The Demon's True Nature

[ recap ]

Flashback from previous episode. GAT (Gatenmaru) spews a web out of his mouth, burning INU's hands. INU drops TET. Cut to MIR running towards INU with his staff outstretched. Cut to GAT enveloping INU and MIR in a cocoon of poison web.

INU:   Damn…!

[ End of recap: 23sec ]

[ Title screen: The Demon's True Nature ]

[ ACT I ]

The bandits ravage the village. GAT is seated. Two bandits bring a huge pot to him.

Bandit 1: Found some sake, Chief.

Bandit 2: (dragging a reluctant woman 1) Hey! Come over here and pour!

The woman 1 pour the sake into GAT's bowl nervously. GAT drinks and laughs.

GAT:  (looking at the cocoon) Half-demon, you've weakened considerably. Serves you right. Siding with humans and attacking like that.

MIR:   (thinking) No…the barrier isn't going to hold much longer.

INU:   (thinking) Damn! (eyes pulsate in red)

Bandit 3: (pulls another woman 2) Hurry and serve the Chief! (pushes her to GAT)

GAT pulls open woman 2's clothes and she gasps in terror.

GAT:  (laughs) Are you afraid, woman? I like your face.

GAT sticks out his long tongue and thrust it into woman 2's throat. The women gasp in horror. Woman 2's body shrivels into skin and bones, and the rest of the women shriek.

Bandit 1: He is a demon.

Bandit 2: Every woman the Chief had disappeared mysteriously. We used to wonder about that.

INU:   Why you…bastard…!

The screen pulsates and INU gasps. INU falls over and MIR catches hold of him.

MIR:   Are you all right, Inuyasha?! Hang on!

GAT:  The poison has travelled throughout your body. (grabs woman 1) You can watch me until you die, half-demon! As I devour these women one by one.

Old man: (lying on the ground, thinking) If he gets the sword, we will all be saved. (gets up and grabs TET from bandit 4)

Bandit 4: Huh?! Hey, old man!

MIR:   Tetsusaiga!

Old man: (runs towards the cocoon) Please…save the women! '

Two bandits appear and block the old man's path.

Old man: Huh?!

Bandit 5: What do you think you're doing?!

Bandit 6 hits the old man on the back with his spear violently. INU and MIR gasp.

Bandit 6: (stepping on the old man's back) Stupid old fool!

Bandit 5: (stomping heavily on the old man) It's over for all of you!

INU:   (angry, thinking) Damn…!

Bandit 6: Old geezer…trying to act smart.

Boy:   (background) Gramps!

Bandit 5 & 6: (looks to where the voice is) Huh?

SAN, KIR, SHI, KAG and the boy arrive at the scene.

Boy:   (runs to the old man) Gramps!

Bandit 5: Noisy kid! (raises his spear)

SAN runs towards them and kicks bandit 5 in the face. He falls backwards. She does the same to bandit 6.

KAG:  (runs to the old man and boy) Gramps!

Old man: (weakly) The sword…

KAG:  Huh?

Old man: (holds up TET) Please give it to him…!

KAG:  (takes TET, thinking) Tetsusaiga? (speaks) Where is Inuyasha?! (looks around) Where is he?!

GAT:  Hmm…a delicious-looking woman. Get her.

Bandit 2: (unsheathes his sword) Yes sir!

The bandits surround the group, with swords in their hands.

SAN:  You bandits…!

Bandit 2: Don't resist!

Inside the cocoon.

MIR:   Are you all right, Inuyasha?! (the web falls nearer to them) No! The barrier is…!

INU growls.

Outside. The bandits charge at the group. SAN hits them on the heads with a swing of HIR. KIR also chips in and fight. Cut to some bandits closing in on KAG and SHI.

SHI:   (yelling) What's with you?!

Bandit 7: It's the Chief's orders! Come here!

SHI:   No way! You won't touch a hair on Kagome's head!

KIR leaps next to SHI and growls. SAN runs next to KIR, while fending off bandits.

KAG:  Sango!

Bandit 8: You ain't getting away!

SAN:  Darn…there's too many of them!

Bandit 9: Get 'em!

Inside the cocoon. The web falls lower and touches MIR's staff, burning it.

MIR:   (weakly) The barrier won't hold…anymore. (winces as a web close in and burns his back) Inuyasha, are you all right?! Hang on!

