Three Spirits of the Monkey God

[ recap ]

Flashback from episode 81, when Naraku disappeared after the battle with SES and INU.

KAG:  (narrating) Suddenly, Naraku had completely disappeared.

Cut to flashback from episode 20, when Onigumo was lying in a cave.

KAG:  (narrating) 50 years ago, Naraku was called Yatou Onigumo.

Cut to flashback from previous episode, when Rasetsu cut off a bunch of his hair and gave them to Kikyo.

KAG:  (narrating) Rasetsu no Kansuke, asked Kikyo for a favor before he died.

Cut to flashback from previous episode, when INU-gang was taking shelter from the rain in a dilapidated hut.

KAG:  (narrating) At the same time, we're chasing Naraku, hoping to encounter him.

[ End of recap: 1min 59sec ]

[ Title screen: Three Spirits of the Monkey God ]

[ ACT I ]

Daytime. INU-gang is traveling past a village.

KAG:  This village looks peaceful.

MIR:   This doesn't look like the place to find Naraku.

SAN:  But… this place…

KAG:  What's wrong, Sango?

Cut to huge holes in the fields.

SAN:  The planting grounds are destroyed.

SHI:   What?

MIR:   Maybe some pigs came by…

SAN:  I don't think so. It's weird.

Villager 1: (background) He's here! Over there!

INU-gang turns around. A group of villagers run towards them hectically.

Villager 1: Please wait!

SAN:  The villagers?

Villager 1: That silver-haired guy!

Villager 2: (pointing) He's certainly not human with those ears.

INU's ears twitches and he looks apprehensive.

KAG:  Is it Inuyasha?

INU:   (puts a hand on TET) What's with you guys?

Villagers: (reache INU and kowtow) Dog God, please save us all!

INU:   Huh?!

KAG:  Dog God…?

Cut to INU sitting in front of house in the village. Two girls are fanning him while the rest of INU-gang stand aside. The villagers are all kneeled in front of him. An altar is placed in between them and INU.

Village chief: (bows) Dog God…

Villager 1: (bows) Dog God…

Villager 2: (bows) Dog God!

Villagers: (kowtows) DOG GOD!

INU:   Am I Dog God…?

A village girl carries a bowl of plain round cakes and puts them on the altar.

INU:   What? An offering?

Village chief: Please enjoy these offerings, Dog God!

Villager 1: This is all we can offer you!

Villager 2: Only the Dog God can save our village now!

Village chief: Yes, yes… Fan harder, harder!

MIR:   The situation must be really bad for them to do this.

INU:   (threateningly) What do you mean?

Villager 1: The village is in a bad state because of monkeys.

INU:   Monkeys?

Village chief: Please help us with your dog powers, Dog God!

Villager 1: (kowtows) Please help us get rid of the monkeys!

Villagers: (kowtows) Please help us, Dog God!

MIR:   (steps forward) I understand. Leave it to us.

Villagers: (in awe) Ooohhh…

INU:   (to MIR) Oi! I'm not Dog God!

MIR:   (whispers to INU) They're just monkeys.

INU:   We don't have time for this!

MIR:   Don't worry. Sango and I will be searching for Naraku.

SAN:  Right…

KAG:  Inuyasha, we can't just leave these poor villagers alone.

INU sighs.

Cut to INU and KAG walking in a forest. SHI is on KAG's shoulder.

INU:   This must be a joke! Why do I have to play with monkeys?

KAG:  (smiling) We've no choice. You're Dog God!

SHI:   You're Dog God!

Voice: (background) Who are you…?

The group stops. A huge one-eyed monkey appears among the trees.

Monkey Monster: Gagagagaga!

SHI:   A… monkey monster!

Monkey Monster: Damn you, Dog God. You're here to help the villagers get rid of us because you hate monkeys…

INU:   It wouldn't be interesting otherwise! (jumps and punches the monster in the face) The opponent has to be a demon!

