Jinenji, Kind Yet Sad

[ ACT I ]

SAN resting on a straw mat in a hut. She looks at the sleeping KIR next to her fondly. KIR cringes.

SAN:  Kirara…are you in pain? Naraku’s toxins are still inside your system.

Outside the hut.

KAG:  An herbal antidote? Old Myoga, will Kirara recover if she takes it?

MYO:  Yes… Supposedly, not far from here, is a village with an herb farm. But this herb farm is protected by a demon. I wonder if you can take the herb easily or not.

SHI:   ‘Kay, this is where Inuyasha comes in. Beat up this demon and get some of the herbs.

INU:   (with folded arms, chuckles) Kirara actually took a bite of Naraku. Unlike Myoga, Kirara has gumption! It’s the least I can do for her.

Myoga wails in protest.

SHI:   (folds his arms) Unlike Myoga, we can count on Kirara’s strength in battle. She must make a full recovery.

INU and SHI nod in unison.

KAG:  Oh, guys! What’re you saying? Old Myoga has been a big help to us. For example…(ponders) Well…

MYO:  (fuming) H-hey! (arms waving madly) I let you do the talking and you all decide that I’m small and useless! Physical prowess isn’t the only criteria for achievement! (jumps in anger) Give me some credit for having intelligence!

Inside the hut.

SAN:  I see… Inuyasha went to get herbal medicine for me.

MIR:   (sitting next to a resting SAN) Yes, and I stayed back to protect you. So put your mind at ease and rest. (SAN watches MIR in silence) Yes?

SAN:  (cowering under her blanket) I got the feeling it’s even more dangerous here.

SHI:   (sitting opposite MIR) Don’t worry, Sango. Kagome told me to watch so Miroku won’t do anything funny.

MYO:  (jumps) I’m here, too!

MIR sighs.

[ End of ACT I: 1min 40sec ]

[ Title screen: Jinenji, Kind Yet Sad ]

[ ACT II ]

KAG cycling across an idyll landscape, INU at the back on the bicycle.

INU:   (softly, with sleepy eyes) I think it’s faster if I went alone.

KAG:  (in high spirits) Old Kaede taught me how to pick the correct herbs. I may hold you back a bit, but that’s okay, isn’t it, (INU yawns) if I came to see this herb garden.

INU:   Oh well then…I’m counting on ya.

KAG:  It’s been so long since we were alone. At first, just the two of us searched for the Sacred Jewel fragments. But now we’re all together. Fighting the demons is hard work, but it’s nice to have lots of friends. (looks back to find a sleeping INU, speaks softly to herself) He’s fallen asleep. He must be exhausted.

Close up of INU sleeping.

KAG:  (thinking) I guess…during the battle with Naraku, he was under so much pressure. Let him sleep… Be quiet…

KAG pedals carefully, but hits a bump on the ground. The bicycle jerks.

KAG:  (thinking) Quiet…

Zooms out to show KAG riding away carefully, oblivious to INU who has fallen off the bicycle. INU falls headlong on the ground and glares at KAG with folded arms.

INU:   Hey…

A peasant woman runs breathlessly, peering behind her. She trips. The sound of a demon closing in on her is heard. She shrieks in horror. Her basket of herbs is strewn far away.

INU carries KAG’s bicycle over his shoulder and walks on, KAG following.

KAG:  Are you still upset that I dropped you from the bike? I said I’m sorry.

INU:   (grumpy) Will you pipe down! I said I’m not angry! (KAG catches up with him and looks at him) Huh? What?

KAG:  Isn’t it fun being with me?

INU:   Huh? What’re you saying?!

KAG:  (looks away) You’ve been grouchy the whole time! (walks ahead)

INU:   Err…Stupid! I was born like this!

KAG:  (thinking) Just when we’re all alone…

KAG notices something further in the woods and stops in her tracks.

KAG:  Huh? What’s that?

INU:   (stopping) Huh?

A group of villagers are carrying the corpse of the peasant woman who was killed earlier.

Villager 1: She’s the third victim.

Villager 2: I wonder if it is the work of Jinenji.

Villager 3: Of course! That monster! We can’t let him get away with this!

Villager 4: B-but…what’ll we do?

INU:   (walking up to them) Is this Jinenji a demon?

Villager 1: W-who are you?!

Villager 2: A demon!

KAG:  (placing her hand on INU) Umm…this person does fall into that category, but…

Villagers: (taking a step backwards) Huh?!

