Episode Guide to Gensomaden Saiyuki

49.--Missing Desire (Kazayaku rakuen, "Shining Paradise")

Sanzo and Son Goku face each other across the pentacle. Kougaiji lies face down, motionless. Shattered pillars lie everywhere; a piece falls from the ceiling. Sanzo's eyes flick from the golden door, still open onto the blank radiance of the new world, to the Monkey King, who suddenly leaps into the air and descends on him.

We see Homura, standing alone in a blooming meadow.

And we see the rest of the SI and KT, facing off against the transformed Zenon, who snarls that he's abandoning his godhood. The battered fighters stare in dismay: now we have to stop this?

Homura remembers his childhood, locked alone in a cell for the crime of being half human. He overheard prison guards talking about him, saying that even though he's related to the Jade Emperor, his human blood makes him mortal, and it's possible the Emperor plans to just ignore him until he dies. So, I will die someday?--thought chibi-Homura; that's not so bad, I hardly feel as if I'm alive now anyway. --One day, with no warning, he was ordered out, shackled, manacled, and brought into the Imperial presence, where he was given his freedom. It hardly felt any different, he remembers: he was alone, with no purpose, and though the Heavens were beautiful, the tranquil, empty days went by endlessly. But then came the day that a girl tripped over his foot and spilled her basket of fruit...and soon Homura felt that he wanted to live; for the first time, he remembers, he wanted to have a future...

The combined forces are taking a beating, and Yaone and Hakkai confer and decide to take advantage of their superior numbers. The KT will distract Zenon while Gojyo and Hakkai take their best remaining shot at him. It's all they have left: they agree grimly, the Brothers Sha check on each other, and they charge. Zenon's not falling for it, and easily brushes off the weary KT's assault, but as he's about to deliver a crushing blow to Dokugaku a chained blade snares his arm. There may be only half the Sanzo-ikkou left to fight him, but they're not letting him get away with this.

Sanzo has been dodging slashing claws nonstop, and now the Seiten Taisei faces him and gives a low growl, gathering himself to charge. So you mean to settle this with the next attack? Fine, says Sanzo, bracing himself; and he stands still as Son Goku rushes at him and draws back for a huge punch, and--catches his fist. Catches it in his hand. The One Equal to Heaven struggles, snarling, and Sanzo calls him a damn stupid monkey, and lays the other hand on his face. Just that. Light floods into the saru's astonished eyes, and he pitches forward. Sanzo catches his shoulders and holds him, and they both sink to their knees on the chamber floor. When I lost the one thing I wanted to protect, Sanzo remembers, I realized how worthless I was; I realized I had my hands full just looking after myself, and then I wished for things I wouldn't have to protect...and Goku remembers everything. All the way back to Mount Gogyou, the loneliness and darkness and then the light, and this voice...always, this voice, so familiar and so shiny, the voice of someone he should never forget...

Goku sits up and stretches, and complains that he's hungry, and gets a wallop from the harisen. Hey! what for? he protests, and Sanzo snorts, and then Goku shyly thanks him; I heard your voice, he says. Bakazaru, I never called to you, says Sanzo, turning away; but he smiles, just a little.

[...gods, I love Kazuya Minekura.]

Sanzo picks up the Maten Sutra, returns it to its rightful place on his shoulders, and heads toward the door. [But where's the Seiten? wasn't it there on the floor as well?] How long do you plan to sit around?--he's in there, he tells Goku.

Doku, Yaone and Lirin are out cold as Hakkai and Gojyo, near exhaustion, struggle grimly to their feet. Why are you getting up? this fight's over, says Zenon. Sorry, says Gojyo, but we decided a long, long time ago that we wouldn't run; and Hakkai says he'll have to keep them company a little longer. He remembers that transforming moment, so far away now, when Sanzo chanted the sutra for Kanan, and what he said then: that the gods save no one, and that Gonou's death would change nothing, but things could change if he chose to live. He remembers the serene beauty of their faces as the golden light gathered them together. Yes, he thinks, for just a little longer...

We'll end this soon, growls Zenon, and suddenly he's surrounded by purple light, and clutches at his head, yowling in pain. What--? He's probably becoming unable to handle the increasing power, says Hakkai, and they realize this is their chance to take him down. They both strike at once--
Zenon remembers Mirei's death, remembers his friends Shien and Homura, sees Mirei with their baby son..I'll be going on ahead, he thinks with a smile, and the crescent blade cuts into his chest and reduces him to dust.

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A moment, please, for this fearless gunslinger and friend to all children. Thank you.
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As youkai and hanyou stare silently at the empty crater where Zenon had stood, Homura registers that he's gone, and closes his eyes. Goku and Sanzo walk across the open field, Goku remarking that the place seems strangely familiar. Sanzo sarcastically apologizes to Homura for making him wait. Goku angrily tells the War Prince he'll never accept this place, but Homura says it will soon swallow up the heaven and earth that have existed until now. He indicates a towering boulder, wreathed with charms and coruscating with blue light: as soon as that rock reaches its breaking point and shatters, he says, the new heaven and earth will be complete. And you think we'll just watch and wait? they retort. But why not? what's displeasing about this place? asks Homura, genuinely surprised. I don't like it a bit, says Sanzo--though he readily admits the old world is also full of things that piss him off =). Goku challenges Homura, who seems tired of the whole affair: clinging to your tiny souls, how much can that possibly be worth to you? he asks. But they glare, and the War Prince closes his eyes and takes his sword off his shoulder. Come then, he says.

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