Saiyuuki Gaiden
(From November '02 Zero Sum)
In response to people's fervent requests, we present the seven episodes that 
have not yet been published in book form

Ch 9
(page)
(picks up from the end of Gaiden tankoubon)
Litouten: Kill him. I've always known that some day he'll be a threat to you. 
Get rid of him before that happens. Does Heaven need two 'unclean beings'?

(page)
Gokuu: Nataku? Nataku! It's me! Don't you remember? Nataku!!
F/X door slamming

(page)
(page)
Kanzeon: You're not a child who can't read or write a single letter unless 
someone teaches him to. Just how many years have you been alive, Konzen?
Konzen: 'chi. How many years *have* I been alive? 
Just a little looking and I can see all sorts of things I never knew about 
before. What's going on in the upper levels of Heaven, all about the army. Now I 
realize how uninvolved I was before

(page)
Konzen: The general system is stagnant as well. The army's the only part of 
Heaven that's still active- all the more so because law and order up here and 
down there just keeps on getting worse. It's inevitable that the army will come 
to hold the real power even among the ruling class of Heaven. But with not 
killing being their first principle, the army can do nothing without the one 
person who's allowed to kill- the toushin Prince Nataku. 
Is Nataku's father Litouten using his son to put pressure on the ruling class? 
...traditionally the toushin is some 'unclean being' who is raised up from his 
young years and trained to take that position. Their lives are short- 
'disposable,' good only to die. Soon the next 'impure being' will be chosen as 
successor-

(page)
Konzen: Gokuu!!?? 
Why else would an itan being be kept here in Heaven? 
Don't tell me...
(Tenpou, Kenren and Gokuu come through the door)
Tenpou: Ahh, did you get to see Nataku? That's...
F/X Gokuu running

(page)
F/X throws his arms around Konzen
Kenren: Did something happen?

(page)
Konzen: How long're you going to go on sulking? It's enough. Go to bed.
Gokuu: I'm not sulking
Konzen: What is it?
Gokuu: Nataku...

(page)
Gokuu: I think Nataku doesn't like me any more. He saw me- he knew I was 
there...
Konzen: He probably had some reason.
Gokuu: What reason? I don't understand. ...and anyway, he told me. He said 'Stay 
with me.' He seemed lonesome. I've always been alone, so I know how it is

(page)
Gokuu: When you're lonely, it starts to hurt here
Konzen: Gokuu. Maybe we shouldn't have brought you up to Heaven
Gokuu: Hunh?
Konzen: You don't need to be in a place like this. The thing is, there's a bunch 
of people who are just rotten and who'll try to use you
(thinks) Like they do Nataku...

(page)
Konzen: I'll go see Kanzeon Bousatsu tomorrow, and see if you can be sent back 
down to earth. Maybe se can....
F/X Gokuu starts running from the room
Konzen: Oi- Gokuu! Wait!
Gokuu: (grunts as Konzen grabs his arm)

(page)
Gokuu: No! Let me go!
Konzen: Will you *listen* to me, you idiot!
Gokuu: Why- why're you *saying* that? I've just gotten to be friends with Ten-
chan and Ken nii-chan. And you gave me a name yourself!
I said, let me go!!!
F/X Gokuu shoves Konzen against the wall so that he falls

(page)
Gokuu: !! I'm sorr--- Konzen?! Konzen, I'm sorry! Are you OK? Kon---
Konzen: ...I'm not the sun

(page) 
Gokuu: Konzen...?
Konzen: I suppose once I decided I wasn't involved, I just let myself go on with 
my lukewarm boring life. I'm not strong and I don't have a talent for living, 
like Tenpou and Kenren. But I've started to think about what it is I *can* do, 
and that's all thanks to you.

(page)
(doesn't understand a *thing*)
Gokuu: Konzen, you're being *weird*. Did you hit your head somewhere?
Konzen: ...if you think I'm weird, *you* take the blame for it and stay right 
here.
Gokuu: OK!

(page)
Gokuu: Y'know- the very first time I saw you, I thought how pretty you were. And 
I thought, if he smiled, he'd be even prettier. But it doesn't suit you at all.
Konzen: You want to be killed, don't you, saru?


Ch 10

Gokuu: That evening Ten-chan and Ken nii-san came by without warning
Kenren: "I got a real urge to drink tonight"
Gokuu: he said. And Ten-chan said-
Tenpou: "There's a full moon out Down There. The cherries will be beautiful 
tonight"
Gokuu: as well, and smiled.
Konzen: You two...
Gokuu: I was sleepy but I got excited then

(page)
Konzen: ...have an awful lot of time on your hands
Gokuu: So we all went out to see the cherry blossoms
Tenpou: Oh now. That's unkind.

