Daytime - Mountains
Naraku in baboon suit is traveling with Sango.
"A horse cannot make it from here on." Naraku informed tying two horses to a tree.
Sango is lying against a tree, with her eyes closed.
"Sango…is dead?" Naraku said before he turns away.
"No way! Until I get that Inuyasha, I'll not die!" Sango promised.
"That's good. But can you fight decently in that condition?" Naraku questions.
"Slaying demons is my profession." Sango says defensively struggling up.
...
Flashback
The Young Lord is talking to Sango, who's wearing her shoes.
"So you can't be stopped? Well then, I will send Naraku with you." The Young Lord says before looking to Naraku behind him. "He is my advisor. He's very familiar with demons and should prove useful to you. And…when your mission is complete, come back here. You have lost your family and all your fellow villagers…I am much saddened for you."
...
Present
Sango and Naraku walk along the mountain path.
"I will never return. I do not have much time left." Sango thinks before she starts breathing heavily. "Please…my body…hold up a little longer. Until I complete my final task."
...
Village Of Demon Slayers
Inuyasha is pulling a cart. The rest walk with him. Yukina and Kirara are in Kimiko's arms.
"The cave where the Sacred Jewel was created?" Inuyasha asked interested.
"Yes. We are headed now to the outskirts of the village to the limestone cave." Myoga answered on Inuyasha's shoulder.
...
Interior Of Room
Demon bones and body parts lay around. Tools are also present.
"Actually, this village served as a sort of factory." Myoga's voice corrected.
"Factory?" Kimiko's voice asked.
"They made weapons and armor from the skins and bones of the demons that were slain." Myoga's voice further explained.
...
Outside A Cave
Inuyasha's Gang reach the cave. Inuyasha throws the gunnysacks on the cart into the cave.
"And unused portions were disposed of in this cave. Hence, this limestone cave is filled with the remains of demons. And it seems that deep inside the cave was once full of carcasses of demons." Myoga tells the group.
"That's where the Sacred Jewel was…?" Kimiko questioned becoming intrigued.
"Yes…that is the story that has been passed down in this region." Myoga said.
"Good works, Myoga." Inuyasha praised.
"Thank you for the compliment! I did my best in the hope that it would be of help to you." Myoga dramatically says.
"Really? When you stay by me, you're always in danger, so I thought you just ran away." Inuyasha retorted.
"Master Inuyasha, how could you think that?!" Myoga exclaimed jumping up and down.
"Sorry about that." Inuyasha apologized insincerely
"Shall we go in?" Miroku questions.
"All right…let's go." Inuyasha decided and walks towards the cave.
"Just a minute, Master Inuyasha!" Myoga shouted trying to warn Inuyasha.
"What is it?!" Inuyasha snapped annoyed.
A barrier appears at the entrance and Inuyasha is shocked as he tries to walk in. He yells and is thrown off.
"A strong barrier has been placed at the entrance and one cannot just walk in." Myoga explained.
"Then say so earlier!" Inuyasha retorts.
...
With Sango And Naraku
Sango is struggling and breathing heavily.
...
Flashback
"S-sister…!" Kohaku weekly said tearing up.
"Kohaku!" Sango called out.
Kohaku runs to Sango with outreached hand yelling. "Sister!"
...
Present
Sango falls to her knees.
"Are you in pain, Sango?" Naraku questioned sounding concerned.
"Damn…!" Sango swore frustrated.
"Pitiful thing… But you won't be able to rest in peace even if you died." Naraku comments and holds up a fragment. "Would you care to try this?"
"T-that's…a Sacred Jewel fragment! Why were you in possession of it? Just who…?!" Sango asks.
"I have had this from long before. I am willing to lend it to you." Naraku answers.
"To me?" Sango inquired.
"You may believe that the Sacred Jewel is used only for evil. But there are good uses for it as well." Naraku tells Sango.
...
With Inuyasha's Gang
Inuyasha attacks the barrier with Tetsusaiga, but fails. He's thrown back miserably.
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko shouts hoping he would stop.
"Damn!" Inuyasha cursed.
"It's hopeless." Shippo said.
"There's no way into the cave and everyone who could've talked to us has been killed." Inuyasha said frustrated.
