Inuyasha's Soul, Devoured

[ ACT I ]

SES-clique walks in a deep forest.

JAK:   (looking around) Woods…squirrel…lily…yellow… Your late father's friend lives so deep in the forest. Huh?

Voice:  (in background) Welcome… I have been waiting.

Rin:  (shocked) A voice…from the sky.

JAK:   (looks in the sky) I don't see anyone.

Voice:  I've been expecting you…Sesshomaru.

The group approaches a tree.

SES:   You knew that I was coming, Bokusen-Oh?

* Bokusen-Oh abbreviated as BOK from now onwards. *

BOK:  You've come to speak to me about the swords.

The group stops in front of the huge tree. A face start to emerge from trunk and opens its eyes.

[ End of ACT I: 58sec ]

[ Title screen: Inuyasha's Soul, Devoured ]

[ ACT II ]

Daytime in a hut. MIR is resting on a straw mat, while SAN kneels next to him. MIR is sweating, in pain. SAN looks at him intently.

SAN:  Inuyasha told me while I went in search for Kohaku…

Flashback from previous episode, when MIR opened his wind tunnel to suck in the demons.

SHI:   Miroku! What're you doing? There are poison insects!

MIR:   (removes the prayer beads around his wrist) Wind Tunnel!

INU:   (worried) Miroku! (thinking) You're sucking in the poison insects, too!

MIR:   (struggling) Inuyasha, go after Sango and Kagome.

Back to present.

SAN:  You sacrificed yourself and fought… Yet I went after Kohaku…

Flashback from previous episode, when SAN fought a mind-controlled KOH. SAN pushed KOH on the ground and kneels above him.

SAN:  Kohaku!

KOH looks at SAN expressionlessly.

SAN:  I'll kill you, then kill myself. This is the only way to get you back from Naraku! Forgive me, Kohaku! (raising a sword over KOH)

INU:   Stop, Sango! (knocks the sword out of SAN's hand)

Back to present. SAN looks at MIR guiltily. MIR makes a sound and wakes.

SAN:  I'm sorry, Miroku. It was my fault you ended up sucking in poison insects.

MIR:   (weakly) Sango…

SAN:  Yes?

MIR:   (smiles weakly) Don't look so sad. There's still hope for Kohaku.

SAN:  Miroku…

MIR:   So keep smiling.

SAN:  (tears forming) Thank you.

MIR closes his eyes.

SAN:  (worried) Miroku… (puts a hand on MIR's shoulder) No! Hang on! (shakes MIR) Miroku!

SAN suddenly blushes and takes her hand off MIR. Cut to close up of MIR's hand groping SAN's bum. A sweat drop forms over SAN's head. Cut to door. A loud crash is heard.

MIR:   Oops…!

SAN and cute KIR enter the hut.

SHI:   (holding a bamboo container) Sango, we brought water. How is Miroku?

Cut to SAN clenching her fist and MIR with huge bump on his head.

SAN:  I think he's much better.

MIR's face twitches in pain.

Back with SES-clique with BOK in forest.

BOK:  Is the information you seek about the Tetsusaiga, your father's heirloom sword? Or…

Rin:  A tree demon!

JAK:   (stuttering) Lord Sesshomaru, just what is that?

SES:   A 2000-year-old magnolia tree.

JAK:   (in awe) Oh…

BOK:  The sheaths of the swords, the Tetsusaiga and the Tensaiga, that belonged to Sesshomaru's father were carved from my boughs.

JAK:   The sheaths? (thinking) So the sheaths for those swords came from this tree! The strange power of the sheaths…I can see why after seeing him.

SES:   Bokusen-Oh… You would know…the link between Inuyasha and the Tetsusaiga.

BOK:  Inuyasha? You mean your younger brother?

SES:   Inuyasha's blood changed. The first time was when a demon bit into the Tetsusaiga. The second time, he had let go of the Tetsusaiga while fighting me.

Flashback from episode 45, when SES attacked INU with Tokijin.

SES:   (sprinting towards INU with raised Tokijin) Die!

Cut to INU kneeling down.

SES:   (shocked) This scent!

INU looks up with red eyes and purple streaks over his cheeks.

Back to present.

SES:   It changed from a half-demon's blood scent to the smell of a demon's blood – like mine and my father's.

BOK:  The same smell of blood? (chuckles) I wonder about that.

SES:   What do you mean?

BOK:  Inuyasha is a half-demon born between a demon and a human. He could never become a full-fledged demon. Sesshomaru…there is something, that you, a full-fledged demon, can do, but which Inuyasha could never do.

SES:   Inuyasha could never do?

BOK:  It is to maintain oneself.

SES:   Maintain oneself?