(page)
Kenren: Well, you can call it spare time. These days all the expeditions Down 
There are left to the toushin's army, and we're just the mopping up squad. Here, 
Konzen, drink up!
Konzen: Cut it out. Stop filling up my cup!
Gokuu: Ken nii-chan was already quite drunk. And Ten-chan said
Tenpou: Of course, if we're talking about food Down There, you can't forget 
noodles. 
Gokuu: Oh, noodles. Konzen makes them sometimes. (They're not very good.)
Tenpou: Well, 'noodles' takes in a lot of types. You could reasonably call it a 
complex cuisine. Breaded pork noodles and miso with corn are indispensable, but 
personally I'm of the salt noodles party.

(page)
Gokuu: He talked more than he usually does and told me a lot
Tenpou: Shall I make that for you next time? (It'll be Sapporo Ichiban, 
actually.) (J note: A commercial packaged ramen. And very good, actually.)
Gokuu: Yeah!
Gokuu: I felt kind of happy somehow. Konzen wasn't mad even though I was up late 
at night, and we were all together, and it felt really nice. 
Gokuu: Konzen was the same pissy-face as ever (that's what Ken nii-chan called 
it) (J note: lit 'Buddha face': and if you know what Buddha statues look like, 
you get the idea. Sulky and unsmiling) but he didn't really mind. I could tell.

(page)
Kenren: OK, Gokuu! You wanna climb this tree?
Gokuu: Yeah! Race you to the top!
Konzen: Hey- be careful.
Tenpou: We'll laugh at you if you fall down, Blotto.
Kenren: Tenpou-- Is it possible to have more than one toushin at a time?
Tenpou: So you've been thinking the same thing?

(page)
Tenpou: In fact there are precedents in history for having several toushins at 
once. Probably because they give the position to whoever's qualified for it. But 
Litouten's using Nataku's power to pull himself up in the world, and of course 
if Gokuu became toushin as well as Nataku---
Gokuu: Down below Konzen and Ten-chan were talking with serious faces
Tenpou: Konzen- as 'the toushin's protector' you'd likely be in Litouten's way
Gokuu: I thought the cherry blossoms were so beautiful,

(page) 
Gokuu: I wished Nataku could be there too, and I felt a little sad
Kenren: Hey, you two- cut the serious talk and just enjoy the flowers and the 
wine
Tenpou: OK, OK. We get you.
Kenren: But you know, the cherry blossoms Down There are much lovelier than the 
ones up here
Konzen: They're the same kind of tree, aren't they?
Kenren: But the way they live is different
Gokuu: What Ken nii-san said

(page) 
Gokuu: kind of went over my head
Konzen: ...really. I think I'd like to see them

(page)
Gokuu: When Konzen said that my heart kind of squeezed together- and I forgot, 
and fell down
F/X Gokuu lands on Konzen's back
Gokuu: **SORRY!!** Konzen!!
Kenren: (hysterical laughter) Nice catch, Konzen! Way ta go, Dad!

(page)
Konzen: What the hell do you think you're doing, landing on me like that, 
bakazaru!
Gokuu: But it was your fault!
Kenren: Yeah, it's your fault!
Konzen: HOW COME!??
Tenpou: With those chains on him Gokuu weighs more than 200 pounds. The branch 
broke under him

(page)
Litouten's wife(?): Litouten, what is it?
Litouten: Oh- nothing.
Gokuu: I won't ever forget that night

(page)
Gokuu: The people I liked were there, and they were happy. That was all, but 
that's enough. I always thought, that was enough.

(page)
Ch 11
Kenren: It was just after I'd arrived at the Marshal's to take up my post
Kenren: How do they say it Down There? Oh yes...
Kenren: "This happened some years ago"

(page)
F/X Kenren knocks at the door
Kenren: Funny. I heard this was the place. 
F/X silence from within
Kenren: Maybe he's out?
F/X K opens door
Kenren: Excuse m--- AGH!!??
F/X Kenren is buried in an avalanche of books, rolls, beckoning cats and 
newspapers

(page)
Kenren: What the hell- is this a closet?
F/X books subsiding (?)
F/X Kenren moving stuff off the buried body
Kenren: (thinks) Who's he?
Kenren: Heey- you alive?

(page)
F/X books falling off of Tenpou as he sits up
Tenpou: Mhh...
Tenpou: Did I fall asleep?
Kenren: Don't ask *me*.
Tenpou: Oh. Must have passed out again. Lately I keep forgetting to sleep
Kenren: (thinks) Weird guy
Kenren: .. uh look- I have to see Marshal Tenpou about something. You know where 
he is?

(page) 
Tenpou: Ah. Uhh- so what is it?
Kenren: (kerblonxed) You're kidding.
Tenpou: (smiling) Oh yes. I don't believe it myself.
Kenren: (laughing in relief) Yeah, of course.
Tenpou: (still smiling) So, who are *you*?

(page)
F/X Kenren's knees hit the ground as he gets into proper respectful posture
Kenren: I beg your pardon
Kenren: I come today, having been kicked ou-- ahh, transferred from the Eastern 
army, to assume the duties of general in the Western one. My name is Kenren. I 
would ask your Excellency to look favorably upon me in my position as your 
Excellency's subordinate officer... is about the size of it.
Tenpou: Oh, you're my new general.
Kenren: And I was told to get your private seal on my notification of arrival 
and hand it in.
Tenpou: ...my seal...