"Not everyone." Miroku said.
"What?" Inuyasha asked confused.
"The more skilled Slayers went to some castle." Miroku reminded the group.
"That's right! If those men had been in the village, they would easily have turned back an attack by the demons." Myoga exclaimed.
"All right… Let's go to that castle and talk to the men about the Sacred Jewel and find out how to get into that cave…easy! Now then, let's get started." Inuyasha said.
The gang moves on. Kimiko suddenly stops and looks into the cave intently.
"Hurry, Kimiko! Or we'll leave you!" Inuyasha shouts back seeing Kimiko stopped.
"Wait!" Kimiko shouted back running to the gang
Inuyasha's Gang walk along a path.
"Myoga, is the castle this way?" Inuyasha asked the flea.
"Hmmm? Master Inuyasha, were you walking without knowing which why to go?" Myoga asked.
"Huh?! Err… You didn't say a word, so I figured I was going the right way!" Inuyasha explained embarrassed.
"Inuyasha, the castle shouldn't be too far. Can't you sniff it out from here?" Miroku asked offering a solution.
"Uh-huh… I can't get a whiff of anything here." Inuyasha answered.
"Huh?" Kimiko inquired.
Kirara, in Kimiko's arms, and Yukina now on Kimiko's shoulder suddenly meow as their ears twitch.
"What's the matter?" Kimiko asked concerned.
A boomerang suddenly flies in their direction, cutting the trees in its path. Inuyasha holds Kimiko's head and the group dodges while it flies past them. It returns to Sango, who stands a distance away from them. She is wearing a mask.
"You are Inuyasha? I will slay you!" Sango shouts determined.
"Just who are you?!" Inuyasha shouted back.
"Sango!" Myoga answers Inuyasha's question recognizing her.
"Someone from the village?" Kimiko mused.
"Master Inuyasha… You must not cross swords with Sango!" Myoga tells a somewhat pleads with Inuyasha.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yells throwing Hiraikotsu at Inuyasha angry.
"This ain't the time to say that!" Inuyasha yelled unsheathing Tetsusaiga and blocks Hiraikotsu, sliding backwards from the impact.
"Tetsusaiga is losing!" Miroku exclaimed shocked.
"Inuyasha…" Kimiko whispered worried.
Sango grabs the retuning Hiraikotsu.
"Why do you come after me?!" Inuyasha demanded to know.
"Silence, half-demon! I will avenge everyone from my village!" Sango ordered and answered throwing Hiraikotsu at Inuyasha again.
Inuyasha dodges and Hiraikotsu hits the ground, shattering it into pieces.
"Old Myoga! What's she saying?!" Inuyasha inquired confused.
"I have no idea! Master Inuyasha, it's coming again!" Myoga warned.
Hiraikotsu hits Inuyasha again in its return path. Inuyasha leaps away.
"We must do something about that weapon!" Kimiko shouted worried about Inuyasha.
"Agreed!" Miroku replied and opens his wind tunnel. "Wind Tunnel!" Hiraikotsu motion is slowed. "Got it!"
A drove of Naraku's poison insects suddenly appear and fly towards MIR.
"Look! Naraku's poison insects!" Kimiko said.
"No, Miroku! You suck them it, you'll be poisoned!" Shippo exclaimed concerned.
"W-why are they here?!" Miroku asks confused closing his wind tunnel immediately.
"It can't be…!" Inuyasha says in disbelief realizing something.
Hiraikotsu returns to Sango. Naraku appears behind Sango.
"Naraku!" Inuyasha yells becoming angry.
"Inuyasha, give up and let her slay you." Naraku laughed.
"Why you…! Not in a hundred years!" Inuyasha declares running to Naraku and leaps past Sango.
"I am your opponent!" Sango reminded grabbing Inuyasha's ankle with a ball and chain and tugs him to the ground.
"Why you…! Interfere and I'll kill you first!" Inuyasha growled out annoyed.
"Try it! You may have said those words when you killed my people?! But I'll not die so easily!" Sango retorts.
"She believes that Inuyasha attacked the village!" Shippo realizes.
"She's being deceived by Naraku!" Kimiko added becoming more angry at Naraku.
