Episode Guide to Gensomaden Saiyuki

39.--Misty Rain/Rain

The guys have taken shelter in an abandoned house along the way, and three have gone out grocery shopping while Sanzo sits alone, brooding on his bad memories. ("The rain has been long," says Hakkai quietly.) As they return, Goku, worried about him, runs on ahead to see how he is. He's bought Sanzo some lozenges for his nicotine cough and, touchingly, a can of peaches. You don't sleep, you don't talk, and you've been acting weird, he says anxiously; have you got a fever? It wasn't something I did, was it? The monk says it's nothing to do with him, but wants none of his concern. He slaps away Goku's hand when he tries to check his temperature, then harshly orders him out of the room, even kicking over the table, peaches and all. Deeply hurt, Goku runs out into the rain, past Hakkai and Gojyo who are just arriving with the rest of the bags. They call after him to no avail.

Gojyo scoffs that this happens all the time, but Hakkai says they can't just leave Sanzo alone, and takes him a dinner tray --with a candle. He's standing at the window, the room dark except for the lightning. If only the rain would end, you'd feel better, wouldn't you? --Hakkai asks. The monk growls that they shouldn't behave as if he's sick, but Hakkai says he knows, because it's the same for him. [--yeah, he knows something about rainy-day bad memories.]

Goku has come to a roaring waterfall with a huge Buddha statue beside it, the river in full flood after days of rain. As he stands there, a smooth voice asks if he's alone: it's Homura, sitting casually on the Buddha's head in the downpour. Goku snaps that he's in a bad mood, but Homura leaps down to face him. I'm warning you, I'll really kill you this time, says Goku. The unruffled War Prince remarks that he looks as if he's about to cry--is he being bullied? This is the last straw for Goku, who yells "shut up!" and charges him in a rage.

Sanzo snorts and lights yet another cigarette (already his third of the episode). Hakkai just says that Sanzo should eat if he can, and closes the door. Thunder rolls. Sanzo remembers giving Shuei his red prayer beads, remembers the night of his master's death, and stays at the window.

Homura and Goku fight--Goku is badly outmatched. Homura strides over to him, telling him that he's too weak, that this is nothing compared to what his true power once was. He grabs Goku one-handed and holds him overhead, staring intensely up into his eyes. Recall your true form, Seiten Taisei Son Goku, he says, and with an awful crunch dislocates his shoulder. Goku howls and blacks out.

Hakkai brings back the untouched tray, candle burned down, chopsticks still in their rest. He sighs and sets it beside an identical one from earlier. That stupid monkey never came back?--asks Gojyo. --So it seems. Gojyo goes to the door: cigarettes, he says. Hakkai reminds him they have those, but the redhead replies that they're not his brand, and heads out. Hakkai looks after him with a quiet chuckle and an understanding little smile.

Goku regains consciousness in a dungeon, manacled to the wall, and recalls his captivity in Mount Gogyou. Homura appears, tells him to clench his teeth and calmly resets the dislocated shoulder. What are you up to? If you're going to kill me, just do it! --rails the saru, but the War Prince just walks away as Goku yells after him.

Gojyo, at the waterfall, looks up at the Buddha--now broken in half--and correctly guesses Goku's been in a fight here. =) You're looking for that chibi brat? asks a voice. Give up; he's not coming back, Homura's got him. It's Zenon, stepping out of nowhere. If that's a party joke it's not even close to funny, retorts Gojyo. What'd you do with the monkey? He charges Zenon, but the kami just vanishes.
Gojyo takes the news back to the house, where he and Hakkai ask Sanzo what to do. We can't stay here forever, Gojyo says, and we have to do something about that stupid monkey. =) But the monk, still looking out at the rain, replies that there's no need to go to Goku's rescue. Are you saying he's betrayed us?--asks Hakkai, and Sanzo says "we never promised him anything to begin with". Gojyo begins to protest, but Hakkai, over-ruling them both, says he and Gojyo will go and search, while Sanzo should stay here, please, in case Goku comes back. Hakkai --quite plainly fed up with Sanzo's black mood-- turns for a parting shot as they leave the darkened room. I understand how you feel, he says, including that you regret having lashed out at Goku for no reason, but none of this will get that across to anyone.