(page)
Tenpou: My seal. My seal, mh-- It's here somewhere. Can't I just sign it 
instead?
Kenren: I don't think so.
Tenpou: I was sure I'd put it here... No. Could it be in here? Ah- *here* it is.
Kenren: Marshal...
Tenpou: What?
Kenren: After I've handed this in, please give me first order.

(page)
Kenren: 'Help me clean up this room.'
Kenren: (narration) At that time the army was kept pretty busy. Especially as 
they couldn't find a successor to the position of Toushin (battle god) and there 
hadn't been one for awhile
Goujun: So you're General Kenren. I've been hearing stories about you for some 
time now. I never thought a man like *you* would wind up in this western army of 
mine.

(page)
Kenren: Gorgeous guys *will* get talked about.
Goujun: I hear you beat up your commanding officer and then slept with the man's 
wife
Kenren: (thinks) They always hit you when you're not paying attention...
Kenren: Well, reduced to essentials, yeah, it was sort of like that
Goujun: It seems you did exactly as you pleased in the eastern army. But now 
that you're attached to mine I'll see you toe the line. Get used to the idea. 
Goujun: And make sure you don't fail to act in a way that becomes a soldier.
Kenren: Yes sir.
Goujun: Your commanding officer, Marshal Tenpou, is an outstanding military man. 
You must try not to do anything to stain his  record.   

(page)
Tenpou: Ahh...
F/X thud of wrapped bundles of books placed on the ground
Tenpou: It looks totally different
Kenren: Doesn't it. I may not look it, but I'm a pretty good housekeeper
Tenpou: Of course I always know where everything is, in my own fashion
Kenren: (thinks) liar
Kenren: All untidy people say that. ...is that an ashtray?
Tenpou: Yes. Go ahead.

(page) 
Kenren: You know, you... you're a big mucky-muck Marshal and all, so why do you 
still go out in the field with the men?
Tenpou: Don't you think that's more fun?
Tenpou: I mean, as Aoshima-kun says, "Things happen on the spot."
Kenren: Who's Aoshima? (J note: the junior detective in the cop show Odoru 
Saisosasen, Dancing Dragnet. "Cases happen at the scene of the crime, not in the 
conference room." The series has been a source of much yaoi fodder to Japanese 
and foreign viewers alike, including the Kizuna artist, Kodaka Kazuma. Anyone 
wishing to see parallels between Kenren and Tenpou and Aoshima and Muroi is 
invited to go ahead.)
Tenpou: But why's someone like you a soldier?

(page) 
Kenren: Yeah well, why? Partly cause I'm interested in Down There, and cause I 
hate being bored, and cause I can feel my mind rotting...
Tenpou: ...and because you want to feel like you're alive?
Kenren: Yeah, probably that too.
Kenren: When is it that *you* feel like you're really alive?

(page)
Tenpou: Maybe that split second when I think just how good a cigarette tastes?
Kenren: You're on!
Soldier: Your pardon! A report has arrived that giant beasts of an unknown 
nature are wandering about the western sector of the lower world. Please give 
orders at once for the army's mobilization, Marshal.

(page)
F/X tramp of feet
Tenpou: What's the current situation?
Officer: Three streets have already been destroyed with no diminution of their 
energy
Tenpou: I see. Then we'll have our work cut out for us confining them
Soldier: Marshal!
Tenpou: We're going down at once. Open the gates
Soldier: Yessir!
Tenpou: Have the fourth squadron stand by. If the anesthetic looks like it'll 
give out, we'll call on them. Eizen, let's see the map of the affected area.

(page)
Kenren: Impressive. Nothing much for a general to do here.
Tenpou: You can head the troops at the scene
Kenren: (narration) Not killing is a basic principle of Heaven. When a dweller 
of the lower world or a kami or a youkai is the enemy, we usually adopt the 
method of sealing them called 'subjugation.'
F/X sound of Litouten's sandals

(page)
Kenren: The only member of the army allowed to kill is the itan kami called the 
toushin, and at that time there wasn't one.

(page)
Tenpou: At that period Litouten was no more than an under-secretary in the 
administration. Until Nataku was born...
Tenpou: What should I do now? If listen to the rest of this, you won't be able 
to go on acting as if you don't know anything about the heavenly army 
Konzen: ...are you laughing at me?
Tenpou: I'm just telling you.

(page)
Chapter 12

(page)
Kenren: (speaking as the frog ashtray) "My my. you *do* look bored."
Kenren: You can tell?
Kenren: (as ashtray) "It's written all over your face."
Tenpou: You're very good at amusing yourself. I take it you didn't have brothers 
to play with?
Kenren: If you're calling me eccentric, don't.
Kenren: But getting serious here- you always do everything yourself when you're 
in action. Us guys under you don't get a chance to do anything

(page)
Tenpou: I suppose that's true. Sorry. It's a bad habit of mine
Kenren: Incidentally... did you hand in the report about this mission?
Tenpou: --oh.
Kenren: Never mind. I'll do it. Let me use your desk
Tenpou: You're sure you don't mind? Sorry...
Kenren: And you can go take a bath for a change! Do it while I'm writing this!
Tenpou: OKOKOK....

