighted.

[Messenger, Ogasawara Clan]
[Shinzaburo Akazawa]

I must say,
these are quite expensive gifts!

And we accept them most graciously.

My lord did emphasize that
we must pull out all the stops

for this grand occasion that is
the Misayama Festival.

They were all at each other's throats
before over territory,

and yet
they still maintain proper etiquette.

Just what I'd expect from the great Suwa
Grand Shrine and the Governor of Shinano.

I must express my deepest thanks
to Sadamune and his entire family

for his endless kindness
and consideration.

Oh, no. It's really nothing.

I do, however,
have one small request from my lord.

Your wish is my command.

If we could please have Chojumaru join us
as an envoy to deliver these gifts.

Wait! That's...

We will provide an adequate escort,

so we would very much appreciate it
if you could send him on his own.

I'm sure the Suwa family can stand
to part with one insignificant child

for a period, no?

Do they know who I am?

No. Your cover-up to hide
your true identity should be flawless.

But Sadamune is sharp.

He may have found some proof, or he may
intend on uncovering it upon meeting you.

To refuse would raise even more suspicion.
What will you do?

Yes! Me! Can I suggest something?

Surely it would be all right for just me
to accompany him, right?

I'd feel bad sending the poor little thing
off on his own.

No. We want...

Or would a young girl on her own
in your entourage spell trouble

for the Ogasawara clan?

Then shall we arrange for departure
to be tomorrow morning?

Fine.

With Ayako around,
well, I guess it should all work out.

Really?

I know I can count on her
with a sword, but...

There's no need to worry. She may
not look it, but she is quick-witted.

Don't you worry.

If I can't protect the Young Lord
from something as trivial as this,

I'll never be like Tomoe Gozen.

Tomoe Gozen?

A military commander once lived in Shinano
by the name of Kiso Yoshinaka.

He lost his entire family at a young age
and fled to Shinano,

where he grew up and gained the strength
to overturn the lord.

He's the exact same as me.
He has the same goal.

And at Lord Yoshinaka's side,

growing up beside him
and eventually becoming his vassal,

was the brave Tomoe Gozen,
always there to protect him.

As someone originally from Shinano,

and as someone who has always aspired
to a life of martial arts,

Tomoe Gozen is her ultimate role model.

I see.

So, why is she practicing
carrying two leather dummies?

Tomoe Gozen had superhuman strength.

She once grabbed two warriors, one on each
side, and snapped their necks right off.

I want to snap some necks too!

The only issue now is
how to answer Sadamune's questions.

- [Tokiyuki Memorial]

- I will now explain it like a game.

- Okay. Thank you.

- [July 1]

- Sorry! Did I keep you waiting for long?

- When Sadamune asks you a question...

- [No, I just got here]



Huh?

Detection!

I see a future where if you answer
incorrectly, your life will be in danger.

Oh, no! So what do I do?

It was the same for Lord Yoshinaka.

He excelled at warfare, but lacked proper
manners and consideration for others.

After a string
of poor judgment and missteps,

he lost the people's support,
and it led to his doom.

And so, as we don't want you
to meet the same fate...

Study rigorously!

You must fill that head of yours
with knowledge

so that Sadamune
doesn't become suspicious tomorrow.

Am I really going to be okay?

[Shinano
The New Governor's Residence]

My Lord, I bring you Chojumaru.

Good. Let him in.

Then, we will wait outside the room.

He is intimidating up close.

But I won't lose. He is nothing
but cheap tricks and dirty plots.

I am the son of a Hojo.

I also come
bearing the name of Suwa Grand Shrine.

I won't let anyone underestimate me.

Correct that posture.

This is how you sit
when you want to show respect to someone.

You just made a grand gesture of sitting
down because you're facing an enemy.

On the contrary.

The enemy is a taker of lives,

which is precisely why you must show
respect for the lives they would take.

During this time period,
both men and women would usually sit

either cross-legged
or with one knee drawn up.