Homura revisits the still-manacled Goku, asks after his shoulder and offers him a pork bun, but Goku turns his head away. What are you afraid of; is it Sanzo? asks the War Prince, but Goku insists he belongs to no one and fears nothing. Is that so, smiles Homura, and coming closer, pins him to the wall. What did you think about in Mount Gogyou?--he asks. Did you curse the gods who'd imprisoned you, or did you laugh at yourself? Are you happy with having both your powers and your memories sealed away?--Goku briefly remembers Nataku, and gasps. Don't you want to get it all back, Homura asks him, and what if you can't do that yourself? You're a heresy just as I am, a solitary, abominable existence, the only one of your kind...that's why you cling to Sanzo for validation. --He sees he's struck a nerve, and presses the point: what about Sanzo? has he ever needed you? Is that how you want it? --Shut up, says Goku, near exhaustion, and Homura says "your existence is so much more important than you know...I can't help but feel impatient watching you." I don't understand what you want me to do, Goku says, and Homura leans into him, reaches up to stroke the chains with his fingertips, a tense, strange, intimate moment. You don't need to do anything, he says. I'll protect you, I'll give you everything you desire. Only come to me. --Like hell I will, Goku grates, but as Homura's fingers reach the manacle cuffs they snap open, and Goku falls to the floor.
You'll come, won't you, Son Goku?--asks Homura softly, and Goku stares at his unrestrained wrists. "...I--"

Hakkai and Gojyo standing in the rain; Gojyo cusses the bakazaru for causing them such trouble, and Hakkai laughs, saying it's clear Gojyo has no doubts about what's happened. Gojyo retorts that Hakkai can't possibly think Goku's gone over to the enemy (and Hakkai doesn't)--he doesn't have the brains to plan a betrayal. Zenon and Shien appear, mockingly praising them for being here even though they've been told it's hopeless; battle is joined.

(We see Sanzo's overflowing ashtray; he picks up his pack, finds it empty, crushes it in his fist; and his eye falls on the can of peaches, still lying where it fell.)

A battered-looking Hakkai and Gojyo get to their feet after a few rounds with the kami. Shien praises Hakkai's persistence; he says he's often told that's one of his virtues. Zenon says that virtues and flaws don't matter much once you're dead, and Gojyo says that's why it's part of his charm to not die all that easily. --Is that how badly you want to keep Son Goku's strength? --asks a third voice; Homura, appearing from the forest. Gojyo looks up. Strength? Don't be an idiot, he's just a monkey, he says, but--a sudden, ferocious grin--if you take him we can't play mah-jongg. Where is he?--He charges Homura with his shakujou, but is hurled into the cliff wall; Hakkai is wounded by a barrage from Zenon, and Gojyo, calling to him in alarm, is grabbed by Shien's energy whip--

And a bullet comes from nowhere to cut the energy beam in two. Guess who. =)

Hakkai calls to him, amazed. Sanzo growls that he couldn't sleep, and Homura grins and asks if that's because Goku wasn't there. Sanzo glances up; Goku is huddled in a tree, watching. An idle bystander? You're trash, snaps the monk. Goku once again recalls his captivity--how he longed to see the sun, how he learned what freedom and loneliness are. He leaps down from the tree and cries out as Sanzo walks on: you don't care about me at all! you don't say anything, there's nothing there! Why did you even take me out? If it was going to be like this, I'd rather have been left behind.--this does it: Sanzo turns, walks back to him, lays his hand on Goku's head. The golden eyes fill with tears. I hate that I'm always the one who causes you trouble, he says; what am I to you anyway? what's wrong with me worrying about you sometimes? Sanzo glares at Homura: what the hell did you say to him?--he demands, but the War Prince just smirks and says 'nothing'. To himself he admits that he can't be the sun that Goku needs, but aloud he adds 'the next time we meet I will take him by force'. The trio all zap out.

Sanzo tells Goku--as close to an apology as he'll ever give--that he's just in a bad mood because of the rain, and Goku will have to decide his own matters for himself. Goku remembers, vividly, that the one looking down at him now is the one who led him out of that dark place, who gave him a world much brighter than the sun. Sanzo lifts his hand, turns and walks away, pauses, and says quietly, "What I wanted wasn't a servant."

The next day. The clouds have finally broken and sun streams into Sanzo's room. Hakkai says they should be going, and they step out to find Goku already waiting in Jeep. H&G smile while Sanzo sighs peevishly. =) How far shall we get today? Something good to eat would be nice.--Sanzo abruptly orders Goku to go and get cigarettes; also some pickled kelp and frozen mandarin oranges. You just said I wasn't your servant! Why do I have to go?--protests the saru, but a few gunshots send him scurrying, and a few more shush Gojyo's insults.

Hakkai laughs and says it's wonderful that the weather's cleared up. =)

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