INU is silent, with his head bowed low. The screen pulsates and his hair starts to fly.

MIR:   (shocked) Inuyasha…what's…?!

INU's head is still bowed. He suddenly looks up. His eyes are red and purple streaks appear across his cheeks; he is now a full-demon. INU clenches his teeth in anger. Cut to exterior. SAN is still fighting the bandits. The cocoon suddenly glows in pink and expands.

Bandit 1: What's this?!

Claw marks flashes across the cocoon and it explodes. INU leaps into the air, while MIR fall backwards from the impact.

KAG:  Inuyasha!

GAT:  (thinking) He ripped through my poison cocoon.

As INU lands, he claws viciously at the bandits. He attacks the rest of them violently. Cries of pain are heard. SHI looks on and gasps in horror. The boy gapes at the scene. KAG pulls him towards her chest, so that he would not witness the horrible scene.

KAG:  (thinking) Inuyasha…

INU lands and growls.

SHI:   Inuyasha's face…!

KAG:  He's transformed!

INU turns around and look at GAT.

GAT:  (laughs) Kid… Don't make me laugh!

He hunches over and four wings emerge from his back. His eyes turn pink and skin blue.

GAT:  (voice changes to a more demonic one) You're only a half-demon.

GAT's body expands and his clothes burst. He transforms into a huge moth with blue fur and wing-like hands.

GAT:  No way can you beat the demon Gatenmaru! (flies into the air) Take this, kid!

GAT sends a gust of wind which twirls around INU. He continues flapping his arms and wings until INU is surrounded by a cyclone. INU laughs. He leaps and breaks out of the cyclone. He claws at one of GAT's wings and slices it into two. GAT falls on the ground. INU lands in front of him.

GAT:  (thinking) Why does he carry the scent of demon blood?

GAT raise himself up and spews poison foam, which surrounds INU. The foam dissipates and INU is gone.

GAT:  (laughs) So he's melted. After all, he was just a half-demon.

INU:   Did you say something?!

GAT looks up to find INU leaping above him.

INU:   You pesky moth!

INU claws GAT from the mouth downwards, breaking his body into many pieces. INU lands as blue pieces of the former GAT drops to the ground. The bandits look on in terror and run away.

INU:   (turns to the bandits, raising his bloodied claws) You ain't getting away!

Cut to the rest of INU-gang and the boy looking at him.

KAG:  Inuyasha…

In a forest.

JAK:   (pops out of a bush and looks around) Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru, have you gone away again? (cut to him peeping into a hollow trunk) Lord Sesshomaru, where are you? Lord Sesshomaru…

Cut to JAK jumping frantically while Rin looks on. SES's two headed horse demon is grazing on the grass.

JAK:   (dramatic) How could you leave your vassal and go?! (stops suddenly and looks at Rin) It's all because of that Rin! (hunches his shoulders) Damn! He should just abandon that human child somewhere. (gasps in terror) Huh?! Could it be that…Lord Sesshomaru…in order to confirm what Bokusen-Oh said has gone to Inuyasha!

Rin:  Hmm? What kind of person is Inuyasha?

JAK:   Hmm, thanks for asking. It's a long story, but one which must be told in order to understand. (puts a fist near his mouth and coughs) Ahem! Inuyasha is Lord Sesshomaru's younger brother. (closes his eyes smugly) However, in demon rank…in demon dignity, there's no comparison. And that is because… (opens his eyes and notices Rin and the horse demon walking away) Huh?! What? (falls on the ground) Hey! (gets up) Wait! Where are you going?

Rin:  It sounds like a long story. Let's go, A-Un! There's nice juicy grass over there.

JAK:   (in disbelief) A-Un?! Why be so mean to me?

Cut to bandits running frantically away from INU.

INU:   (laughs) You ain't getting away! (attacks the bandits)

The bandits are killed violently. Some of the bandits are escaping on horses. INU laughs evilly and leaps through the air. He kills the bandits and the horses with his bloodied claws. Yells of terror and neighs of horses are heard. One by one they fall to the ground, dead. KAG runs forward with TET in her hand. SHI notices and chases her.

SHI:   Kagome!

MIR and SAN follows.

SAN:  Kirara! Protect those people!

KIR nods.

KAG:  (running) Inuyasha!

INU laughs and leaps in front of three running bandits. He lands and block their way. The bandits kneel on the ground.

