The celebration at
the Higashidani household is quite rowdy. Kamishimoemon
and the other villagers are really drunk. Sanosuke
decides to stay sober, and after watching how his
father, sister, and brother deal with one another
in such festive times, he gets to his feet and steps
out quietly.
When the party has
ended and Uki is left to clean the mess everyone
left behind, she notices that her father is missing.
Frantically, she runs out into the open with Outa
and begins searching for him. Uki just so happens
to bump into Sanosuke and explains the situation.
Usually, her father won't leave the house without
telling her where he's going. Sanosuke sees the
tears in his sister's eyes, remembering how much
she cried when he had left her ten years ago. With
determination in his voice, Sanosuke tells Uki to
stop crying, for he will bring her father back.
After getting the
directions to Fudosawa's residence, Sanosuke catches
up with his father. Kamishimoemon is prepared for
whatever consequences awaits him. He would rather
be thrown in jail than have the waystation taken
over by Fudosawa. Sanosuke tries to make it clear
that the decision he is making is foolish, but Kamishimoemon
is too stubborn to accept the facts. The old man
knows that Uki and Outa will be fine because he
learned from the night that the villagers are reliable
people, and he has a trustworthy eldest son that
has returned to watch over them. That statement
enrages Sanosuke. He argues that the place he once
called home is no longer a place to call his own.
Sanosuke demands that his father march right on
back to where he came from or else. Kamishimoemon
refuses to do so, thus, he is punched in the gut
by his own son using his full force. Old man Higashidani
falls to the ground. Sanosuke is buying the fight
from his father, for the power of the Ishin Shishi
is more his foe than anyone else's.
