Laughing Under the Clouds (曇天に笑う)

Hey, Sora!

Tenny took off again!

Why am I not surprised?

Way to treat us like a couple of toddlers.

Let's go, Chutaro.

Yes, sir!

Halt!

You're making it worse on yourself!

You won't catch me alive!

I'd rather die than be delivered to that nightmare!

Get out of my way!

Do not presume to bellow orders, filth.

In this domain, you answer to me.

Tenka, hey!

Excellent work as usual, sir!

Thank you.

Would it have killed you to say something before you left?

And wake up

the sleeping beauties?

You were in the middle of a good dream,

judging from the noise.

We woke at dawn! Tell him, Chutaro!

--Huh? Uh. --

Huh?

That insignia.

Oh, hell.

Year Eleven of Emperor Mejii's reign.

The famed Edo period's final act.

Japan foists itself upon the World Stage,

casting off the vestments of serfdom

in exchange for the industrialized

sophistication of the West.

Gone is the age of sword and shogun,

both stricken from the register by Imperial edict,

the proud samurai class now extinct.

Life plunges inexorably forward into the modern age.

With great change, however, comes great turmoil.

The government's sweeping

reforms left many by the wayside,

and far too often, these disenfranchised souls

turned to crime.

Ah. He's awake.

Well, good morning!

I hear you attacked

some poor guard while they were escorting you to prison.

Not a very smart move.

They'll just add that much more onto your sentence.

So you're the Kumoh brothers everyone's been talking about?

Everyone?

Guess we're becoming local celebrities.

Oh yeah. You're the talk of the whole town.

Like how the youngest

stand in the shadow of their sword-wielding brother

and how they're not good for much more than

pushing a ferry across the lake.

Use those fancy swords as oars?

Or are they just for show?

Does a runt like you

even know to take them out of the sheath?

That's right, old-timer. Get it all out of your

system while you can.

Welcome to Gokumonjo,

your home until the Emperor says otherwise.

Yeah. Kind of imposing, isn't it?

They don't make them bigger.

Hey, at least you probably know a few people in there, right?

They built this prison

especially for escape artists like yourself.

Even if the walls can't keep you in,

you've still got to swim across the largest lake in Japan

before you're free.

Sure it might be a bit extreme,

but as long as it's here,

we have a job pushing our little ferry.

If you can really call this a job.

The Powers That Be pay us so little

we'd be better off trading you in for day-old bread.

Please! I can't! I can't go in there!

Look, I'll give you anything you want.

Anything! Just turn this boat arou--

Sorry, old-timer. This is it.

Not much I can do for you.

Word of advice?

Learn to love making atonement.

We're much obliged for the tea.

Thank you, Shirasu-san.

My pleasure, gentlemen.

This family's gracious enough to tolerate me.

The least I can do is entertain for them.

Well, it's nice of you to entertain

a pair of fools like us.

I can't believe we let him slip through our fingers.

We're a disgrace to the uniform.

Tenka.

Surely Soramaru has earned himself a bit of a rest?

Why not tell him to come in?

Something's off about the way Chutaro's acting.

I can't put my finger on it,

but this morning...

Study hard and make us proud.

Of course, sir!

Wait. What is that?

Oh. Uh.

Nothing! Got to go! Have a pleasant day, sir!

See? You believe me, don't you, Shirasu?

Something's wrong! I can feel it!

Hmm. It's possible that the boy's in love.

What?

He's got all the love he can handle at home!

Bleh! Gross!

One mustn't fault a vulnerable heart.

He's at that age.

I want to punch you in the face.

I'm liable to punch you back out of reflex. That all right?

I need to take this out on someone!

Goodness me.

Hey! If you want to spar, I could use the practice!

Mmm?

Huh?

Soramaru and I are going into town

to sabotage Chutaro--

I mean, chaperone his courtship.

Mommy, what's that?

Don't stare, it's rude.

Huh?

Do I even want to know what's going on?

Hey, nix the chit-chat, huh?

You can cry if you want, but babies don't talk.

Oh, really?

They also don't happen to come in my size!

Chutaro's head over heels for someone in his class

and we're going undercover to find out who

before things get serious.

Play your part or I'll give you a spanking.

This is the opposite of undercover!

Well, as I live and breathe!

Whatever are you Kumoh boys up to now?

Oh, nothing much.

You know, I should run some vegetables up to the shrine.

You're very kind, as always.

There can't be that many to spare,

what with the fields getting so little sun.

Be that as it may, lad,

for the peace of mind you boys bring this town,

we're grateful rain or shine.

Yay! Sora's dressed like a baby!

Please put me down!

Uh-oh, sourpuss. I think I know somebody who needs a new diaper.

Okay, that's weird.

I admit, I envy those boys

their boundless energy.

Yes, they're a lively bunch.

One hopes their parents look down

from above with a smile.

Oh! Hi, teacher!

Let's play! Pick a game, Miss!

So that's the object of his childish infatuation.

I don't really know about infatuation.

More like he enjoys being spoiled rotten.

Of course.

He's too young to really remember

what having a mother was like.

Tenka.

Stop! The only mother you'll ever need is me!

Um.

Hey, Tenny.

What are you doing here?

Excuse him, everyone.

And you too, Sora?

You-- You two-timing runt!

Gnash your teeth!

Yes, sir!

Don't listen to him, he's just having a fit.

Heh. Made you look!

Good one, big brother!

You idiot!

Uh. Sorry for all the ruckus.

I'm Chutaro's big brother, Tenka.

Pleased to meet you all.

Same here. I'm Soramaru.

Charmed. I feel like I know you both

from all the stories he tells.

I'm Chutaro's teacher.

Oh, but please, you can call me Botan.

Ah. Nice to meet you.

So has he been keeping up with his lessons?

Huh? Oh. Well, he's working quite hard.

Right?

--Mmm... -- I believe she

just asked you a question.

Uh. Yes, very hard. Absolutely.

Tenka.

I really think we should go home.

We've caused--

No.

We didn't dress up for nothing.

I'm gonna give this place a once-over.

Whoa! You can't just barge in! Tenka!

Perfectly all right.

No harm done. Why not make yourselves at home?