After the flashback: we see the ikkou-minus-3 (I-3) driving along. Goku gripes that he'd never thought Sanzo would be such an asshole; Hakkai diplomatically says "well, he's very stubborn" and Gojyo snaps that Hakkai shouldn't let the "self-centered, bald SoB" off so easy. It'll be great not having him around, says Gojyo, and angry Goku agrees. The saru wonders how the KT is. Flashback to their dropping Lirin off: the princess thanked them, and angrily swore to kill Hazel next time she saw him, for tricking her and hurting her brother and friends. Hakkai advised her to return home at once, as her brother must be worried; Lirin promised to help the SI defeat Hazel ("and afterward we'll beat you guys too!" --yeah right, bring it on, snorts Gojyo) and took off on dragonback.==Goku is still pensive; Gojyo remarks that he has too few brain cells to waste them on worrying, and Goku suddenly stands up in the back seat and lets out a howl that nearly startles Hakuryu into a wheelie. Gojyo upbraids Goku; the saru gripes that "just thinking of that baldy Sanzo makes me so mad!" (yeah, right.) --Hakkai laughs, and Gojyo tells him to pick up speed, so they can reach the West before Sanzo does. We're counting on you, Hakuryu! Goku tells the jeep, which kyuus in enthused response. Hakkai adds that there's no chance he'll get there ahead of them, as he's traveling on foot, and G&G break out in fresh chortles; he's so slow! and those sandals are hard to walk in! [Um, Goku ought to have noticed that he gave up wearing his temple sandals 2 series ago...] And he smokes too much, puts in Hakkai. Yet more chortles from the back seat.
On the trail: Sanzo trips on a rock, stumbles and goes splat; he cusses, dusts off and walks on. Hazel observes that at this pace they'll be campin' out for the night, and Gato has been patiently gathering up Sanzo's chain-smoked cigarettes as he drops them--he has most of a can full. Hazel catches up as the monk lights yet another and asks if he doesn't
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