Ep 17. Onslaught ~intruder~

After the last-episode flashback: As they drive across the desert, Hakkai is amused to realize that his companions are having the same argument fast asleep that they usually have awake ("Hungry... *snore*" "Shaddap, bakazaru...*snore*" "Both of you shut up ..zzz")--but then has to wake them with a stomp on the brakes as a pack of demon assassins appear. Double-checking that these are bonafide youkai and not human zombies, Gojyo and Goku arm up and prepare with glee to kick ass, but are beaten to the kick by those spoilsports the Hazel-tachi. Gojyo shrugs that they're making his life easier and flops back in the seat, calling to "Hazel-chan" to keep up the good work; but Goku outright hates him, and Hakkai wonders just what his intentions are. Who cares, growls Sanzo; let's go.

At Houtou Castle: Kougaiji is looking on with big-brotherly tenderness at a curled-up-sleeping Lirin (aww =) when Doku and Yaone arrive with news. (Man, is it good to see the Kou-tachi again or what? =)=) Something strange is going on, says Yaone; we're getting reports of our people being wiped out in large numbers. What? do we know what's happening? asks the shocked prince, but a silky voice cuts in; my my, sounds bad, says Dr. Ni. I told you never to come in here again, snarls Kou-sama, but the doctor replies that he overheard something about our dear prince's friends being killed...could someone have a grudge against demons? Kou storms up to him with fists clenched--what are you suggesting, bastard?!--but Ni just smirks and says, make sure you don't die too, ojii-sama. And goes on his way while all three glare undying hatred at his back. --Lirin-chan, undisturbed, sleeps peacefully on.

In a windswept desert town, the SI has stopped at a restaurant. Gojyo and Goku's squabble over the last meat bun is interrupted when the waiter delivers a basketed bottle of wine to their table, saying "that gentleman" asked him to deliver it. --Guess who. --Hazel waves amiably, and Hakkai wonders aloud how long they plan to follow the ikkou. But Gojyo rubs his hands together in anticipation--that's a fine, expensive wine!-- even Goku seems excited, and Hakkai agrees that as it's here they may as well enjoy it. He lifts it out of its basket, and a note drops out: "Death to demons." He sets the bottle silently back, unopened; there are no objections.

Elsewhere in the desert, a sprawl of youkai bodies: Hazel remarks on what foul things demons are, having attacked this peaceful town. The last youkai alive begs abjectly to be spared, but his pleas are only met by Hazel's trigger phrase--"Get goin'"/"Go on now"--and Gato cuts him down. All demons should end this way, says Hazel, and is about to walk away when a blast of fire comes roaring down from the sky, and they're barely able to leap clear. Directly behind the blast comes Dokugakuji in a rage, sword drawn; he spars a round with Gat, blocking each bullet with his blade, as Prince Kou and Yaone join the fray. ==It's you two, isn't it? asks Kougaiji. Hazel asks who he is, but Kou just demands to know why they're slaughtering youkai. I'll massacre every last one of 'em, smiles Hazel, and as Gat finishes reloading, orders him to get goin'. The big guy charges the KT...

Once again driving across the desert: Gojyo and Goku are quarreling when Hakkai again abruptly hits the brakes. They demand to know what gives, but he shushes them: 'Ssh, can't you hear it?' They don't, but first Hakkai, then Sanzo, listens intently, and it becomes clear. Juuhi desu, it's gunfire, Hakkai says; steady, repeated gunfire.

Doku and Yaone double-team Gato while Kougaiji takes on Hazel solo, but it's not enough: the big native is still on his feet when Kou throws a fire attack at Hazel. Gat throws himself in front of it to block the blast. Doku, furious, charges him unarmed and gets pistolwhipped, falling dazed to the ground. Seems you can't set a finger on us, chuckles Hazel. Kou demands his name; the bishop retorts that he wouldn't give his name to a mere demon; the prince is incredulous. [You can almost hear him thinking: "A mere demon? I?!"] But the awkwardness is settled inadvertently when Hakuryu pulls up alongside the battlesite and Goku, surprised, calls them both by name. So that's your name, the combatants remark to each other.[Actually, what they say is closer to "so you're him"; suggesting that Some Person might have casually mentioned them to each other. Gee, I wonder who.] ==Hey, Gojyo calls to his brother, need a hand? but Doku snorts that he should just have a seat and watch. =) Hazel of course notices: Sanzo-han, he asks, are these demons friends of yours as well? Kou likewise wants to know if these bastards are associates of the Sanzo-ikkou, but Sanzo, of course, denies being friends with either side. =) Kou firmly tells the ikkou that this is their fight and he wants no interference, but Sanzo says he had no intention of joining in. --The battle resumes; Goku gets a good vantage point and settles down to watch, Gojyo and Hakkai likewise expressing interest in seeing the fray. Sanzo grumbles "suit yourselves" and takes a smoke break.

Yaone unveils a new attack device, a grenade-looking thingie that fragments into smaller explosives; the combined concussion and light throw Gat enough off guard to not see Doku charging, and with a roar the big swordsman swipes Gat's arm clean off at the elbow. He did it! cheers Goku, and Gojyo proudly comments "He's good"; =); but Hakkai has misgivings...

The KT is taken aback to see that Gat's not bleeding from such a wound, and more so when he stoically stands and jams the severed arm against the stump with his other hand ("It seems he's not your average human," deadpans Kou). They got you pretty bad, Gato, but this won't take long, consoles Hazel, and before Team Kou's startled eyes Hazel unreels his bag of tricks: first healing Gat with a soul from his pendant, then gathering the souls of the dead youkai who had attacked the village, and finally doling out said souls to the dead human villagers. Who, of course, stagger to their feet with a brand new yen for causing youkai death. ==Kou blasts a fire attack and is surprised to see the corpses crumble into clay and dirt (they're shikigami, remember?). That's all Doku and Yaone need to see, and they pile into the fray.==The zombies harass the audience as well, to their dismay, though Sanzo can't be bothered to do more than note which direction the attackers are coming from =) ==The KT are still standing when all the resurrected are dispatched, and Hazel admits they delivered a nice whuppin', but...and again Gato charges. Doku meets him head on, bullets clanging off his swordblade, and it looks as if Gat has come up empty; Doku prepares to dispatch him with his blade, but amazingly, the huge native is able to hold Doku off with one hand while reloading with the other. He zings one shot off at Kou just as he has Hazel cornered, but then stares Doku straight in the eye--and fires point blank.

Before the assembled horrified eyes of everyone who cares about him, the big youkai falls back in slow motion, blood spreading over the front of his white coat...