Saiyuki

Misgivings ~hesitation~ (3x18)

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After the flashback: everyone is frozen with shock as Dokugaku thuds to the ground. Gato reloads one gun. Yaone calls Doku's name; Goku runs forward and leaps into the air. Gat aims at him, but the saru lands at Doku's side, glaring daggers at the big native, and loads the fallen youkai onto his shoulders. His look positively dares Gat to do anything about it, and Gat chooses not to, reloading his other pistol instead as Goku carries Dokugaku to safety. The big guy groans in pain; Yaone runs to his side to assess the wound, saying it looks bad. Kougaiji is furious with Goku, saying that this is their fight and the SI was told not to interfere. ==Kou watches as Hazel heals Gato's sword slash (and his clothes along with it, whoa!)--Hazel sees them watching and smiles knowingly. Goku tells Kou it's impossible to stop Gato by just wounding him, as Hazel will keep healing him with youkai souls, but Kou grates that that doesn't matter: "I'll vaporize him." Seriously pissed-off-mad (and he's gorgeous that way =), the prince tells Goku that the ikkou is in his way and needs to clear the hell out now. Goku grins and says he gets it; grateful Yaone gives him the thanks the prince is too angry to give, Goku replies with a thumbs-up and bounds back to his crew. Hazel chuckles and, in his acid-sweet way, remarks how nice it is to see demons gettin' along so well together. But the next thing Hazel hears is Kou beginning the chant that raises Engokuki (yaay!! we've missed him/that/it! =) , and he stares in dismay-becoming-alarm as a storm of power roils around the youkai prince and his huge fire-demon familiar boils forth. Gat stands between Hazel and the monster, but his eyes are (justifiably!) terrified as it looms toward them, and Hazel, realizing they're no match for this, drags him along as they leap clear. The Hazel-tachi runs for it as the SI watches--then they belatedly realize they're parked directly in Engokuki's path (yike!), and barely pile into Hakuryuu in time to