The practice of sitting in seiza style
became widespread during the Edo Period,

and is rooted in the etiquette guidelines
as compiled by Sadamune Ogasawara.

I was the one to underestimate him.
What begins now is a battle of words.

If I don't flee with my words,

I will be pierced with words.

Begging your pardon, but how old are you?

I'm nine.

Really? You don't look nine.

I was about to ask you
to become my mistress.

One could mistakenly think
your body was fully grown.

I get that a lot.

We have received
your token of appreciation.

Please send Yorishige my regards.

Yes. I will.

Is this kid a Hojo? Or just some brat?

I'll keep firing him with questions
and see how he responds.

Say, kid.
You're actually sitting quite nicely.

Quite unnatural for a Suwa warrior
with an uncivilized upbringing.

One could also say
sh**ting a shrine maiden in the ear

is suggestive
of an uncivilized upbringing.

He dodged the question
by immediately firing back with retorts.

All is fair in a battle.

If there's one thing I know for sure,

it's that proper manners won't win the day
in a real fight.

And you have been nothing
but a constant thorn in my side

ever since the dog-sh**ting competition.

You must be
the child of someone important.

The child of a famous warrior
or something.

State your lineage!
As you would on the b*ttlefield.

My forebear is Koizumi Gengoro.

He was a resident of Okaya-no-sho,

and was elevated to the chief guard
of Suwa Grand Shrine.

Koizumi Gorosaburo became
the fifth chief guard under his lineage,

and he also ensured that his soldiers
received a proper education.

And I am Chojumaru, one of his sons.

He speaks without hesitation,
and his posture is entirely composed.

If he's lying, could it be because
Yorishige has carefully trained him?

I confirmed the existence
of your forebears

and that they died last year in a fire.

I can see they also had a son.

But something's off here.

Some locals have stated
both parent and child died in the fire.

I left my parents in the burning building
and fled on my own.

It is something I feel great shame over...
- Forgive me, Mr. Koizumi.

I never knew you, and now I am using your
untimely death as my own personal shield.

The fire consumed all, even the bodies,

so it's no wonder some people thought
I died along with them.

There is something even more perplexing.

These retainers of yours.

Kojiro, to be precise...
He is of the Nezu clan.

And this Ayako of yours,

I hear she is the illegitimate child
of the Mochizuki clan.

Both illustrious houses that have
prospered in Shinano for generations!

What reason could they possibly have
for entering into the service

of the child of a chief guard?

I am aware of their lineage.

Upon our first meeting at Suwa
Grand Shrine, we played a game of tag.

They now call me "lord" because I won.

We are just children playing
lord and vassal.

We are simply rehearsing for the day
we pledge our loyalty to a true lord.

Do the inner workings of child's play

really intrigue the eminent
governor of Shinano this much?

Impressive. Each and every response
even more articulate than the last.

That fear and bravado he had upon entering
the room has completely dissipated.

It's almost as if he's enjoying
this back-and-forth now.

He is a peculiar young brat
who loves playing hard to get.

I wonder if he particularly excels
at dodging the truth as well?

Shinzaburo. Enter!

So, kid. Was yesterday
your first time meeting this fellow?

I think I may have seen him
at the dog-sh**ting competition...

Prior to that, I was on duty in Kamakura.

I know Kamakura well.

I often visited the area where the Hojos
and their important retainers reside.

Now that I see you up close, I am certain.

Yes. I've seen this child
many times before.

How will you plead?

If you try to talk your way out of
this one, your composure should slip.

"Where?" "You couldn't have seen me."

I'll be watching for the slightest slip
in composure during your reply.

Why would you make up a lie like that?

Huh?

What reason could the child
of a Suwa Grand Shrine chief guard

possibly have for being among
the great eminence of those in Kamakura?

He's bluffing. We generally travel by
palanquin on official outings anyway.

