Synopsis
After the flashback: Hazel is still standing in the courtyard when Gat walks out, asking him if Sanzo has gone. Instead of replying, Hazel asks Gat "you always follow my orders, don't you?" == At the breakfast table: Gojyo and Goku quarrel over who stole whose manjuu, and Hakkai attempts to make peace by giving Goku some of his. Gojyo says Hakkai (who's yet again feeding a tidbit to Hakuryu on his shoulder) will regret it if he makes a habit of always feeding Goku when he complains; the saru is outraged...but Sanzo, smoking, is lost in thought. Shut up, he abruptly growls; he stubs out his cigarette and heads for the door. Are you finished? asks Hakkai in surprise; yeah, replies Sanzo curtly, and he leaves. --Silence falls over the table, all three faces full of trouble and distress; plainly, everyone is remembering that overheard conversation from last night. Gojyo offers the plate of meat buns to Goku, wearily saying he can have them, but Goku doesn't want any.
In their room: Hazel tells Lirin that he's planning to play a fun game with Sanzo-han today, would she like to tag along? Is it really fun? she asks uncertainly, and he reminds her that she'd said she was after the Maten Sutra; well, if she'll help them out, he'll help her get the sutra. Yay!--She's all for it, and charges out the door. Hazel smiles; Gat watches impassively. Hazel puts his hat on and heads for the door, pausing to ask Gat if he's ready. Hazel, the big native begins, do you really-- and Hazel cuts him off, ordering him not to say another word.
We hear Hakkai sweetly thanking the inn staff for their hospitality as the ikkou heads out. Gojyo glances back, sees that the HT aren't on their heels and urges Hakkai to pick up speed --"let's not lose a chance to put some distance between us". Hakkai agrees. Goku worries about Lirin, and Gojyo assures him she probably just chowed down, had a nap and went on her way. Sanzo is still looking deep in thought...Goku grumbles that that idea makes him hungry and Gojyo advises him "You'll get fat" =)
We see the HT and Lirin walking along, playing shiritori [game in which each person must say a word beginning with the last character of the word used by the player before]. Suddenly two barcoded Houtou Castle guards leap in, saying that they've been looking everywhere for Lirin-sama. She says 'Oh, hi', but Gat cocks his pistol, and the guards uneasily ask why she's with these people. Miss, asks Hazel, didn't you want to see what this pendant can do? I'll show you right now. [Oh, hell no.] The guards ask Lirin if she knows who H&G are: they attacked Lord Kougaiji, and Dokugakuji-sama and Yaone-sama were badly hurt! Please, they urge, get behind us now!--They were? startles Lirin.--- Hazel is all innocent malice: oh, that man we beat before, was his name Kou-something? I had no idea he was your brother.
--OK, deal is off: the princess is pissed. What did you do to my brother?! she demands of Hazel-rah; you tricked me!--He chuckles drily. It's not ladylike to talk about people that way, he says; and then he looks at her, and his pretty blue eyes are ice. I've hated youkai from the very beginning, he says.
Her eyes go wide, and she cusses him out and runs to join the castle guards. We won't let you harm Lady Lirin, they say. Hazel smiles thinly and says "Gato, get goin'". They fall in two seconds, right before their lady's shocked eyes. I promised to show you what this pendant does, says Hazel. She sees it begin to glow as he prays, realizes what must be happening [as half-sister of a sorceror-prince, I can't imagine she's not sensitive to such processes] and is horrified. Stop! she cries; she charges him and is dropped by Gato (a karate-type chop to the back of her neck). This game is just gettin' started, smiles the little bishop.
[==the KT kills a harmless human farmer, and Hazel says "I've strayed from my path."]]
The SI, driving along, approaches a tree in which they're startled to see Lirin, hanging in bonds; as they come closer, Hazel and Gat step out from behind it. It's them, Gojyo says. Hazel chuckles; we've been waitin' for you, he says. The ikkou runs up to the tree. Goku calls to Lirin, but she's unconscious, and Hakkai asks what's happened.
Hazel smiles [always smiles, ne?]. Sanzo-han, he says, it seems that you really can't trust demons [Sanzo's face is impassive]; I'd never have imagined that this sweet little girl could do this.--and the camera pans back to show the dead castle guards *AND* the dead human farmer that Gato throttled earlier. The ikkou is horrorstruck by the implications. [OK, so that's why Gato didn't shoot the man; a bullet hole would've been the giveaway.] The ikkou run forward. Hakkai examines the bodies and tells Sanzo all three are dead, and Gojyo demands, "you're telling us Lirin did this?" Yes, that's right. --Goku and Hakkai openly doubt it; Sanzo regards him with silent, deep suspicion. Are you sayin' we did it then? asks Hazel, adding that, as he's said before, you never know when demons will go berserk. Lirin...went berserk?--asks Goku, utterly horrified. I don't know exactly what happened, replies Hazel, but she killed this person and then came after us. --You have GOT to be lying, whispers Gojyo.--Are you callin' me a liar? what proof do you have? challenges the bishop, and Goku angrily retorts, screw proof! No way Lirin could've done this! [ROCK it, saru.]--My, you're stubborn, smiles Hazel, enjoying this far too much. So who did do this foul deed, hm? ---Goku charges, and is brought up short by Gat's pistol to his brow. GH&S freeze. --What do you think you're doing? demands Hazel. She's not dead yet, grits Goku; I'm gonna wake her and ask her if it's true. Move and I'll shoot you, retorts Gat.== You never know what demons will do, smiles Hazel; Gato! --The big guy doesn't stir.--Gato! more sharply: this time he draws his other pistol & aims at hanging Lirin, holding Goku at bay with the other. Goku is furious, but can't move, and Hazel says, the execution will proceed: that's fine with you, isn't it, Sanzo-han?