INU lands. The monster gets smaller as it twirls in the air. It disappears with a puff of smoke and three baby monkeys crash into a pile to the ground. They are wearing tiny clothes.

* From Inuyasha's Tsubo, the monkey in blue is Buso, the one in red is Keso and the one with stripes is Goso.

SHI:   Baby monkeys!

KAG:  They're cute!

INU:   (squats next to the small monkeys) Did you cause havoc in the village?

The monkeys whisper to each other and then kneels in front of INU suddenly, kowtowing.

Goso: It's all our fault!

Buso: Please forgive us!

Goso: As a form of apology, we offer you our Spirit Stone.

Goso takes out a stone with some charms placed around it and puts it on INU's palm.

INU:   (laughs happily) In that case, I won't hesitate to take it.

SHI:   Inuyasha…

INU:   What, Shippo?

SHI:   (worried) I wouldn't be careless about this… (the stone grows a little) What we mini demons use… (the stone enlarges) is the Illusion Skill. (the stone turns into a boulder) I'm too late.

KAG gasps as the stone has turned into a large boulder. INU crashes to the ground under the weight of the boulder. The monkeys laugh. INU's hand is stuck under the boulder.

INU:   Say so earlier!

Buso: Look!

Goso: Now you can't move, dog demon!

Monkeys: (turn around, slap and shake their butts in unison) We small monkeys win!

INU:   (thumps the monkeys' head with his free hand) You scoundrels! No more pranks!

Buso: That's impossible!

Goso: You can't leave that boulder until the spell has been lifted!

INU:   I see.

The monkeys back away in terror as INU stands up, holding up the boulder threateningly.

INU:   (mad, veins popping) In that case… I won't hesitate to retaliate…

Keso takes out another 'Spirit Stone' and throws it on top of the boulder. It turns into another boulder and INU is squashed under the weight of the two boulders. The monkeys cheer.

KAG:  Inuyasha!

Buso: That's for you!

The monkeys run off.

SHI:   After them, Kagome! (chases with KAG)

INU:   Kagome…

KAG:  Inuyasha, wait over there!

INU:   Teh. Oi.

Cut to KAG running, with SHI on her shoulder.

SHI:   Illusion Skill can't be lifted, unless the one who casts the spell lifts it.

KAG:  That's…

SHI leaps off KAG's shoulder.

KAG:  Shippo!

Cut to SAN, MIR and KIR under a tree. MIR is lying on his back, relaxing.

SAN:  Wait, Priest. We're supposed to be looking for Naraku.

MIR:   Kagome's not here. Only she can sense the Sacred Jewel fragments. What can we do? Inuyasha wouldn't have helped if I didn't step in.

Cut to SHI chasing the three monkeys in the forest.

SHI:   (resolute) I must be strong. I must be strong, I must be strong!!

SHI leaps and throws a fearsome dragon at them.

SHI:   Go!!!

Goso: What's that? (throws a fearsome tiger)

The tiger and the dragon meet. Static surges. Then two puffs of smoke appear. The tiger and dragon turn back into a tiger fang and a toy snake respectively. The monkeys run and SHI chases.

SHI:   Transform! (turns into his pink flying form)

Buso: Brothers… Merge!

The three monkeys stand on top of each other and turns into a long yellow balloon. The long balloon presses its head against SHI's pinking flying form. Two puffs of smoke appear and they turn back to their original form. SHI punches wildly with Goso, who is on top. They then kick each other, somersaulting backwards.

SHI:   (throws his spinning top) Top!

Buso: Acorn! (throws a spinning acorn)

The top and the acorn spin against each other and sparks fly. The spinning gets too much and the top and acorn separates. The monkeys and SHI land, facing each other.

SHI:   Well done.

Goso: You too.

KAG:  (appears between them and claps her hand) Ok, you guys! (takes out two packets of chips) Shall we take a break?

Cut to SHI and the monkeys licking lollipops happily. KAG and them are seated at a broken down shrine.

KAG:  Why did you play pranks on the village?

Goso: It's not a prank! We're searching for the Monkey God!