Sango leaps and throws Hiraikotsu at Inuyasha. A Sacred Jewel fragment glows in her back.
"She has a Sacred Jewel fragment in her back!" Kimiko thinks gasping.
Inuyasha blocks Hiraikotsu with Tetsusaiga. Tetsusaiga is deflected to behind him.
"Before that weapon returns…!" Inuyasha says sprinting towards Sango.
"Poison Powder!" Sango shouted throwing a smoke bomb at Inuyasha.
"A miasma!" Inuyasha said covering his mouth.
"Demons with ears like yours have a weakness against strong scents!" Sango reveals a little smug.
"I can't get close!" Inuyasha thinks.
"Leave it to a Demon Slayer." Naraku comments looking on with the insects.
Miroku appears in front of Naraku.
"Well, well…if it isn't the monk." Naraku said.
"Naraku…die now!" Miroku yells angrily.
"I can't. Not until I gather all the Sacred Jewel fragments." Naraku replied.
"I don't know what you are scheming, but it's over!" Miroku tells him.
Naraku takes out a sword from his suit. Miroku attacks him with his staff viciously. He cuts off Naraku's arm with brute strength. The arm with the sword flies off. Miroku continues attacking and Naraku falls backwards. Miroku points his staff at Naraku.
"He did it!" Shippo exclaimed excited.
The hand suddenly flies up and towards Kimiko. Inuyasha gasps worried making Sango look at him oddly.
"Kimiko!" Miroku yelled running to Kimiko.
Miroku is too late as the arm snatches the Sacred Jewel necklace from Kimiko's neck and flies to Naraku. The arm reattaches itself to Naraku.
"This is not for the likes of you. Now that I have the fragment in my possession, I need not linger." Naraku laughed looking at the necklace.
"Naraku…why you!" Inuyasha growled out mad.
"Farewell, Monk…and Inuyasha." Naraku said.
"Why you-!" Inuyasha started.
"You won't get away!" Miroku finished.
Inuyasha and Miroku run to Naraku. A thick miasma emits from Naraku and they are forced to stop. The miasma turns into a vortex and spins into the air, carrying Naraku. The insects follow.
"Sango…I await you at the castle. Kill Inuyasha without fail and return." Naraku tells Sango.
"Naraku… Can I really trust him?" Sango thinks starting to doubt him confused.
Kirara jumps out of Kimiko's arms who started walking closer to Sango and meows. Sango kneels and Kirara jumps into her arms.
"Kirara… Yukina... You're still alive!" Sango says glad noticing Yukina on Kimiko's shoulder then looks at the vortex spinning away. 'Kirara, follow him. If he does anything strange, kill him."
"You too, Yukina" Kimiko said making Yukina jump off Kimiko's shoulder meowing in agreement not wanting to let her friend fight alone.
Kirara and Yukina squints their eyes at the vortex and growl. Kirara jumps off Sango and chases with Yukina following, transforming into a fierce large tiger and dog. Kirara and Yukina leap into the air and fly, roaring. Sango looks at Kimiko and incredulously because she's never seen Yukina take orders from a human before.
"You won't get away!" Miroku declares.
"Stop, Naraku!" Inuyasha yells.
Miroku and Inuyasha run after the vortex. Inuyasha is stopped suddenly by Sango's Hiraikotsu crashing into his path. Hiraikotsu returns to Sango.
"Inuyasha! I will fight you! You will die right here!" Sango shouts.
"Are you still saying that?!" Inuyasha asked fed up.
"I must kill him now! Before my life wanes." Sango thinks running to Inuyasha leaps and throws Hiraikotsu at Inuyasha.
"Cut it out!" Inuyasha snapped dodging.
Inuyasha leaps and throws Tetsusaiga in Sango's direction. It strikes the ground in front of her. She dodges and ends up missing Hiraikotsu in its return flight. Hiraikotsu fly past her.
"No!" Sango yelled and chases Hiraikotsu.
"Without your weapon…!" Inuyasha says running to Sango.
"Poison Powder!" Sango shouted throwing a smoke bomb.
Inuyasha leaps and knocks off Sango's gas mask.
"My poison shield mask!" Sango thinks shocked covering her mouth.