Even if it were a time
when I was running away from practice,

such provincial warriors
would not even know who I am.

And besides, I had invented plenty
of secret routes so as to not be spotted.

Never underestimate the Elusive Son.

You're calling me a liar?
I was in Kamakura for five years!

I know everything
there is to know about Kamakura...

You are free to lie,
if that's what you want to do...

But a poor bluff
is the same as a poor follow-up attack.

You make it so easy

for your opponent to counter,
even when on the run.

...did the Ogasawara clan send
a liar as their messenger to us?

Shinzaburo. Enough.
You may take your leave.

Damn it!
- Good job!

Not a single slip-up from this one.

Is he a master at hiding his true colors,

or does he really
have nothing to do with the Hojos?

Oh, my! I am so late.

You're late, Ichikawa.

My apologies. I was left stranded
by a landslide.

I need to use the privy.
I can't hold it any longer.

Truly, the mind of a nine-year-old.

Leaving her station
at the worst possible moment for her lord.

All right, kid. Now the real fun begins.

Do not mistake
my behavior for mere rudeness.

I am operating under the suspicion
that you are a surviving Hojo.

Naturally, I must use everything within
my disposal to weed out such survivors.

As a last resort, I would like to monitor
your face up close

and listen for the truth
from your heartbeat.

Hey! What happened to proper manners?

I told you!

Manners and battle are
two separate things. And this is a battle.

You can't just change things up like that!

I will tell you one thing.

No one has managed to maintain
a lie under these conditions.

Are you ready?
I will now ask the pivotal question...

Are you a Hojo?

Hey!
I'm trying to listen to his heart here!

All right, people of Ogasawara!

Who's ready for a dance battle
with the great Ayako?

What marvelous dancing, my lady!

Just how many instruments are you playing?
That's amazing!

Dengaku. It was like this period's version
of "club music."

It stirs something so deep within
that it shakes people to their core

from all walks of life,
regardless of social standing.

Hey! Why is everyone out here
dancing with that girl?

Well, she just started
playing music all of a sudden.

She said, "Sadamune's having a great time
talking with the kid,

so we should all get together
and have a good time too."

- [Province Of Shinano, Provincial Capital]
[Nakano Town, Takai District]

- We will destroy the cliff
to keep Ichikawa stranded.

But if he does come, Ayako,
you must leave immediately.

With their superhuman eyes
and ears combined,

Sadamune and Ichikawa could uncover
even Lord Tokiyuki's true identity.

You must block
either their sight or their hearing.

Hey! Cut that out! We're in the middle
of a very important conversation!

Wow, really? I didn't think you could have
important conversations with children.

And we planned on leaving soon.

Some warriors from Suwa should be

on their way
to the border to escort us right now.

Can you imagine what might happen
if the children come home late?

Well, you're being too loud!
Just wait a little longer.

Young Lord?

Don't worry. I am right here with you.

She captivated both my eyes and ears.

And not just with her music
and her dancing.

But with her gorgeous, long limbs,
and an animated face.

I truly am blessed.

She is so talented, and yet here she is
as my retainer,

where if the world were at peace,
she would surely be idolized by all.

I ask you again. Are you a Hojo?

It's not good. His mind is fully dominated
by that Dengaku dance from before.

The way his heart is palpitating
must be because of that as well.

Now I'll never get an honest answer.

Enough. You may go.

Just remember that if you try to interfere
on the b*ttlefield again,

I will k*ll you without hesitation.

Understood. Then I'll be taking
my leave, Lord Sadamune.

Are you sure about this? Why not just
k*ll him now if you're suspicious?

This is just how he is.
Ever since the dog-sh**ting competition.

He openly acknowledges what is good
and expresses praise with his whole being.

He readily accepted my advice
to correct his posture, and not once

did he let that posture slump,
no matter how I tried to corner him.

Such candor is peculiar these days, when
everyone is suspicious of one another.

It would be rude to doubt a person
when they are being so sincere.