(page) 
F/X scratch of Kenren's pen
F/X sound of water running
F/X scratch of Kenren's pen
Kenren: Oi- I'm finished. What do I do with this?
Kenren: Hey- you still alive?

(page)
Kenren: (outside bathroom) **Can you hear me, Marshal!!"
Note: Was fast asleep
Tenpou: Ahh, sorry. Can I get you to hand it in to the commander?
Kenren: (fine fine) ...man, you make me do all the work...
Kenren: (exasperated sound) And look at me going ahead and doing it.
Kenren: (thinks) He's weird. Ducks work till it makes me sick. Not a deep 
thinker, just in a daze. My 'commanding officer'- though I can sympathize with 
some of his weirdness sometimes...
Kenren: But one thing bothers me...

(page)
Kenren: The way he gets when we're called out and down there on the scene. He 
acts way beyond his rank- does everything by himself- and his eyes look like 
he's someone else entirely. Like they're saying- 'I don't trust anyone except 
myself.'
Voice: You useless fool!!

(page)
Bureaucrat: 'I don't know' isn't good enough, you idiot! Unless you're trying to 
say we're responsible for *your* incompetence!?
Litouten: I'm very sorry! Please forgive me...!
Kenren: (thinks) That's the guy we passed back there...
Bureaucrat: Fool! Don't you know your place yet!
F/X kicking Li
Litouten: Please- forgive me...
Bureaucrat: Having a vulgar commoner like you working under us makes people 
despise us too!

(page)
Bureaucrat: Dirty lowborn---
F/X Kenren kicks him
Kenren: Hey, ugly
Bureaucrat: What rudeness! Who the hell-
F/X outrage
Kenren: Yelling like that- you were going to smother him under your weight?

(page)
Bureaucrat: General Kenren!!
Kenren: You want to exercise, do it alone. And try to leave the floor intact.
F/X bureaucrat fury
Bureaucrat: ...got it, Litouten? Have those papers redone by tomorrow!
F/X fear
F/X door shuts
Kenren: What's with him? You OK, old man? Can you stand?

(page)
F/X Litouten knocks Kenren's hand away
F/X picks up papers
F/X stalks away

(page)
Tenpou: Oh, Litouten.
Kenren: AGHH!!
Kenren: Jeez you made me jump! What're you doing dressed like that?
Tenpou: I have to hand that in myself or they won't take it. I just remembered 
and came after you.
Kenren: Huh? You're gonna see Goujun looking like that?
Tenpou: Hm? I'm wearing a tie.
Tenpou: That man just now- Litouten
Kenren: What about him?

(page)
Tenpou: For some reason his family went down in the world awhile back. 
Litouten's got ability. He's made it to the level of undersecretary on the basis 
of his outstanding intelligence. But as you've seen, he's still discriminated 
against because of his birth, and he himself seems to despise the people above 
him.
Kenren: Hmph... He sure didn't look the well-behaved grade A student to me.
Tenpou: ...mmmh. I wonder.

(page)
F/X Litouten thrusts the doors open
Litouten: (sinister laughter) You're all going to squeal your guts out, you 
pigs, some day soon. Bearing the pride and glory of my family-

(page)
Litouten: --you'll be my first step towards revenge

(page)
Litouten: My 'Nataku'
Li's wife: Dear!!? What's this room- why's it underground...!!? And that- that 
thing in your hands- what's-
Litouten: Don't yell like that. This is a good chance for you to say hello-

(page)
Litouten: This is our son
Kenren narrative: Nobody realized at all
Li's wife: (screech)

(page)
Li's wife: Nooooo......
Kenren narrative: That one man's madness was giving birth to this one tragedy.

(page)
Chapter 13

(page)
Gokuu: Ne, ne, Ten-chan- what's a 'shumi'?<br>
Tenpou: Hm? Why're you asking that now?<br>
Gokuu: Cause Ken-niichan, right, he was talking about you and he said you had 
'funny shumi.'<br>
Tenpou: That man has no manners.

(page)
Tenpou: Well, basically, what a shumi means is the different things that make 
people happy when they're alone. For instance, my shumi is to bring artistic 
objects back from Under Heaven. What is it that *you* like, Gokuu?<br>
Gokuu: Climbing trees 'n marbles 'n origami 'n roast yams 'n drawing pictures 'n 
playing catch 'n tag 'n hide'n-go-seek 'n meat buns 'n ...apples 'n watermelon 
'n melons 'n bananas 'n oranges 'n strawberries 'n bean jam 'n....<br>
Tenpou: (laughs) You have a lot of shumi<br>
Kenren: My shumi? Fishing.