KAG:  The Monkey God?

Goso: He's the God that belongs to this shrine.

Buso: We, the entrusted spirits of Monkey God…

Keso: … have the responsibility to defend this shrine.

Cut to flashback of a burning shrine.

Goso: (voice-over) During the war, the shrine was burnt down.

Buso: (voice-over) Monkey God's godly form was taken away.

Back to present.

KAG:  Is the godly form of Monkey God in the village?

Goso: (nods) We heard that it is buried in the village's planting grounds. For some reason, I dreamt of Monkey God.

Keso: So did I!

Buso: Me too, me too!

Goso: I heard he'll be found in a dark and wet place.

Keso: And in a narrow and hard-to-breathe area.

Buso: And among some stinking vegetables.

Loud thumping noises are heard in the background.

Goso: What's that?

KAG:  (sighs) Sorry guys… I won't say anything… But please lift the spell from Inuyasha.

Goso: (resolute) We can't.

KAG:  Why?

The three monkeys stand in a line, with bright light glowing behind them.

Goso: (digging his nose) We've… Forgotten the spell…

INU appears in front of them, with his palm still stuck on the boulder.

INU:   (clenches his fist) What…?!

The monkeys huddle in fear together.

SHI:   (serious) You'll get injured if this continues. Inuyasha was never known to show mercy, even to kids.

Goso: We've no choice!

Cut to the three monkeys standing in a line, with bright light glowing behind them.

Goso: (digging his nose) We've really forgotten it!

INU thumps the monkeys on the head.

KAG:  This is bad…

INU:   (raises the boulder over his head, furious) I'll kill you…

Goso: Wait! Monkey God can help lift the spell!

Buso: That's because Monkey God taught us this spell!

KAG:  Let's hurry and search for the godly form!

INU:   Eh?

KAG:  Let's go! (runs off with the three monkeys)

INU:   Huh?!

Goso: It'll be better for you to wait there.

Cut to INU dragging the boulder. SHI walks with him.

SHI:   Are you tired, Inuyasha?

INU:   Don't ask! Why does this always happen to me?

Cut to INU's imagination: SES and KOG appear on two cliffs. INU is between them, in the ravine, stuck with the boulder.

SES:   You're clumsy, Inuyasha.

KOG:  What have you become, dog-face?

INU:   You…!

SES flies down, flexing his claws dangerously. He lands next to INU, pauses and just takes TET from him. INU is shocked.

SES:   The Tetsusaiga is too good for you. (turns around and walks off) You're useless.

INU:   (kicking one leg in mid air) Return it!

Cut to KOG carrying KAG in his arms. KAG waves to INU happily.

KOG:  Leave Kagome to me! (leaps off)

INU:   (horrified) You! (turns to look at SES walking away)

SES:   Tetsusaiga will be used by me.

INU turns to look at KOG walking away with KAG in his arms.

KOG:  Let's go, Kagome!

INU:   Wait, you bastards!

Cut to INU alone with the boulder in a dark space.

INU:   Wait for me…!!!

Cut to present. INU is running, dragging the boulder at high speed. SHI panics.

INU:   Just wait and see!

KAG and the monkeys are in the village, talking to the village chief and villager 1.

Village chief: Monkey God's godly form?

KAG:  It's supposed to be here.

The three monkeys jump onto KAG.

Goso: It's definitely here!

Buso: Return it!

Villager 1: We don't know anything about it.

A loud thumping noise is heard in the background.

Buso: He's… here! (waves madly at the villagers) What are you doing?

Goso: Our lives are at stake here!

Village chief: Huh?

Villager 1: (notices) Dog God!

INU and SHI arrive at the scene. INU throws his boulder down.

INU:   So what about Monkey God?! Remove this now or I'll kill you!

KAG:  Relax, Inuyasha.

Goso: Who dares to get near him?

INU:   Have you creeps recalled how to remove this boulder yet?!

Cut to the three monkeys standing in a line, with bright light glowing behind them.