KAG:  No! He won’t harm you. We’re just looking for a farm to get some medicinal herbs.

Villager 4: Medicinal herbs?

Villager 3: From Jinenji’s farm?

Villager 1: That’s the farm of the demon who killed the woman!

Cut to a hut in the middle of a farm.

Villager 2: Jinenji is a huge demon who lives with his mother on the edge of our village.

Villager 3: He has a farm of very effective medicinal herbs. We used to go to get herbs once in a while.

Villager 1: But lately, Jinenji’s gotten a hankering for human flesh.

A huge demon trudges out of the hut, carrying a pail. He has big blue orb-like eyes.

Villager 4: That’s Jinenji. Doesn’t he look fierce?

* Jinenji abbreviated as JIN from now onwards *

Pans to reveal INU, KAG and villagers hiding behind a boulder.

INU:   (scoffs) He’s just big, that’s all.

Villager 1: Hey you…are you really going to slay him?

INU:   (getting up) Yea…in addition to getting the herbs. Kagome, wait here.

KAG:  Uh-huh.

INU leaps from behind the boulder to the farm.

Villager 4: Is that boy strong?

Villager 1: Who cares? It’s a battle between demons.

Villager 2: Doesn’t matter which one dies.

KAG:  (thinking) I don’t feel good about them…

INU:   (landing on the farm) Are you the cannibalistic demon? I’m gonna kill you, so prepare yourself! (draws TET)

JIN:  (turns around slowly) Huh?

INU:   (thinking) Hmm? He doesn’t smell of human blood.

Villagers throw rocks at JIN.

INU:   Huh?!

Villager 1: Hey Jinenji!

Villager 2: Prepare to die!

JIN shields himself from the rocks, trembling. He turns around, his blue eyes flashes red momentarily. He looks like he’s about to retaliate. INU gets ready TET.

JIN:  (wailing) Ma! Ma! (runs towards the hut)

INU:   (bewildered) Huh? Wait! (chases after JIN)

JIN:  (still running towards hut) Help!

An old woman rushes out of the hut carrying a log in her hand.

Old woman: (furious) Why you…!

INU:   (stops) A mountain witch!

Witch:  (reaches INU) How dare you make up excuses to take away my fields! (raises the log and thumps INU on the head. The log breaks)

INU:   (unfazed and confused) Huh?

Villager 4: The kid’s down!

Villager 3: So weak!

The villagers throw away the rocks in their hand and escape.

INU:   What’s with them?

Witch:  (out of breath) I don’t know what those villagers put you up to, but this child would never eat people! Never! Picking on him because he’s a half-demon!

KAG:  (thinking) Half-demon?

Pans to see JIN cowering in front of the hut, trembling.

* JIN’s mother abbreviated as JMA from now on *

Interior of hut. JIN is cutting herbs in the back. JMA (the old woman whom INU thought was a witch just now), INU and KAG sit around a fire.

JMA:   You there…Inuyasha? You are a half-demon, aren’t you?

INU:   Can you tell, crone?

JMA:   You’re good-looking for a half-demon. But no matter what, you’re just half of one.

KAG:  (turns to INU) Half? I guess that’s around here, huh? (taking hold of INU’s ear)

JMA:   You can understand what it’s like. Just because my Jinenji is a half-demon, how much we have suffered at the hands of those villagers.

KAG:  You mean, he’s bullied?

JMA:   Hah! They’ve tried to kill him so many times.

JIN:  Sorry Ma…they bully you cuz’ of me.

JMA:   What are you saying? We have done nothing wrong! Your father was a fine, good demon.

Flashback of a young and pretty woman on a slope. Yellow light orbs appear and transform into a handsome man. He walks to her.

JMA:   (narrating) Such memories I have…I sprained my ankle in the mountain and couldn’t walk. It was your father who saved me. He was in the form of a handsome man, but I knew immediately that he was a demon. Because he was bathed in light. And we fell passionately in love.

Fades to present. JMA blushes contentedly and nostalgically.

INU:   Just a minute, crone. That means you’re the human?

JMA:   (mad) What did you think I was?

KAG:  (embarrassed, thinking) She’s not a witch.

JIN:  (offering a sachet to KAG) An antidote. If someone is poisoned, prepare this potion.

KAG:  (takes the sachet) T-thanks. How much do we owe?