Ayako, where did you learn
to put on such a performance?

Do I have you intrigued?

It made me forget
all about Sadamune hounding me.

Because I couldn't stop thinking
about you.

Whoa! Honesty is scary!
It's almost like a weapon.

Hey, Young Lord...

How dare you... How dare you... How
dare you, how dare you, how dare you...

How dare you! How dare you
make my lord think less of me!

You miserable brats are nothing
but lip service and parlor tricks!

Never mind sending you back to Suwa.

I'll send you to the ground
with my martial arts!

Young Lord! Stay back!
- Too slow!

Dance! Dance! Dance!

How do you like the taste of that?

I've been using this naginata for longer
than you've been alive!

This guy has unwavering faith
in his skills with a naginata.

Get back here!

Kojiro is the same with his sword.

I don't have any weapons
I'm especially good at wielding.

But instead...

What the...

Hey! What are you doing?
Stop that! Let go of me!

Wait! You b*tch!
Don't think you'll get away with this.

Whether it be a kick, or a rock,

or my opponent's weapon,
or a musical instrument...

Wait... All right! Let's talk this out!

I will make the most
of this body I have been given

and use whatever I can get my hands on!

What do you want?
Do you want money? A sword?

sh*t! This b*tch is insanely strong!

Wait...

I don't need to choose a weapon.

I just need to protect my lord!

Shinano had Tomoe Gozen,
a faithful retainer.

Echigo had Hangaku Gozen,
a military commander who led a rebellion.

And Totomi had Jiro Ii,
a female feudal lord.

History has long documented the roles

of women fighting bravely
throughout the country.

All right. Now for the finishing snap.

Wait!

We're not fighting today.

He only came as a messenger.
k*lling him will only aggravate matters.

You can snap his neck another day.

- Someday, I'll definitely be
your very own retainer☆

- Huh? Really?
- Yes! Of course!

- All right. You're very kind, Young Lord.

Show off what I can, race across the plain

No matter the time

- That look spoke to me

- You know, Young Lord,
when you came to Shinano,

- I thought it must be fate.

Deep down inside

- A fledgling ruler came
to give me a chance

- That I have feelings for you

- to become the Tomoe Gozen
that I've always admired.

- If you can't run, I'll carry you

- And it's thanks to you, Young Lord.

- You're the reason I was able
to throw myself into the arts,

- I'll be right by your
side to protect you

- both martial and performance.

- I will use everything I have learned
to protect you, Young Lord.

- But I actually just
want it to be only me

- And when I'm done protecting you,
I will bear you lots and lots of children!

- Choose me, choose me☆

- Without a doubt, choose me only☆

So, Young Lord,

- I want to grasp lots of futures with you

- take me whenever you like.

[want to be chosen by you]

- Choose me, choose me☆

- Does she even realize what she's saying?

- I want you to choose me☆

- I'm so embarrassed!
- Hey!

- May this heartfelt wish come true

- Everything she says and does
is to the extreme.

- She is larger-than-life.

- She truly is defined by absolute,
pure loyalty and a radiant heart.

I'm sure she'll be a strong and beautiful
military commander one day.

And I hope I can be a lord worthy of her.

[To be continued]

If you want "romantic"

Love me more than anyone else

You're such a gentle person

And I know that's why
you are so kind to her, too

It's fine, it's totally fine

Just carry all the heavy luggage for me

You act cool in front of everyone

But when we're just
the two of us, you act cute

Be loyal like a dog

And don't disappear like a cat, okay?

Sometimes it makes me feel a little sad

I look up at the stars,
feeling sentimental

Who are you with right now,
and what are you doing?

Hey, if you can love and be loved,

I will keep your heart racing

If you're not going to choose me

I will send you straight to absolute hell

I can't hear you

I don't care anymore

If you want "romantic"

Love me more than anyone else

- Let's go!

- [Episode 15 [1335]:
Tokiyuki and Three Great Generals]