Monkeys: Not at all.

INU thumps the monkeys on the head. The villagers gather around INU.

Villager 1: Your hand is stuck to a boulder because of their spell?

Village chief: Are you really Dog God?

INU:   (exasperated) That's what I've been saying!

SHI:   He's far from a god…

KAG:  Only Monkey God knows how to lift this spell.

INU:   That's it! I'm going to destroy this village!

KAG:  Inuyasha, sit!

INU:   (crashes to the ground, with his palm still stuck on the boulder) Kagome… you…

KAG:  Just wait quietly.

Village chief: Why don't we split up?

Villager 1: Don't let him turn violent.

KAG:  (bows to the villagers) I'm sorry!

Village chief: What is it like?

Goso: It's this big and bright…

Buso: Monkey God's shape is carved on it…

Keso: It's very round…

Villager 1: Could it be… somewhere behind that hill…

Goso: (pointing) Behind the hill!

Buso: (pointing) Behind the hill!

Keso: (pointing) Behind the hill!

INU:   Right!

Cut to bird's eye view of the village. Rumbling noises are heard as the screen pan towards the hills.

INU:   (voice-over) Let's go behind that hill!

Cut to the group in the hill. The monkeys examining a round rock.

INU:   (panting, with the boulder raised over his shoulder) Is…this it?

Monkeys: Nope!

INU:   N-no? (puts the boulder down) Damn!

As the group is on a slope, the boulder starts to roll down, dragging INU with it.

KAG:  (panics) Inuyasha!

Cut to the group with villager 2 at the river.

Villager 2: I saw it in this river before…

Goso: In the river!

Buso: In the river!

Keso: In the river!

Cut to the group in shallow part of the river, examining a round rock.

INU:   (with the boulder raised over his shoulder) Is this it?

Goso: Nope. It's not bright enough.

INU:   It's wrong…?

INU puts down the boulder, but it just happens that the area that he put it on is where the deep water starts. INU is dragged into the river as the boulder sinks.

KAG:  Inuyasha!

Cut to bird's eye view of the village. Rumbling noises and INU's panting are heard as the screen pan to the left.

Villager 3: (voice-over) Could it possible be there?

Villager 4: (voice-over) Somewhere to the east?

Rumbling noises and INU's panting are heard as the screen pan to the right.

Villager 5: (voice-over) That's it! The southern valley!

Rumbling noises and INU's panting are heard as the screen pan to the left.

Villager 6: (voice-over) Could it be there?

Rumbling noises and INU's panting are heard as the screen pan to the right. Fade to evening.

MIR, SAN and KIR arrive at the village.

SAN:  We're back!

INU has collapsed on the group, still stuck to the boulder. A few village kids surround him. One of them poke him with a stick but INU doesn't budge.

MIR:   Inuyasha! What are you doing?

INU:   (exhausted) Hurry, look for the Monkey God…

Cut to the courtyard in the house of the village chief. Everybody except INU is gathered there.

MIR:   I see… So many things happened in such a short while.

Village chief: What a headache.

MIR:   Let's see if I can do anything with my powers.

Everyone gasps.

Goso: Can you really help us?

MIR:   Of course. But my powers will only work in the morning.

Monkeys: (excited) That's okay!

SAN:  (whispers to MIR) Why's that?

MIR:   (whispers back) Nothing, I just want to sleep well tonight.

Goso: (to each other) Our problem will be solved!

The monkeys cheer.

SHI:   (deadpan, low tone) You've all been tricked…

SAN:  (whispers to MIR) Will it work?

MIR:   (whispers back)I'll find a way, don't worry.

Villager 1: (talking among themselves) What's the commotion?

Villager 2: Yes…

INU-gang gather around INU and the boulder.

MIR:   You poor fellow… bound to that rock by a spell.

INU:   Think of something, or things will get worse!

MIR:   How?

INU:   (smirks) My hand will soon be crippled. (stern and shouts) I'll lose the Tetsusaiga!