(page) 
Kenren: Fishing's great. Battling an unseen enemy below the surface of the 
water. And fish taste so good, raw or boiled or grilled, you gotta have a little 
sake to go with them.<br>
Tenpou: Do you even know what the term 'not taking life' means?<br>
Jiroushin: Hm? M-my shumi? Um well, it's embarrassing, but my greatest happiness 
comes when I'm lost in fine work like this<br>
(kanji) quiet tastes<br>
Jiroushin: AGH---<br>
F/X thud

(page)
Kanzeon: What's up, all you guys here together? What? You're going around asking 
about people's shumi? I see, I see. Well, *my* shumi... glorpf<br>
Jiroushin: Ak! No! You can't tell a kid about *that*! <br>
Kenren: Those two... like old marrieds in a sitcom. <br>
Tenpou: Now I wonder what Konzen's shumi is... <br>
Gokuu: Oh, I know what *that* is. Look-

(page)
F/X thud thud <br>
F/X stamp stamp<br>
F/X lift<br>
Konzen: Hmmm.<br>
Corners and imprinting both *perfect*<br>
Tenpou & Kenren: (gloom)<br>
Gokuu: Konzen looks so happy!

 (page)
Who loves the blossoms that do not fall?
(The poem behind Nataku is a traditional Chinese one, called The Chive leaf song 
by scholars. Translation courtesy of Joy):
The dew on the chive leaves evaporates so easily;
Yet by tomorrow dawn it will fall again.
When humans pass away, when do they return?

(page)
(page)
Chapter 14

(page)
Litouten: Ohh, you have so many more wounds. I can imagine how they hurt you, my 
poor Nataku.
Nataku: (thinks) Whenever I'm alone with Father, he becomes extremely gentle
Litouten: You always do your best for me. You're my greatest pride.

(page)
Litouten: You're myself. 
Nataku: (thinks) He scares me more than anything when he's like this.
Litouten: You alone are everything to me, Nataku
Nataku: (thinks) Though I'm afraid, I can't move- I can't resist- because I have 
the hallucination that this is love

(page)
Tenpou: It was just about that time that a suspiciously large number of  
powerful youkai began appearing one after the other Down There. Naturally, the 
army was called out more and more often too. But to be honest, they were too 
much for us to handle.
F/X sound of youkai beasts 
Soldiers: Agh!! Get back!!

(page)
Soldier: It's no good! Even if we contain them inside the kekkai, with this 
number--
Tenpou: Where's the assistant squad?
Soldier: We've contacted them but the eastern army is out in the field too. We 
haven't got enough men...
Tenpou: I guess it can't be helped. Everyone has their hands full?
Kenren: More, everyone has too much to do. Why don't you advertise for help?

(page)
Tenpou: I don't think anyone would apply- not the way things are now.

(page)
Soldier: Agghh!!
Tenpou: Fewer targets would be more economical. Squad- outside the kekkai and 
stand by!
Kenren: What! You aren't going to--
Tenpou: You take care of things here.
Soldier 1: Marshal!
Soldier 2: Marshal Tenpou!
Kenren: That &#@@!% idiot!

(page)
Tenpou: What are you looking at? I'm over here!
F/X: thunder of beast's foot landing on the ground
Tenpou: (thinks) If I can get their attention on me more...
F/X beast whaps Tenpou

(page)
Tenpou: Hell!  There's one more!
F/X gun firing
F/X beast wavering
F/X Kenren mounts on the animal's back
F/X Kenren shoots his tranquilizer gun several times

(page)
Tenpou: I think-- the anesthetic's working now
Kenren: Honestly. Who wants to be a Heaven Dweller? Any time you think 'I wanna 
kill him!' you *can't*!
Tenpou: I take it you're angry.
Kenren: Lemme tell you, it's not just me
Tenpou: What?
Soldier 1: Marshal! Are you alright, Marshal!?
Soldier 2: General, we're with you!

(page) 
Kenren: Everyone wants to fight with you- *together*
Tenpou: I'm sorry. That was rash of me
Kenren: Well, it ended OK.

(page)
Kenren: Buy us some barbecue and we'll forgive you.
Tenpou: Alright, alright. That's fifteen men, counting you.
Kenren: (laughs) So you figured that out.
Tenpou: ...back a bit, I let one of my men die.
Kenren: Really? Me, I was on the point of letting my officer die
F/X Tenpou scratches his head
Tenpou: I get the feeling I don't come off looking too good here

(page)
Kenren: Now *I* look just wonderful
Tenpou: You'd look even better if you didn't say that yourself
Emperor: What is it you wanted to show me, Litouten?
Litouten: Haa..

(page)
Litouten: At this moment the army of Heaven is being pressured by many 
difficulties. Is this not the very time when we need the person who is permitted 
to kill, a toushin taishi?
Emperor: What are you saying?
Litouten: Enter, Nataku

(page)
Tenpou: You know yourself how Nataku has acted since that time, when he took the 
position of Toushin.
Konzen: Wait a minute. You're leaving out the most important point in your 
explanation.
Tenpou: I have to. Everything up to this is based on what I've heard myself. 
What comes next is only my guess. 
Tenpou: Nataku's true nature is a secret of the Emperor's and the top echelons. 
---it's possible that Litouten manufactured him himself-

(page)
Tenpou: --a manmade human being- a military weapon. Even in the army there's a 
wild rumor going around, that he's of mixed blood, kami and youkai.
Konzen: That'd never be allowed
Tenpou: It was. Heaven needed a toushin that badly. But I'm convinced that it 
was Litouten himself who created the circumstances.