BOK:  Yes. For example, Sesshomaru, during a battle, if you are cornered, you are able to remain calm. You never lose control of yourself.

SES:   (scoffs) I would never get into such a desperate situation.

BOK:  (chuckles) Perhaps. However, Inuyasha is different. If backed into a corner and his life is in danger, in order to protect his life, his demon blood takes control of the body and transforms.

Flashback from episode 45 when INU transformed into a full-demon in the fight with SES.

SES:   (voice-over, thinking) So that's what happened that time…

Back to present.

BOK:  But the pure demon blood of his father is too strong for a half-demon.

SES:   So what happens?

BOK:  Let me see… It could be said that the demon blood devours the soul.

Flashback from episode 43 when a full-demon INU slaughtered Goshinki mercilessly.

BOK:  (voice-over) He cannot recognize himself. He cannot differentiate between friend or foe… He just kills. And in that transformation Inuyasha will eventually lose his soul. He will become a demon who only knows how to fight and kill.

Flashback from episode 45 when INU transformed into a full-demon in the fight with SES.

BOK:  (voice-over) He will continue to fight until he is destroyed.

Back to present.

BOK:  Your father probably did not want such a fate for Inuyasha. That is why he bequeathed Inuyasha the Tetsusaiga to protect him.

SES:   (thinking) The Tetsusaiga protects him? If he lets go of that sword, Inuyasha becomes…

INU and KAG sit on a boulder by a river.

KAG:  Inuyasha, you've really matured.

INU:   Whaddya mean?

KAG:  I'm complimenting you! You saved Kohaku's life.

INU:   (looks away embarrassedly and scoffs) I just wanted to irritate Naraku. If we get Kohaku back alive that would make Naraku mad as hell.

KAG:  (thinking) Putting on an act again.

INU:   (blushing, with soft eyes) And besides, you were alive.

KAG:  (surprised) Huh? Did you worry?

INU:   (turns to KAG) Of course!

KAG:  I was a bit concerned, too… since you didn't come for a long time.

INU:   Doesn't your wound hurt? Lemme see. (grabs KAG's arm)

KAG:  Never mind. I can take care of it myself.

INU:   (chiding) Don't you know you can make it worse with lack of care?!

KAG:  (pushes away INU's hand) It's okay!

INU:   (grabs KAG's arm again) It's not okay!

SAN and SHI appear at the scene, behind INU and KAG, who don't notice. INU and KAG continue their 'tug of war'.

KAG:  I said I'm all right!

INU:   You're not!

KAG:  Am, too!

INU and KAG gasp as they notice SAN and SHI. They separate immediately and sit up straight, staring ahead.

SAN:  Sorry! I wanted to thank you.

INU:   (turns to SAN) Huh?

KAG:  (turns to SAN) Thank us for what?

SAN:  Thank you, Kagome and Inuyasha for staying with me. (walks away)

SHI:   (on SAN's shoulder) We'll get out of your way.

INU and KAG look on as SAN walks away.

INU:   Staying by her? Why wouldn't we?

KAG turns to look at INU. INU notices. KAG smiles.

[ End of ACT II: 9min 7sec ]

[ ACT III ]

Daytime. INU-gang travels along a mountain path. A yell is suddenly heard.

INU:   (looks around) What was that?!

KAG:  (looks behind) It came from over there!

A kid runs towards the group, crying in desperation. He trips and falls.

SAN:  What's wrong?

Boy:   Gramps… My gramps!

INU:   (runs towards the kid) Is it a demon?!

Cut to INU leaping over several plantations.

INU:   (brandishing his claws) Where is it, old man?! Where'd the demon go?! (lands) Huh? I don't sense any demons.

A groan is heard above INU. Pan to an old man fallen on a slope, his bag of plants spilled over.

Old man: Over here! Over here! I tripped…

INU:   (eyebrows twitching in disbelief) What…?!

A while later. INU-gang walks along the path with the boy. INU is piggybacking the old man.

Old man: I'm saved!

INU:   Cripes! I thought a demon attacked. Getting us all worked up over nothing.

Boy:   Good thing, Gramps.

Old man: Thank you so much! I twisted my ankle and had fallen… And now, you even carry me like this.

MIR:   No, no. It's on our way. Nothing to worry about. Right, Inuyasha?

INU:   Tsk!

Old man: Thank you very much.

SHI:   Oh, the village!

KAG:  Yes, I can see it.

The group approaches a village.

A while later, the group parts in the village. INU looks indignant.

KAG:  Take care.

Old man: Yes.

Boy:   Thanks, Sis… And Mr. Dog-Man.

INU:   (riled) Dog-Man?!