Thunder is heard. The group is taken aback and looks up.

MIR:   According to Inuyasha…

SAN:  His hand will be…

Cut to MIR and SAN's imagination: They are fighting a centipede demon.

SAN:  (swings HIR) Hiraikotsu!

MIR:   (opens his Wind Tunnel) Wind Tunnel!

INU:   Stand aside, Miroku! (raises the boulder over his head) Stone Reaver, Soul Stealer!

INU jumps and hits the centipede monster on the head with the boulder.

Cut to present. MIR and SAN laugh to themselves.

INU:   What's so funny?

MIR:   Inuyasha, you're really something!

SAN:  I agree! You picked up another skill!

INU:   What are you guys talking about?!

KAG:  (looks up) If this goes on, Inuyasha will…

Cut to KAG's imagination: KAG and INU are at the Dry Well.

KAG:  Time's up, I have to go home!

INU:   Don't go, Kagome!

KAG:  (jumps in cheerfully) I'm off!

INU:   (jumps in) How can you leave me?

The boulder is too huge to go through the well and INU is stuck.

INU:   (struggling) Damn!

Cut to present.

KAG:  (to herself) Not bad!

INU:   Idiot! What an idea!

MIR:   Inuyasha. Can I try to suck in this rock using Wind Tunnel?

INU:   Can you do that?

MIR:   Sure, as long as I control it well. (dramatic, stretches out his wind tunnel hand) I'll suck in this rock using my Wind Tunnel. When you're nearing me, Wind Tunnel will… (gasps)

All: Huh?

INU:   What's the problem?

MIR:   Half your body will… (waves) Oh, forget it.

INU:   What's wrong?!

MIR:   Nothing, nothing. (walks further away) Let's try it again. (raises his hadn) You won't get hurt this time!

SAN and KAG run aside. SHI panics.

INU:   S-STOP…!!!

[ End of ACT I: 16min 10sec ]

[ ACT II ]

Nighttime. INU is still along the path, stuck to the boulder. KAG sits next to him. She sneezes.

INU:   Why don't you go back in? I'm alright out here.

KAG:  But you'll be bored out here.

INU:   (defensive) I won't be, silly!

KAG:  (stands) Since I'm a pain…

INU:   (panics) Y-You're not!

KAG:  (sits and smiles) Really?

INU nods readily.

KAG:  (thinking) This is a big problem. What should we do?

A village woman walks past them with a bowl. A white glow surrounds it.

KAG:  (walks to the woman) Excuse me! What is this?

INU-gang, the monkeys and the village chief are in the courtyard, looking at the glowing bowl of vegetables.

Village chief: Our apologies. We can only offer this. But what is this?

MIR:   This looks different.

Monkeys: T-This is…!

Goso: Hey, did these food come from your planting grounds?

Buso: This looks like the holy light from the Monkey God!

Goso: The Monkey God said he's in a dark and wet place…

Keso: In a hard-to-breathe area…

Buso: Among stinking vegetables…

INU:   He must be buried in the planting grounds!

Goso: (climbs on INU with Keso and Buso) He must be buried in real deep!

The monkeys cheer.

INU:   I'll turn the whole village upside down!

Village chief: (tearing) Turn the village upside down?

KAG:  Sit.

INU crashes to the ground and the monkeys fly off him.

KAG:  (to chief) I need you to show me something.

Everyone is looking at a barrel with a round stone glowing in white on top.

KAG:  I knew it! This weight stone is shining…

Goso: The godly form!

Monkeys: Monkey God!

Village chief: Light?

Villager 1: We don't see anything…

Goso: H-how can all of you do this?

Buso: So you guys did steal the Monkey God!

Village chief: No, we found this outside the village! We used it as a weight stone for vegetables!

KAG:  Do you mean outside the forest?

Goso: Liar! Monkey God has always been resting in the shrine!

Keso: We've been guarding the shrine very well!

Buso: That's right! Even during that fire hazard, we did it well!

