Breakthrough.After the flashback: Hazel tells Sanzo that this will all end if he just says 'Hazel, I'll travel with you'. You've got to be kidding, growls Sanzo, and Gato's next bullet grazes his cheek, drawing blood. Gato will punish you if you say anything besides what I want to hear, the 'angel' admonishes. Zakuro finds this uproariously funny, and calls out to Sanzo that since he can't move he'd better start begging for his life. Hazel snaps for him to shut up [hee, "Urasai!" --the nerve of him, stealing Sanzo's lines!=)], saying he'll keep his mouth shut until he's told otherwise; he, Hazel, is talking to Sanzo right now. Sanzo retorts that he doesn't want to talk to either of them, takes another bullet that staggers him backward, and tries to fire back--but his gun is still 'turned to stone'. Hazel laughs: trying to prove you're tough? he taunts. Or are you waiting for your demon friends to come save you? Sanzo says he can't remember them ever doing that [oh, really now...]. Hazel replies that it's fine if he wants to see it that way, but no matter how long he waits, those youkai won't be coming to his rescue. Sanzo doesn't like his I-know-somethin'-you-don't tone, and rasps, "What?" but the bishop just laughs. Meanwhile, the I-3 are sitting in a forest clearing with defeated youkai scattered everywhere, complaining that they seem to be getting attacked even more without Sanzo than they did with him. (One of the battered youkai raises his head long enough to gasp "we'll get the sutra next time, Sanzo-ikkou!" and gets a fast faceful of dragon foot--even Hakuryu is getting annoyed, smiles Hakkai. =) Gojyo grumbles that Sanzo is the cause of all their troubles, but this is followed by an uncomfortable silence, and he suggests, "Maybe there is one thing we have to do before we head west." It's just gonna get worse if we don't, agrees Goku, and Hakkai finally says it: "Shall we go back where Sanzo is?" --And beat him up! adds Goku. Hakkai concurs. We'll never shake off this