Chapter 19 - Misty

Misty is Saiyuki's nineteenth chapter.

Summary
Hakkai dreams of his past as Cho Gonou. In the dream, he returns home from his work as a teacher and finds the house disheveled and Kanan missing. A group of human villagers tell them that Hyakugan Maoh's minions were in town, and that they had no choice but to give them Kanan or their own daughter would have been taken instead. In a rage, Gonou kills the entire group as a memory of walking with Kanan and discussing with her how they could build a future together now that he had a job to support them both flashes through his mind. In the aftermath of his bloody massacre, Gonou apologizes to Kanan for bloodying the hands she had so loved. He promises her that he will come to save her from Hyakugan Maoh.

As Hakkai wakes up from his dream, he stares at his hands and thinks to himself that that was the day he ceased to be human. Sanzo notices he is awake and tells him he isn't going to be much help if he passes out right after healing someone. He tells Hakkai that it's been half a day since he passed out. They are still in the woods, sheltered in a cave. Hakkai apologizes and Sanzo replies that they couldn't travel through the thick fog, anyway. When Hakkai inquires after Gojyo, Sanzo answers that he is fine, but has gone out on an errand. Sanzo tells Hakkai to stop worrying about others and worry about himself, and goes on to ask him if he remembers anything about Chin Yisou. Hakkai doesn't know anything more than that Chin Yisou knows about his past and hates him for it. Sanzo says that he had heard rumors that there were survivors from Hyakugan Maoh's clan, and that the rumors seem to be true. When Hakkai comments that he had thought he killed all of them, Sanzo replies that he shouldn't have left the job unfinished.

Gojyo arrives on scene and says that he was unable to find Goku in the thick fog. When Hakkai freaks out about Goku being missing, Sanzo explains that Goku disappeared after going to fetch water and that Jeep is mssing, too. Hakkai begins to get up, but Gojyo pushes him back down, telling him to stay put since he is the one Chin Yisou wants. Hakkai responds with anger that he won't sit by while others are hurt because of him.

Sanzo begins to tell of a teaching from Zen Buddhism called Hold on to Nothing that his master Koumyou Sanzo passed on to him. "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him. If you meet your ancestor, kill him. Constrained by nothing, bound by nothing, live your life exactly as it it." Sanzo says that he will keep killing anyone who stands in his way, no matter whose enemy it is, so Hakkai should calm down and get some rest so as not to slow them down.

Calmed by these words, Hakkai stays resting while Sanzo and Gojyo leave the cave for a smoke. Gojyo jokes that he never thought he would get to hear a sermon from Sanzo and asks what they should do about Goku. They discuss how Chin Yisou currently seems to have the advantage, playing with them like tiles on a mahjong table, and Gojyo says he won't die and that he hates losing.

Elsewhere, Goku lies at the bottom of a cliff with a broken leg. he recalls how Chin Yisou chased him to the edge, where his foot slipped and he fell. He recalls how desperate he was to escape, and how Chin Yisou smelled like a corpse. As he wonders about what Chin Yisou is up to, Jeep appears on the scene, having followed Goku. Goku gives Jeep a thank you hug and then Jeep begins to tug urgently on Goku's clothing. Goku agrees that he can't just sit here and that it's time to get going. Struggling with his injuries, Goku begins to climb the cliff.

Meanwhile, back at the cave, Goku suddenly comes running up to Sanzo and Gojyo, exclaiming that he finally found them. As Gojyo greets Goku with a nuggie, Goku explains that he got lost in the fog. Sanzo says that him being missing was a false alarm, and Hakkai greets Goku with relief. As Sanzo observes Goku suspiciously, he asks what happened to Jeep. Goku says he doesn't know, that he'll probably return when the fog clears, and suggests that they all leave the forest. Sanzo says Goku's name and aims his gun point-blank at Goku's forehead. When Goku responds, Sanzo says that he isn't talking to him, but rather to the stupid monkey. Goku insists that he IS Goku, but Sanzo shoots him through the skull. The Goku imposter hits the ground and crumbles apart, leaving behind a mahjong tile.

Chin Yisou appears, sitting on a nearby rock. He says he underestimated the Sanzo-ikkou and asks what gave away his fake Goku. Sanzo replies that the first thing that the real Goku always says is, "I'm hungry".

Meanwhile, Goku continues to climb the cliff while complaining how hungry he is.

In a flashback from the past, the rain pours down while Cho Gonou massacres Hyakugan Maoh's minions on his way to rescue Kanan.