(page)
Konzen: ...*what* did you say...?
Tenpou: I think the likelihood is pretty high. The army being called out so 
often, and there not being enough men available, and then a toushin appearing- 
the timing's just too opportune. 
Tenpou: Certainly Litouten has a grudge against the rulers of Heaven. I don't 
know what his final purpose is. But since Gokuu might become a toushin, his 
existence threatens Litouten's present position.

(page)
Tenpou: And so he'll really try to kill him, even if he has to use Nataku to do 
it.
Gokuu: What... was that?
Konzen: Gokuu!
Gokuu: What did you say? Kill me? That's not true. Nataku, he said I was--

(page)
F/X Gokuu drops the books he was holding
F/X Gokuu running down the corridor
Konzen: Gokuu! That *idiot*!
Tenpou: Gokuu, wait!
Gokuu: (thinks) It's not true. Nataku wouldn't-- He said we're friends! He said, 
let's play together!
Gokuu: Oh right! My name- I have to tell him my name. I have to get him to call 
me-

(page)
Gokuu: By my name----
Konzen: Gokuu--
Konzen: (panting)
Kanzeon: (in Konzen's memory) Can you be the sun for that little guy?
Konzen: I can do *something* for Gokuu. Even if I can't catch up with him-
F/X pounds fist on wall

(page)
F/X Konzen starts to run
Konzen: Shit!!
Emperor: Toushin Prince Nataku, come forth.
Man 1: Nataku's army's being sent out again. Thanks to our toushin taishi-
samasama, we get to live easy.
Kenren: These guys- fence-sitters, the lot of them. Can't stand them. 

(page)
Emperor: Litouten, we leave the present 'subjugation' to your command.
Litouten: Understood.
Voices: What's with this *kid*!
Gokuu: Lemme go! Let go!!
Voices: Hey! Calm down!
F/X doors flung open
Gokuu: Nataku!!

(page)
Gokuu: (panting)
Nataku: You...
F/X Gokuu grabs Nataku's shoulder
Gokuu: It's not true, right?!
Gokuu: You wouldn't kill me- it's not true, right, Nataku?

(page)
Kenren: Gokuu...
Official: What's this child doing here? Drag him away!
Litouten: No, wait. Someone's been telling him strange things. Tenpou, I 
suppose? But no matter.
Litouten: Kill him. Here and now.

(page)
Kanzeon: So it's started? I won't stop it and I won't save you. This battle 
belongs to all of you now.

(page)
Chapter 15

(page)
'Kill him'
F/X mutters among the crowd
Gokuu: You... bastard!
F/X Gokuu punches Litouten out

(page)
F/X Li falls to the floor
Gokuu: This is your fault! Telling Nataku weird stuff like that!
F/X Nataku's step
F/X Nataku grabs Gokuu's arm

(page)
Gokuu: Nata--
Nataku: Get away from my father. My father is my lord. Whatever he tells me to 
do- whatever he does to me- my father is my reason for living. 
F/X power coming from Nataku's hand
Nataku: Whoever harms my father, no matter who it is- I'll kill him.

(page)
F/X Nataku's sword comes down on Gokuu
F/X and is blocked by Kenren's blade
Gokuu: Ken nii--
Kenren: Run, Gokuu!
Litouten: You mean to interfere, General Kenren? How convenient!

(page)
Litouten: 'Kill!' Kill him too, Nataku!
F/X sweep of Nataku's blade
Courtiers: (yell as Kenren is thrown into them)
Kenren: Agh--
Gokuu: Ken nii-chan!? Stop it, Nataku!
Kenren: Ch'!
Gokuu: Nataku!!

(page)
Kenren: What're you doing, Nataku!?
Kenren: (thinks) I can't let him fight with Gokuu- I can't!
F/X sound of sword strokes
Kenren: (gasps as he's wounded)
Gokuu: Stop! I don't want this! 

(page)
Courtier: Wow! Look at the toushin and General Kenren go!
Courtier: This is worth seeing!!
Tenpou: How'd this happen?
Litouten: (laughing insanely) Nataku! That's my boy!
Tenpou: (thinks) Litouten--!!

(page)
Tenpou: Excuse me
F/X grabbing his neighbor's sword
Man: Huh- hey! That's my sword...!
F/X Tenpou running

(page)
F/X Litouten blocks his stroke with his own sword
F/X sound of Kenren's blade on Nataku's
Litouten: Hmph-

(page)
F/X Tenpou hits the wall
Tenpou: (gasp as wind is knocked out of him)
Gokuu: Ten-chan!!
F/X Tenpou falling to floor
Kenren: Daring as ever, huh?
Tenpou: (oowww) I figured I should strike at the root
Kenren: We can't turn back now
Tenpou: I never had any intention of doing so
Nataku: (recites spell)

(page)
F/X brings sword down
F/X sound of floor ripping apart and stone flying
Kenren: Gahh--!!