FLASHBACK: Cut to flashback of the fire in the shrine. The monkeys run away from the shrine, carrying the round stone. They arrive at a forest clearing.

Goso: Monkey God should be safe here.

Keso: (notices something on the ground) Acorns! (eats one)

Goso: There's so many!

Buso: Over here!

The monkeys start collecting acorns, moving further and further away from the stone. FADE TO PRESENT. The monkeys look up in realization.

KAG:  So you forgot about the Monkey God…?

Cut to MIR pouring water on the stone.

MIR:   First, purify it.

The stone glows and an old monkey with beard and in sage's clothes appear.

Monkey God: (glad) I've waited very long.

Monkeys: (ecstatic) Monkey God! We finally meet again!

Monkey God: These vegetables really stink!

Buso: Monkey God!

Monkey God: Did you behave yourselves when I wasn't here?

Monkeys: Yes, we were good!

INU:   Hey!

The monkeys ignore INU.

SHI:   They forgot about Inuyasha…

[ End of ACT II: 19min 19sec ]

[ ACT III ]

Daytime in the village. The round stone is placed on an altar in the courtyard. MIR is speaking to the villagers.

MIR:   Monkey God wants everyone to build a new shrine for him and he'll watch over you.

The villagers heave a sigh of relief. Cut to INU flexing his arm.

KAG:  This is great, Inuyasha. You're alright.

INU:   We went through this for no reason.

Monkey God: You're smart, little girl. You found out where I was.

KAG:  It was quite simple, actually.

INU:   (to the monkeys) All of you are stupid!

Goso: What?

Buso: You wanted to dig it out from the ground!

Monkey God: I think you'd better leave this place. (looks to the sky) I sense some changes outside…

KAG:  Changes?

Monkey God: A while after I was put among the vegetables, I sensed some very heavy bad aura… This bad aura passed by the sky…

INU:   What?

SAN:  Then what, Monkey God?

Monkey God: I wasn't sure of it, so I tried following the bad aura…

KAG:  Then what?

INU:   Where did that bad aura go?

Monkey God: Disappeared…

KAG:  Disappeared?

Monkey God: (worried) The bad aura didn't travel far, but it was gone fast!

KAG:  Inuyasha…

INU:   That should be Naraku!

Monkey God: The bad aura should have headed towards North-East.

KAG:  Towards… North-East?

Monkey God: But I'm not sure where it headed to eventually.

MIR:   Let's go.

INU:   (looks at the sky) It's clear where we should go from here.

INU-gang is traveling again. Suddenly acorns are thrown at them from the trees.

SAN:  What's that?

SHI:   (looks at the ground) Acorns!

The three baby monkeys pop out from a tree, jeering and laughing.

INU:   You rascals!

Goso: Did you get a fright?

The monkeys turn around and slap their butts.

Goso: This is for you, Shippo!

The monkeys shake and point their butts up.

Buso: This is for you, Inuyasha!

Keso: And we're off! Bye!

The monkeys jump off, laughing.

INU:   W-What?

SHI:   (picking up the acorns, smiling) Those three were great companions!

INU:   (scoffs) They're just baby monkeys!

The group moves on, except for SHI and KIR, who look in the direction of the monkeys. SHI smiles and waves.

INU:   (shouts) Hey, Shippo!

SHI:   (grabs one more acorn and runs to the group) Wait for me, Inuyasha!

INU:   Can't you walk faster? To the North-East!

[ End of ACT III: 22min 9sec ]

[ End of episode 88: Three Spirits of the Monkey God ]

[ Preview for next episode ]

Kagome has fallen sick?

The search for Naraku must have worn her out. I heard she's down with cough and fever, that's why she rushed back home. I wonder if she's alright?

Kagome's time is so advanced, she should be able to get well soon.

Inuyasha has sneaked off to look for Kagome again!

To pay her a visit?

I never knew Inuyasha was so caring!

Next on Inuyasha, "Visitation Confrontation Between 'That Guy' and 'Him' ".

Two 'him's? Who and who?