KAG:  (smiling) Inuyasha…

Boy:   (puts hand into clothes) As thanks, I'm giving you my treasure.

The boy walks to INU and shoves something into his hands. He laughs and runs back to his grandpa. Cut to them walking away.

Boy:   (waving) Bye!

KAG waves goodbye to them while the rest of the group looks curiously into INU's hand. INU stares after the boy.

MIR:   What did he give you?

INU:   (tilts his hand to reveal a scaly thing) A snake's molted skin.

KAG:  Wow! A molted skin?

SHI:   Wow! (jumps onto INU's arm and dangles, whining) Inuyasha, can I have it?

The group walks on. SHI sits in KAG's bicycle basket, twirling the molted skin happily. INU looks disgruntled.

INU:   (folding his arms) Dang! We have no time to be saving people!

KAG:  But we're walking this route anyway!

MIR:   Whenever you do a good deed, you become ill-tempered.

INU:   (scoffs) Keh! (senses something and turns his head) Huh? (sniffs the air)

KAG:  Inuyasha?

MIR:   What's the matter, Inuyasha?

INU:   I smell human blood.

MIR:   What?!

INU:   And I smell a lot of it.

SAN and MIR turn around. Two thick streams of smoke appears near the village.

SAN:  There's smoke!

INU:   Isn't that in the direction of that kid's village? (thinking) They've been attacked!

The group runs towards the village. The boy from earlier on walks weakly towards them, with an arrow pierced into his shoulder.

KAG:  The boy… (reaches the boy and gets off her bicycle)

Boy:   Gramps…

SHI leaps out of the basket. The boy falls forward and KAG catches him in time.

KAG:  Hang on!

SHI:   Are you all right?!

Boy:   Please help…

INU:   Kagome, take care of the kid.

KAG:  Okay.

MIR:   Sango, stay and protect Kagome.

SAN:  Got it!

INU:   Let's hurry, Miroku!

MIR:   Coming!

MIR and INU run towards the village.

In the village, the huts are burning. Bandits ravage and kill the men. Cut-scenes of dead male villagers with arrows shot through them.

Bandit 1: I like this village.

Bandit 2: We'll camp out here until the food runs out.

Cut to a group of frightened female villagers kneeling on the ground and huddling together.

Bandit 2: Gather the women in one place! If you try to escape, we'll kill you!

INU and MIR arrive at the village, and run towards the group of bandits.

MIR:   Roving bandits!

INU:   Why you…! (unsheathes TET and hits the ground, scaring the bandits) I'll take care of you small fry later. Where's your leader?

MIR:   Inuyasha, among the bandits.

INU:   Yeah…I smell it. There's a demon in their midst.

A laughter is heard. The bandits make way for their leader. He is on a horse and trots forward, with a giant axe in his hand. He has wavy hair, bright red lips and wears a pink overcoat. (Yes. I know what you're thinking)

Leader: Kid…you have an interesting sword. (looks at the transformed TET)

INU:   (scoffs) Are you the demon controlling a bunch of bandits?

The leader doesn't reply. Cut to two bandits looking at each other.

Bandit 3: The leader is a demon?!

Bandit 4: You must be kidding!

Leader: Kid…hand over that sword.

INU:   What?! What're you mumbling about?

MIR:   Be careful, Inuyasha!

INU:   Keh! As if I'm gonna lose!

The leader scoffs. INU and him stare at each other.

Leader: (laughs) If you won't hand over that sword I'll take it from you.

INU:   Kah! Sounds fun to me! Take it if you can!

MIR:   (thinking) Inuyasha still has difficulty wielding that sword. Will he be okay?

INU:   (lifts TET over his shoulder and leaps at the leader) I'll cut the dirty hole off your back, demon!

INU swings TET at the leader, who blocks with his axe. The leader is surprised by INU's strength. INU laughs confidently. The axe suddenly breaks and the leader leaps off his horse, which fall to the ground.

Bandit 5: Chief!

Bandit 4: The Chief's giant hatchet…!

INU:   (scoffs) Serves you right!

Leader: (laughs) That's a pretty sharp sword.

INU:   (heaves TET over his shoulder, runs to the leader) You understand? Then prepare to die!

Leader: (looks at the women villagers behind him) This calls for a shield. (leaps backwards and grabs a woman)

INU:   W-what?!

The leader throws the woman at INU just as he is about to attack. INU stops suddenly and she falls to the ground. The leader zooms towards INU with opened mouth. Pink light sparkles around it and yellow fumes are emitted. The fumes touches INU's cheek and burns his skin. INU winces.

Leader: (laughs) You've been showered with my poison powder! (swings his giant axe and cuts INU in the belly, in which yellow poison appears)

INU:   (backs off, wincing) W-why you…!