JMA:   Never mind. We’re even now…for the clubbing I gave him earlier. Now go. If you stay, you’ll get caught up!

Cut to JIN and JMA working on the farm, while INU and KAG leaves. They look back at JIN and JMA, pondering. INU turns around and walks on.

KAG:  (catching up) Inuyasha, is it okay to leave them?

INU:   Whaddya mean?

KAG:  The villagers believe that Jinenji eats people. Jinenji is big in size but he seems very gentle.

INU:   That’s why he’s picked on. When you’re born a half-demon, you need to be prepared and you need to be tough. (resolute)

INU looks down and walks on. KAG looks at him in silence.

The villagers pile up an assortment of weapons on the grass.

Villager 1: Gather every sword and spear in the village!

Villager 2: This’ll do! We can beat Jinenji with these!

The womenfolk looks on in the distance.

Villager 4: We must kill him before he kills us!

INU and KAG appears along the path behind them.

Villager 4: Tonight! We’ll settle it tonight!

KAG:  (hearing, rushes up to them) Just a minute!

Villager 1: What? It’s you!

KAG:  You intend to attack Jinenji?

Villager 2: Of course!

KAG:  But you have no proof that he killed anyone!

Villager 1: It has to be him!

Villager 2: That hag and her son resent us!

Villager 4: They’re just getting back at us!

INU:   Hey you, you’ve been awfully cruel to Jinenji, haven’t you?

Villager 1: (stuttering) Huh?

INU:   Well anyway, unless the real flesh-eating demon is caught, this won’t be resolved.

Villager 3: Real flesh-eating demon?

Villager 4: You’re gonna capture it?

KAG:  Inuyasha, I’m going back to the farm.

INU:   Kagome!

KAG:  (turning to the villagers) So until Inuyasha returns, please don’t attack Jinenji. (in mock horror) If I should get caught up and hurt, (pointing to INU) this Inuyasha will wreak havoc in the village!

INU:   Huh? What?

KAG:  (whining to INU) Why not? You’d better wreak havoc! You have to!

INU:   (dumbfounded) W-well…I guess I can…

Villagers gather among themselves.

Villager 2: What is this kid?

Villager 4: He doesn’t seem reliable.

INU sprints through the woods. Flashback of the villagers carrying the corpse earlier in the afternoon.

INU:   (thinking) The murdered woman had the smell of a demon on her. I can smell it…it’s nearby! (leaps)

At JMA’s farm.

JMA:   The villagers did?

KAG:  Yes. So until Jinenji’s innocence is proven, I’ll help out here.

JMA:   As you please.

KAG:  (walking up to JIN who is weeding) I just pull out the weeds?

JIN:  (timidly) Y-yes…

KAG kneels down beside JIN to start weeding. He glances sideways at her and shuffles a few steps away. KAG looks at the massive JIN beside her, and notices numerous scars on his arms and legs.

KAG:  (thinking) So many scars…The villagers must have inflicted them.

KAG:  Say, didn’t you ever think about leaving here?

JIN:  This place is best…My pa left us this farm.

KAG:  I see…(returns to weeding)

JIN:  (heart beating loudly, thinking) I-I’m speaking to here…For the first time in my life, I spoke to a girl!

KAG lets out a scream! JIN looks at her.

KAG:  (shrieking and cowering) An earthworm!

JIN picks up the earthworm.

KAG:  Thanks…(heaves a sigh of relief and returns to work)

JMA:   (thinking) She’s scared of earthworms, but she’ not afraid of Jinenji?

Evening at the farm. JIN is feeding the birds and KAG looks on in delight. A bird lands on KAG’s finger and she turns to JIN.

KAG:  Look!

JIN nods joyfully.

JIN:  (thinking) Ahh…is this what it’s like to have fun?

Night time in the woods. INU crawls on all fours, sniffing the ground.

INU:   It’s around here. I’m sure of it. (starts digging) This earth. (shoves some leaves away and punches the ground violently) Are you beneath this?!

INU falls a long way down a hole from the spot where he punched.

INU:   Aw…Ouch…What is this place? (looks around)

INU gets up and explores the cave. Clean bones are strewn around. INU walks on and finds a huge pile of shell-like things, with holes in them, covered in a green slimy goo.

INU:   (touching the goo) These are eggs! And they’ve just hatched. I see…this is a demon’s nest! (gasps) No! The parent demon has taken her brood out! What’ll they do? It’s obvious! She’s taken her newborn to teach them how to hunt humans! Kagome is in danger!