--Why ask me? grates Sanzo. If she's really gone berserk and attacked a human, you should just shoot her; why wait until you could ask me? I thought, Hazel replies smoothly, that it would be best to have you decide. [[OK, this is official. I hate him.]] Sanzo gives him his coldest stare; Hazel is rather amused.--A human travelin' with demons is somethin' I've never heard of, the little bishop says; I'm sure you take great pride in your strength, but outsiders like myself do tend to get anxious. So I want you to realize one thing here today: demons are the enemy. [GG&H glare in helpless fury.]--We talked about demons last night, didn't we? and you did say that if a demon killed a human, you'd slay it. That's only natural: a famous Sanzo Monk can't keep company with human-killing youkai, especially since someone close to Sanzo-han was killed by demons.--No one dares move. [[what would he say if he knew that Sanzo sits right next to just such a youkai most hours of any given day...?]] If you don't say anything, I'll shoot her, says Hazel; and Gat cocks the trigger. Goku yells, stop it! but Hazel's eyes don't leave Sanzo: whatever shall we do? he asks sweetly. Sanzo!--implores Goku.
He's thoroughly pissed off, but he has to do something. Don't you ever shut up? the monk rasps, this is none of my business.--With a single shot --which takes Hazel's hat off on the way--he cuts the rope and looses Lirin. Goku runs to her side and scoops her up. Hazel smirks. You're annoying, Sanzo tells him, voice low and deadly; do you just get a kick out of framing innocent brats? He heads for the jeep, ikkou in tow and Goku carrying the princess.
Hazel can't let this go, of course, and calls after Sanzo: your demon friends must be more important to you than you admit, aren't I right? even if you hate them, you refuse to see it in black-&-white when a demon kills a human. It's so you can continue traveling with your demon pals, right?
Sanzo turns on him, outright furious: what are you trying to say? he snarls. Hazel retrieves his hat. That when these demons turn on you, you'll be left alone to die, he replies. I just don't get why you lie to yourself this way, Sanzo-han, you hate the demons but you're still friends with them. --Don't put words in my mouth, snaps back Sanzo; who says they're my friends? that's disgusting. [Goku looks stricken.] Then what are they? prods Hazel. Goku can't bear this, and cries right back: I'm sorry we're disgusting, but we're not people, right?--Goku, says Hakkai warningly, but Goku has had it: no matter what, we're still only demons, right, Sanzo? But --pleading, now-- what's so bad about that? --Sanzo closes his eyes, silent. Goku begs Sanzo to say something; Gojyo (trying to stave off what everyone can see coming) tells him to calm down, but Goku emotionally says that even if Sanzo won't believe in youkai, he'll believe in Lirin and save her from Hazel. Do what you like, rasps Sanzo, his face turned away; and off goes the saru. Gojyo asks if he's not going to call Goku back. Why would I, replies Sanzo; I don't remember asking any of you to come with me.
Gojyo is outraged. Oh, so that's how it is, he snarls, and he walks off after Goku. Hakkai calls to him, alarmed, but Gojyo shoots back that he's not putting up with this shit anymore. He waves as they walk away, calling to Sanzo that he hopes a youkai beats him and he dies an awful death.
Sanzo turns his back; Hakkai asks him 'why?'--Why what? retorts the monk. --Why are you acting this way? (Poor Hakuryu has never looked so distressed.) Through clenched teeth, Sanzo retorts that if he doesn't like it he can get lost too. --Hakkai is stunned by this slap; 'Sanzo--', he begins, almost pleading, and the monk snaps, shut up!
Hakkai's expression is heartbreaking. 'Sanzo...' he says again, and then, quietly, 'very well.' He turns and walks away. Hakuryu sniffs anxiously at his face and then looks back at Sanzo with a long 'kyuuu' of dismay, but neither man turns.
Sanzo walks away, straight past Hazel and Gato. A break-up, huh? taunts Hazel, but the priest doesn't pause. Hazel allows himself time for a cute little smirk of triumph, then says he and Gat ought to get movin' too.
We see GG&H driving west, silent, Gojyo in the front seat with Hakkai, Lirin in the back asleep or still out cold, slumped against Goku. And we see Sanzo, too, walking west, Hazel and Gato following him a few lengths behind, just as silent, three long shadows thrown behind them by the setting sun.