(page)
Courtiers: (screaming in panic)
Gokuu: Ken nii-chan! Ten-chan!!
Kenren: (thinks) We can't beat this. This is the power of a toushin taishi!!

(page)
Soldier 1: C'mon, hurry! 
Soldier 2: We have to tell the Dragon King of the western sea as well!
Soldier 1: But what could have caused something like that!?
Konzen: (thinks) That uniform- it's the western army's
Konzen: Oi
Soldier: Ah-- Konzen Douji!
Konzen: What's happened?
Soldier: Well, that's-- we heard that in the middle of a military conference, 
Prince Nataku was carrying out the order to eliminate General Kenren and Marshal 
Tenpou, and a child called Gokuu as well

(page)
F/X swordplay
Kenren: (shouts?)
F/X ceiling starts to collapse
Courtiers: (screams of panic)

(page)
Functionary: Make him stop, Litouten! You're in the Emperor's presence!
Litouten: So what?
Functionary: Wha---!!
Litouten: I said, so what?
Kenren: Run... Gokuu...
Gokuu: No!
Kenren: GOKUU!!
Nataku: (thinks) 'Kill him'

(page)
'Kill him'
F/X Nataku's sword point is stopped by the metal plate at Gokuu's neck

(page)
Gokuu: Nataku. About my name-

(page)
Gokuu: I'm Gokuu. Nice to meet you.
Nataku: (thinks) 'Some day... I'll show you all the hiding places... and where 
there's lots of berries growing...'
Nataku: Go..ku..u..

(page)
Nataku cuts through his own right shoulder

(page)
(page)
Some day...

(Chapter 15, Nov '02 ZS. This episode is labelled chapter 15 as well, which is 
either an oversight on the editor's part, or means that this is just a 
continuation of the previous)

(page)
Gokuu: ...wow. It's so shiny. Like the sun
Tenpou: When did *you* get into a position to be telling *me* to take a seat?
Kenren: And maybe what really hurts is not being able to say even 'it hurts'

(The letters running vertically across the page are a Chinese poem by the late 
T'ang dynasty poet Yu Wuling, here rendered into Japanese. The writer Ibuse 
Masuji wrote a famous paraphrase of this poem, which was quoted on the first 
page of chapter 1 in the Gaiden tankoubon. 

Ibuse's version:
Please accept this cup from me. Fill it up to the brim. Rough winds scatter the 
blossoms, and life consists only of the word 'good-bye.

Wuling's poem:
I offer you this golden cup. Do not refuse the wine I've poured therein. Though 
flowers bloom, rain falls and tempests blow. This life is full of partings.

(page)
"The soul is born and issues from its source; its nature is trained and acquires 
virtue"
A small ray of light falls to the ground in a peaceable land where there is no 
life or death. His lonely spirit, called itan by others, meets a group of men 
and is drawn to them. They, drawn to him in turn, realize the tedium of their 
empty peacefulness.
"Emptiness- the one who can understand the things which the eye cannot see"
Chapter 15

(page)
"Can you be the sun for that little guy?"
"...aren't they the same cherry trees down there?" "They live differently."
"But we were probably hoping for this."
"...*you* take the blame for it and stay right here." "OK!"
"Kill him."
"...about my name- it's Gokuu."

Now begins the battle that will trigger their heroic deaths. Though this is the 
tempest that shakes the cherry blossoms and scatters them, still...
"Isn't it boring when nothing ever changes?"
--this story is one where everything connects to what is now

(page)
(Konzen, Kenren, Tenpou and Goujun's faces)

(page)
(Nataku stabs himself and the blood splashes on to Gokuu's face)

(page)
Gokuu: (shrieks) 
Bystanders: Nataku! Prince Nataku!! He stabbed himself..?!! Hey, what the hell's 
going on!?

(page)
Kenren: (holding Nataku) The asshole..!  Get the first aid squad- I need a 
cloth!
Tenpou: What on earth...!
Kenren: HURRY!!
F/X Nataku vomits blood
Konzen: Gokuu...
F/X Nataku grabs Gokuu's wrist

(page)
Nataku: Gokuu---
Nataku: It's not over there... it's here.
Gokuu: Huh?
Nataku: Look... that tree... up at the top...
Nataku: there's a bird's nest. 
Nataku: Can you see it?

(page)
Scene of Nataku and Gokuu in the tree branches
(page)

(page)
(Nataku's bloody hand lets go of Gokuu's)

(page)
Gokuu: Hey- where? Where is it?
F/X shaking Nataku
Gokuu: You gotta... stand up. You gotta tell me-
Gokuu: cause I can't see it

(page)
Litouten: Let him go. That's my son
F/X Litouten takes Nataku's body
Tenpou: Litouten...
Litouten: Don't worry

(page)
Litouten: I can still use this
Kenren: You bastard---
Kenren: You've pushed Nataku to this and you *still* don't understand!! You 
never let him go play with his pals or anything normal like that, and he still 
wouldn't betray you. Don't you know how much he hurt?