Bandit 1: (clasp his hands in a begging manner) H-help!

Bandit 2: W-we were just following the Chief's orders!

Bandit 1: Spare us!

KAG:  Stop, Inuyasha!

SAN:  They're begging for mercy!

INU laughs and raises his claws.

MIR:   Even Kagome can't reach him.

INU looks at his bloodies hand and cracks his knuckles. He laughs evilly.

KAG:  (shocked, thinking) He's laughing…as he's about to kill!

SHI:   (leaps onto KAG's shoulder) Kagome, give Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha and calm him down. I can't stand to see his face like that!

KAG:  (nods) Uh-huh… (runs to INU) Inuyasha, take Tetsusaiga! Return to your old self, Inuyasha!

INU prepares to attack the bandits. When KAG is about to reach him, INU felt something and leaps away immediately. SES appears at the scene, a distance away from INU. SES looks at INU in silence.

SHI:   Huh?!

KAG:  Sesshomaru!

MIR and SAN reach KAG and SHI.

MIR:   Why is he…?!

SES surveys the scene of dead corpses and carcasses of bandits and horses.

SES:   (scoffs) Hmm… A monster who only knows to fight.

Flashback from previous episode when SES consulted Bokusen-Oh.

Bokusen-Oh: But…the pure demon blood of his father is too strong for a half-demon. After repeated transformation…

Back to present. Close up of INU's full demon face glaring at SES.

Bokusen-Oh: (voice over) …Inuyasha will eventually lose his soul…

INU growls at SES.

SES:   Come at me, Inuyasha. I'll test you to see just how strong you are when you transform.

INU brandishes his claws and sprint towards SES. He leaps. Cut to SES unsheathing Tokijin. He points the blade at the leaping INU. It sends an aura at INU which pushes at him.

KAG:  (worried) Inuyasha!

MIR:   No, Inuyasha! Sesshomaru's Tokijin can slay an enemy with the slightest pressure. You will be killed before you even reach him!

INU uses all his strength and punches the blade of Tokijin. The group gasps.

SAN:  He punched away the sword!

Cuts suddenly appear along INU's arm and blood burst out of them.

SES:   Huh… Pointless!

INU growls and sprints towards SES with outstretched claws. He attacks but SES dodges. SES jumps and lands behind INU, who turns around. SES points Tokijin at INU again. INU sprints towards SES. The aura and static from Tokijin sends INU flying backwards. INU brakes by dragging his feet across the ground. INU's blood drips.

SHI:   (worried) He's full of lacerations!

KAG:  (yelling) Stop already! Inuyasha!

SES:   (thinking) Inuyasha, you feel no fear, not even pain.

INU sprints and punches SES, who dodges effortlessly while thinking.

SES:   (thinking) The demon blood has devoured your soul. You don't even recognize who you are. You will continue fighting until you die. Just to make sure if Bokusen-Oh's words were true, I have come after you… (speaking) Pathetic… I understand fully now. (leaps) You are not a full-fledged demon. All you are is a half-demon. So know your place! Inuyasha, a half-demon should act like a half-demon and crawl on the ground!

SES points Tokijin at INU who is leaping towards him. A glow emits around Tokijin. INU's yell is heard. The scene is bathed in Tokijin's white light and the group shields themselves from the brightness. INU and SES are locked in this tug of war, as they try to push each other away. Finally INU can't withstand Tokijin's force and falls backwards, yelling.

KAG:  Inuyasha!

INU crashes on the ground.

KAG:  (runs towards INU and SHI falls off from inertia) Inuyasha!

SES walks towards INU. He stops and look at him in silence. KAG reaches and hugs INU. INU is on the ground, motionless.

KAG:  Please stop! (looks at SES)

SES:   He finally stopped moving. (walks forward)

KAG:  (with angry tears) Stay away, stupid!

Cut to MIR and SAN. SHI is on MIR's shoulder.

SAN:  Watch out!

SHI:   Kagome, you'll be…!

MIR and SAN run towards KAG. Cut to SES and KAG.

SES:   If you want him to stop, use Tetsusaiga to undo the transformation.

KAG:  Huh?!

SES:   If he revives as is, he will fight again.

KAG:  (thinking) Doesn't he intend to kill…?

MIR:   (reaches KAG and stands in front of SES) If you wanted to, you had a chance to bisect Inuyasha earlier. But you only threw Inuyasha off with the sword. Why did you stop there? You despise Inuyasha. I can't believe you suddenly found brotherly love.