Back in the village. The villagers walk in a row, carrying weapons and torches.

Villager 3: Shall we do it?

Villager 1: We needn’t worry. Only Jinenji eats humans!

Villager 2: We can’t trust that other half-demon kid!

In JIN’s hut, KAG and JMA sleeping by the fire. JIN looks at her.

JIN:  (thinking) What am I feeling? When I’m with this girl, I feel a warmth in my heart.

A rock is thrown from outside the window and lands near JIN.

Villagers: Come on out, Jinenji! We know you’re the one who killed our people!

JIN closes his eyes and trembles. JMA wakes up.

Villagers: You rotten half-demon!

KAG:  Old woman!

JMA:   Those men!

JIN:  (frightened) Ma!

JMA:   Don’t worry. Stay put! (walks out of the hut with a hoe) Why you…!

The mob of villagers outside throws rocks at her.

Villager 3: You ingrate!

Villager 2: After we let you live near our village!

KAG:  (comes out of the hut, and shields JMA) Stop! (to JMA whose head grazed by a rock) Are you all right?

Villager 1: Move, girl!

Villager 3: Why try to protect them?!

KAG:  Jinenji can’t kill anyone! If you stayed with him, you’d see that immediately! Jinenji is a kind and gentle person!

Villager 3: Never mind! Kill the girl too!

Villager 2: She was in cahoots with that half-demon boy anyway! She’s one of them!

The villagers hurl torches onto the roof.

KAG:  The hut!

JIN is still hiding in the hut, shivering in fear.

JMA:   (raises hoe) Why you--!

A silhouette appears behind the mob and growls. It turns out to be a centipede-like demon. A brood of small demons gather around her feet.

Villager 5: Tago’s been seized by a giant demon!

Villagers runs away leaving Tago. The small demons starting eating the unconscious Tago. One villager gasps in horror.

Villager 5: The larvae are eating Tago!

Villager 6: They’re gonna eat us!

JMA:   You see?! They’re the one who ate the villagers!

The larvae is finished with Tago and crawls towards the other running villagers.

KAG:  (holding JMA and running, thinking) I have to do something! Anything!

The interior of the hut is burning. KAG rushes to take her bow and arrow.

KAG:  Jinenji, run outside! Stay with your mother!

JIN comes out of the house.

JIN:  Mother!

JIN raises full-length and sees the demon. KAG shoots an arrow at her, slicing off one big chunk of her body.

KAG:  I got it!

The demon, infuriated, yowls and hurls KAG to the ground with her tail. KAG faints. The demon moves up to KAG and stretches out her tongue, in a bid to devour her. JIN, seeing, raises his fist and rushes to them.

JIN:  Stop!

JIN punches the demon in the mouth, his fist driving through and stays. The demon grabs JIN’s neck with one of her limbs, choking him.

JMA:   Jinenji!

KAG regains consciousness, to find JIN and the demon at a deadlock.

JIN:  (struggling) Hurry and get away! You were the only one…who treated me like a human! (chokes) If I let you die here, I won’t be able to live with myself!

KAG:  Jinenji!

JMA:   Jinenji…!

Cut to villagers fighting off the larvae in vain. One villager trips and the larvae surrounds him, dragging him away. A slash is seen.

INU:   Iron-Reaver, Soul-Stealer! (defeats the larvae) Kagome! Where are you!

KAG:  (from a distance away) Inuyasha! Save Jinenji!

INU starts to sprint towards them.

JMA:   Don’t help him! (KAG shocked, turns to look at her) Don’t interfere! Jinenji must fight alone!

KAG:  Why?!

INU:   (thinking) Old woman…So that’s it.

INU notices the villagers making their escape. He leaps in front of them.

INU:   What’re you sneaking around for?! I see…you were up to no good again, weren’t you? (clenched his fist threateningly)

Villager 1: W-we’re sorry! (drops weapon) We’ll never do anything again!

Villager 2: Please spare us! (clasps his palms and begs) Please!

INU:   (scoffing) Hah! You grovel before the strong. Better say sorry to him, too! (shouts) Jinenji! Show ‘em just strong you are!

A blue aura emits around JIN. He gathers his strength and breaks out of the demon’s grip on his neck. He squeezes the demon with both hands tightly. His squeeze gets tighter and tighter until the demon explodes. Its head flies up into the air and falls again. JIN punches it with a final dashing blow. The blue aura around him ceases. The villagers look on in both amazement and terror.