(page)
Gokuu: (screams)
F/X Gokuu running towards Litouten

(page)
Konzen: Gokuu!!
Man: Hey--!
Man 2: Stop him!
F/X one man grabs Gokuu's hair

(page)
Gokuu: (grunts)
F/X Gokuu hits the ground
Gokuu: Let me go! Let *go*!!
Tenpou: Stop this!
F/X soldiers raise their crossed swords to stop him and Kenren
Kenren: What the hell're you doing!
Litouten: Drag the traitors away!!

(page)
Konzen: ...Gokuu- **Gokuu**!!!
Gokuu: (screams)
F/X small explosion

(page) 
Light bursts forth from Gokuu sending the soldiers flying
Soldiers: (screams as their flesh dissolves)

(page)
Soldiers: (screams)
Kenren, Tenpou, Konzen, Litouten: wha-- What's *that*...!?
F/X sound of Gokuu's diadem breaking

(page)
Tenpou etc: Go... Gokuu...?
F/X shock

(page)
(undiademmed Gokuu)

(page)
Man 1: W-what was that...?
Man 2: Did the kid do that?
Man 3: H-he couldn't have...
Litouten: Why are you holding back? That boy is an unclean being who'll bring 
disaster on Heaven! Seize him! Seize him now!
Men: Y-yessir
Man: Now come on!
F/X grabs Gokuu
F/X nails ripping through flesh and bone, probably

(page)
(one man's head and the other man's arm go flying)
Kanzeon: (in flashback) He's picked up an interesting animal
Konzen: (in flashback) Animal?
Kanzeon: (in flashback) Mm.

(page)
Kanzeon's voice: 'Small but fierce--'
Konzen: (in present) Go... Kuu...?
Kanzeon's voice: 'an animal with golden eyes.'

(page)
(Jan 03 ZS)
A story of progressive destruction
Chapter 16

(page)
Konzen: Go... kuu?

(page)

(page)
Courtiers: (screams and shrieks at sight of undiademmed Gokuu and the bloody 
destruction he's wreaking)
Man 1: How unclean...
Man 2: Grab him! We have to get him and stop him!
Goujun: (exasperated noise)

(page)
Goujun: Don't go near him!
F/X courtiers being ripped apart

(page)
Screams of dismay from the terrified courtiers

(page)
Kenren: W-what's going on...!! Oi, Konzen!
Konzen: His diadem... The diadem he had around his head was his limiting device
Tenpou: You mean, the moment when Gokuu's energy increased- that broke it?
Kenren: Then that's...

(page)
Kenren: You mean *that's* what Gokuu's really like?
Tenpou: I read this once in a book somewhere- he's not human or youkai, much 
less a kami. He's called the symbol of chaos and become a legend- the one 
endowed with power equal to that of Heaven

(page)
Tenpou: The seiten taisei ('great sage equal to heaven')

(page)
Wounded man: Uh... aa.. Agh-- 
F/X Gokuu kicks him to death
Courtiers: (screams of panic)
Litouten: W-where are you going?! Aren't you going to protect me!? You bunch of 
fools!!

(page)
Litouten: (screams as Gokuu comes at him)
F/X Litouten throws Nataku's body at Gokuu
Kenren: (noise of outrage)

(page)
F/X Gokuu tosses Nataku's body away
F/X it hits the floor hard

(page)
Litouten: Uwaa-- (screams of pain)
F/X Gokuu tosses Litouten's eye away

(page)
Litouten: D-don't come near me- Stay away, you monster
Kenren: That's enough!
Tenpou(?): Kenren...?
Kenren: I can't stand to see this. Nobody wanted this to happen, not even you! 
Kenren: If you go on being violent you'll have to take me on, Gokuu!

(page)
(Gokuu smiles)
(Kenren, Tenpou and Konzen catch their breaths)
Kanzeon: Nice mess you've made here

(page)
Kanzeon: Give it up. You guys can't take the little guy on. Though I guess you 
know that without me telling you
Tenpou(?): Kanzeon Bosatsu
Konzen: You took your time... But never mind. Is there a way to get Gokuu- to 
get his limiter back the way it was?
Kanzeon: Hm- a way?

(page)
Kanzeon: We can put an end to him, and that's it.
Konzen: (shock)
Kanzeon: C'mon, chibi. Let's get this over with fats.
F/X Gokuu comes at Kanzeon
Konzen: Stop---

(page)
Kanzeon punches Gokuu
F/X who hits the floor hard

(page)
F/X stones rattling
Gokuu: (animal scream of rage)
Kanzeon: Energetic, aren't you?

(page)
F/X Se grabs Gokuu's wrist
F/X and brings him crashing down
Gokuu: (choking sound)
Kanzeon: No hard feelings, Seiten Taisei