INU swings TET at the leader, who dodges. It crashes the ground violently.

Leader: (leaping through the air) An amazing sword! I like it more and more!

The leader spits out a bundle of poison web at INU which burns his hands, making him drop TET. Cut to MIR who is holding up the woman.

MIR:   (looks at INU) No! (places the woman on the ground)

MIR runs towards INU and holds out his staff. Cut to the web surrounding INU. INU shields him with his hands. MIR rushes in and stands behind INU, placing a hand on his shoulder. He uses his staff to create a barrier around them. The web forms a sphere around them and closes them in. Cut to exterior of web. TET is outside of it.

Leader: (laughs) Troublesome kid…

Cut to bandits looking shocked.

Bandit 6: T-that's…!

Bandit 2: Chief!

Leader: What's wrong? Afraid, now that you know I'm a demon?

Bandit 7: No way!

Bandit 2: A strong demon for a leader will make us invincible!

Bandit 8: We'll continue to follow you! (runs to web) Serves 'em right! (kicks it, gets his feet burnt and shrieks in pain)

Leader: (laughs) It's a poison cocoon. If you touch it, you'll melt away. The two inside have totally disintegrated. (chuckles)

[ break ]

Leader: It's a poison cocoon. Anyone who touches it will melt away. Even those two inside… Hmm?

A blue glow appears and INU and MIR are shown to be still alive.

Leader: They're still inside! Oh…so they've created a barrier on the inside.

Inside the web.

MIR:   Inuyasha…can you move?

INU:   (weakly) Damn… Of course! I'll rip apart this stupid cocoon! (the festering wound on his belly causes him to wince in pain)

MIR:   Inuyasha!

Leader: (walks to web and his silhouette is seen) It seems you can't move your body. The poison powder has entered through your wound. It will fester slowly.

Exterior of web.

Leader: Hey…get it. (referring to TET)

Bandit 9: Yes…sir! (picks up TET)

MIR:   Tetsusaiga!

Bandit 9: (hands it to the leader) Here you are, Chief.

The leader holds it but static emits, causing him to drop TET. Cut to interior of web.

MIR:   (thinking) The Tetsusaiga has rejected him!

Exterior of web.

Bandit 9: Chief…?

Leader: Kid…what's the meaning of this? Why does this sword reject me?!

INU:   Keh! My sword Tetsusaiga…is choosy about who wields it. It won't let a low-class demon like you near it!

Leader: But this low-class bandit was allowed to?

Bandit 9: Low-class? C'mon, Chief!

Leader: (glares at Bandit 9 for a moment and turns to the web) I see…kid. So you're a half-demon? (laughs) What a joke! A half-demon like you had the gall to pick a fight with me, the demon Gatenmaru!

* Gatenmaru abbreviated as GAT from now onwards *

Cut to SAN riding on KIR. KAG rides her bicycle, with SHI in the basket and the boy standing on the rack behind.

SAN:  They're late. Something must've happened in the village.

KAG:  Are you all right?

Boy:   I'm worried about Gramps.

KAG:  (thinking) Inuyasha…

Back with INU and MIR. INU's wound continues to fester. INU's eyes are almost glazed.

MIR:   (thinking) Inuyasha's wound is worsening steadily.

INU:   (wincing, thinking) Damn…the bleeding won't stop. Is it because of the poison?

MIR:   (thinking) This is bad. I can barely maintain the barrier. I can't make a move. However…even this barrier won't hold forever.

Exterior of web.

Bandit 9: Ah…Chief, this sword…

GAT:  Do as you please with it. I'm not interested in a sword I can't use!

Bandit 9: Thank you! (picks up TET)

Old man: (lying on the ground) That sword…I must… Get it to him somehow…

Bandit 10: Nice!

Bandit 11: What a great sword!

GAT:  (sits down) It's only a matter of time before the barrier wears off and the poison cocoon melts them away. So I'll just sit here and enjoy the view. Bring on the women.

The bandits walk to the women.

Women: (screaming) No…!

Woman 1: (dragged by a bandit) No!

Cut to interior of web. INU's ears twitches and he grinds his teeth in anger.

INU:   Damn!

MIR gasps and looks at INU. INU eyes pulsates with red.

[ End of ACT III: 20min 34sec ]

[ End of episode 51: Inuyasha's Soul, Devoured ]

[ Preview for next episode ]

Gatenamru used his poison powder to trap Inuyasha in a poison cacoon. Inuyasha turned full-demon and goes out of control! He's on a killing rampage! How can we stop him? Miroku, Sango… how can we make Inuyasha return to normal? Sesshomaru…? Why did he appear? Next episode, 'The Demon's True Nature'!