KAG:  Amazing!

JIN catches his breath and trudges towards the villagers. They fall to their knees and staring kowtowing in terror.

Villagers: W-we’re sorry we suspected you! Please don’t kill us!

INU:   (folded arms) Well, now the villagers should behave…

KAG:  (chiding) Say! Everyone’s shaking in fear!

INU:   Good for them! No way are they gonna be friends. So it’s better to make it clear who’s stronger.

KAG:  But…!

JIN trudges towards them with a clenched fist. He points his fist at them.

Villager 1: Sorry! We’ll never torment you again! Forgive us!

JIN:  Um…

Villager 2: Huh?

JIN:  (opening his fist to reveal herbs on his palm) You’re all hurt. This will help your wounds.

KAG:  (impressed) Jinenji…!

INU:   (I-give-up-look) Aw man!

Villagers take the herbs from JIN, deep in thought in remorse.

JIN:  (walks to JMA) Ma…are you all right?

JMA:   (touched) Jinenji… You…! (smiles to JIN, thinking) If this is how you want it, that’s fine with me.

The sun rises over the village.

KAG:  Will you really be all right?

JMA:   Yeah…you need to take the medicinal herbs to your friend. Hurry and be on your way.

KAG:  Okay. Well then, Jinenji!

JIN who was tending to the fields behind them, walks up.

KAG:  We’ll be going now.

JIN:  A-all right…

KAG:  Good bye. Thank you for everything.

JIN:  (blushing) Yes.

Cut to INU and KAG walking off.

JMA:   We’re the ones who should be thanking you. (turns to JIN) Okay, Jinenji. Cheer up! (claps) We have to tend to our trampled fields.

JIN:  Yeah.

JMA notices something and raises her hoe. The villagers appeared with planks in their hands.

JMA:   (threateningly) Um…

Villager 1: We’ll help.

JMA:   (stares momentarily, face softens and closes eyes) As you wish. (walks away)

Cut to villagers helping to rebuild JMA’s hut and salvaging the fields from last night’s rampage.

KAG:  (voice-over) Hey…

INU:   (voice-over) Huh?

JIN wipes off his sweat.

KAG:  (voice-over) Did that happen to you, too, Inuyasha?

JMA teaching villagers how to tell the plants apart.

INU:   (voice-over) Like what?

A bird lands on JIN’s shoulder.

KAG:  (voice-over) Well…like bullying…

JIN looks at the bird. The bird flies off into the sky.

INU:   (voice-over, scoffs) Hah! Stupid!

Cut to INU and KAG walking along a path with her bicycle.

INU:   No way I’d have taken it lying down!

KAG:  (laughs unnaturally) Oh, you’re right. (thinking) He was bullied.

INU:   (silent for a while, then says softly) I’m neither one nor the other.

KAG:  Huh?

INU:   I’m not a demon…nor am I human. I don’t belong to either. So…I always believed that I had to create my place in life through power. That’s how I lived and then I realized, I was alone. That was the only way I knew how to live.

KAG:  Inuyasha…I…

INU turns around.

KAG:  You’ve made me happy.

INU:   Happy?! (folds arms)

KAG:  It’s the first time you’ve opened up to me. I wanted to know about your sad times…the rough times… about your feelings and your thoughts. I'm glad that you talked to me seriously.

INU:   That makes you happy?

KAG:  Uh-huh... So sometimes, you can show me your weak side.

INU:   Hah! You make it sound like I was whining just now!

KAG:  So what? You're not alone anymore. (walks off with bicycle leaving INU standing in road)

INU:   (thinking to himself as he watches KAG walk down the hill) Not alone? Not alone? Yeah... before I knew it... and yet so naturally... Kagome is by my side.

Special thanks to Loretta Locicero for sending the ending for this episode! 😊
(The episode was incomplete on my VCD)

[ Preview for next episode ]

A strange mountain shrouded in miasma. The screeches of demons reverberate to the base of the mountain. Inuyasha is pulled into the cave by some force. Giant demons begin to fuse with each other! If Inuyasha keeps fighting like this... he will become a part of the demon! Kikyo... are you going to... help Inuyasha? Next on Inuyasha, "Kikyo and Inuyasha, Into the Miasma!" Don't miss it!