SES:   I will kill him, in time. But now…when he doesn't even know himself, there's no point in killing him.

SES turns around and walks away. The group looks at SES, shocked.

KAG:  It's as if…he came to stop Inuyasha running out of control. (INU groans) Huh? (turns to INU)

INU opens his eyes, and is back to his normal state.

MIR:   Inuyasha!

KAG:  You've come to!

SES walks in the forest and reaches Rin, A-Un and JAK.

Rin:  Lord Sesshomaru! You're back!

SES:   Rin, have you been good?

Rin:  (nods) Uh-huh! Rin and A-Un were very good! But Jaken seems a bit depressed over there. (points to JAK sitting behind)

JAK:   Huh?! (shoots up and runs to SES) Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru, why did you go off alone after Inuyasha?! (notices SES is silent) Err…Oh…! (backs off and clasps his hands) I'm sorry. That was uncalled for.

SES looks into the distance in silence.

Rin:  Hmmm?

JAK:   Lord Sesshomaru…

Close up of SES deep in thoughts.

Back at the village. INU stands up and surveys the scene of dead bandits and horses.

KAG:  Inuyasha, you mustn't move.

INU:   Did I do all this?

KAG:  Huh?

MIR:   (thinking) He doesn't remember.

INU:   (looks at his bloodied claws) My claws…reek of the bandits' blood.

KAG:  (thinking) Inuyasha… (to INU) Inuyasha, you did it to save everyone… That's why you did it.

The boy from earlier on stands a distance away and looks at INU silently.

KAG:  Uhh…

Woman 3: (walks up and places a hand on his shoulder) He's a monster!

Woman 1: (walks up and places a hand on his shoulder) If you get close, he'll kill you!

The women huddle with the boy and glares at INU.

KAG:  T-that's not…!

INU looks at them in silence. The women look at INU in fear and hatred.

Boy:   (pushes back the women and yells) I don't care if he's a monster! He…he saved Gramps! He defeated all the bad men!

INU:   (thinking) No…all I did was hunt men. The demon that I wanted to become…the power that I desired…isn't like this!

The screen fades to black.

[ End of ACT I: 18min 11sec ]

[ ACT II ]

Evening. MIR, SAN and KIR are resting by a river.

MIR:   Each time Inuyasha transforms into a demon, he loses himself. Today, not even Kagome's voice could…

SAN:  Miroku…even if Inuyasha fully transforms into a demon, I want to stay with him.

MIR:   Sango…

SAN:  Though I caused so much trouble over Kohaku, all of you stood by me, like it was the natural thing to do. That's why, I…

MIR looks at SAN in silence for awhile and smile.

MIR:   (smiles) Uh-huh… (washes his hands in the river)

INU stands in the river, washing his hands furiously. KAG looks at him from the riverbank, carrying a towel.

INU:   (looks at his hands angrily) Damn! I can't wash away the smell of blood! It's sickening!

INU walks angrily back to the ground and sits down. KAG sits down next to him.

KAG:  (hands INU the towel) Here, a towel.

INU:   (curtly) No thanks.

KAG puts the towel on her lap and look down. They are silent for awhile.

INU:   You don't have to force yourself to stay by me.

KAG looks at INU intently.

INU:   (yells exasperatedly) What?! Everyone's been tiptoeing around me! Now get this! It doesn't bother me! I don't give a damn what I did!

KAG:  Inuyasha…

INU calms down and scoffs.

KAG:  (thinking) It must be hard.

KAG puts her hands on INU's shoulder and lay her head on his back. INU makes a shocked sound.

KAG:  Inuyasha…I understand.

INU:   (looks down, thinking) Kagome…(puts his hand on KAG's) I don't remember a thing while I was transformed. This has never happened before. The next time I transform, I may use these claws, Kagome…to tear you up.

[ End of ACT II: 20min 35sec ]

[ End of episode 52: The Demon's True Nature ]

[ Preview for next episode ]

Inuyasha can't control the demon blood in him and doesn't want to be a demon that kills for the joy of killing. There must be a solution! If Inuyasha slays Ryukotsusei, Tetsusaiga would become light again. To accept Totosai's challenge, Inuyasha journeys. But Naraku wrecks trouble again…Next episode, 'Father's Old Enemy, Ryukotsusei'!