11 A Kind Visage

A Kind Visage is the Episode 10 of Saiyuki Reload.

Synopsis
A mother, huh? It's incredibly nice thing to have. Two children lost their mother at young age and the younger brother was still hoping that there mother will come back. If leaving offerings at a small shrine will let them see their dead mother. Lirin and Goku helps the little children, when suddenly they said that their mother appeared and want the scripture of Sanzo. Would Sanzo will lend the scripture?

Summary
The Sanzo party encountered a random pack of youkai, when Lirin found them. However, the Sanzo party cannot entertain her since they are busy fighting with the youkai. So Lirin decided to help them knocking out the youkai. After that, she then noticed that the Sanzo party left her already. She got annoyed and decided to go home instead, when she found two apples in a shrine and was about to get them when a child name Shunto blew his whistle to stopped her. The child told her that his mother will not come back if she will get the apples. Shunto always comes in the shrine to give some offering and wishes that his mother to come back. Lirin wanted to know more about his mother, so Shunto decided to bring her home where he and his older brother, Rikito living alone.

Rikito was not happy that Shunto went back to the shrine, and scolds him for praying at the shrine, saying their mother won't ever be back, and that he shouldn't believe the legend that praying there will grant any wish. Lirin was in front of them and suggested that their offering was not enough. The three decided to go to the market, in coincidence Goku and Hakkai was having some groceries. Hakkai leaves Goku with an armful of sack; Lirin ambushes him and nabs all the groceries as Goku chased her until they got on the forest. While Goku was forcing Lirin to give back the food. Shunto shouted telling Lirin that it’s not good to steal food from other people. Later on the Shunto cried, as Goku let them get the food to offer it on the shrine and decided to stay with them since he cannot go home without all the groceries.

Later in the evening, Shunto was praying on the shrine while Goku and Lirin were sleeping under the tree. Rikito suggested that they should go home, but suddenly there’s a shimmering sound, ghostly woman descends and floating above of them and it was their mother calling for them. Shunto was overjoyed, but Rikito was still skeptical, the woman says she can’t return and she needs something so that she could stay with them. After that Lirin got surprised that their mother showed up according to their stories, and Goku was horrified to see all the food gone. The boys explained them that they need the Maten Sutra from Genjo Sanzo. Lirin and Goku take the request of the boys. In the inn where the Sanzo party was staying, Hakkai found a letter telling that Goku got kidnapped by Lirin, and she will only give Goku back if they lend the Maten Sutra. But Sanzo didn’t believe because it was Goku’s hand writing on the paper.

For the whole night, Goku, Lirin and the two boys waited for Sanzo to rescue Goku until morning that they haven’t came. Rikito then tries again to make it clear to Shunto that their mom died in illness, but Shunto insisted that it’s not true, when they heard their mother’s voice is somewhere in the forest. Shunto run for her and later Rikito followed him. After seeing her mother, she immediately embraced and felt like he was reunited with her, however, it was later revealed that the woman was not their mother, but a youkai who's using the children to obtain the Maten Sutra.

In the end, the boys were saved by the Sanzo party and Lirin. The children learned that even though their mother is gone, she will be always at their side protecting them and still cares no matter what. Lirin finally understands, even though she doesn’t have a mother who will love her, she got her beloved family, --Kougaiji, Yaone and Dokugakuji.

Urasai: Go West 3

 * Why doesn't the Sanzo party just go to India by ship? Because they are going to the mountains where there's no seas or river.