Inuyasha grabs Sango's arm and flies out of the miasma.
"What is he up to?! H-he's…not trying to save me?! No, he isn't!" Sango thinks confused.
Inuyasha lands with Sango a safe distance away.
"He's the enemy who attacked my village!" Sango thanked reminding herself and unsheathes her sword and strikes Inuyasha's arm.
Inuyasha doesn't flinch. Kimiko and Shippo catch up with them.
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko shouts worried.
"You! Haven't you realized yet that Naraku is tricking you?" Inuyasha demanded taking the sword out of his arm. "And…you're covered with blood."
"W-what?!" Sango said shocked as blood drips profusely from her body to the ground. "I-I didn't know it was this bad… I didn't feel any pain.
"Inuyasha, are you all right?" Kimiko questions.
"I am." Inuyasha replied.
Sango gasps as she looks at her hands.
...
Flashback
Kohaku and Sango are in a field of flowers.
"Kohaku, are you afraid about becoming a Slayer?" Sango asked her little brother.
"N-no…" Kohaku denies looking away.
"Kohaku…this is just between you and me. There isn't a soul who's not afraid of fighting a demon." Sango revealed.
"Huh? Then, you too?" Kohaku asked.
"Yup…not only me. Father and all the others. But we're not fighting alone. We're always together. We fight together with our comrades. So it'll be okay, since we're with everyone." Sango reassured.
...
Kohaku is being struck by arrows.
"Kohaku!" Sango cried out devastated.
"Sister…I'm afraid." Kohaku admits crying.
...
.
Present
"Kohaku…" Sango whispered.
Sango closes her eyes and collapses to the ground. Inuyasha, Kimiko and Shippo look at her.
"Is she dead?" Shippo asked.
"She just fainted. Inuyasha, she has a Sacred Jewel fragment imbedded in her back." Kimiko informed the two.
"No wonder… I know from the scent of her blood that she was badly injured. That Naraku… He used the Sacred Jewel to make her fight until she died." Inuyasha comments.
...
With Miroku
Miroku is chasing Naraku.
"No way will I lose him!" Miroku tells himself.
Miroku stops suddenly and gasps. He had reached to the end of a cliff. A huge gap lays between the next cliff. Yukina and Kirara fly from behind and Yukina nudges Miroku onto her back. They fly upwards and chases the vortex.
"Thanks…you're gonna give me a ride? Naraku!" Miroku thanked.
They reach the vortex and Miroku hit it with his staff. The miasma dissipates to reveal Naraku. He flies higher up and thick branches appear from the bottom of his suit. The ends of the branches turn into claws and attacks them. Miroku, Yukina and Kirara fight off the arms. Two of the arms grab Yukina and Kirara's neck and another grabs Miroku. They are then thrown to the ground.
"Don't take me lightly." Naraku laughs.
"W-why…you!" Miroku growled out.
...
Flashback
Kohaku is running towards Sango in a flower field. He waves his hand happily.
"Sister!" Kohaku calls.
The sky suddenly turns dark.
"Sister!" Kohaku calls again.
Sango calls to him, but no sound comes out.
"Sister!" Kohaku called out for the last time.
Kohaku runs towards Sango but he keeps getting smaller and fades away.
"I have no voice! My body won't move!" Sango gasped thinking. "What's wrong with me?!"
...
Present
Sango is on someone's back.
"Someone's back… Warm." Sango thinks before she opens her eyes and gasps. "Whose…?"
Sango is on Inuyasha's back. He is also carrying Hiraikotsu and Shippo perches on it, holding Sango's gas mask over his head. Inuyasha is sprinting.
"You!" Sango exclaimed.
"Conscious, are you?" Inuyasha's comments.
"Put me down! What're you doing?!" Sango orders.
"What?!" Inuyasha demanded.
"We're going after Naraku. He took our Sacred Jewel fragments." Kimiko informed also on Inuyasha's back, popping out from under Inuyasha's hair surprising Sango.
"Your name's Sango, right? Keep bothering me, and I'll leave you right here!" Inuyasha threatened halfhearted.
"What?!" Sango shouts.
"Inuyasha! You're so rude! No wonder people misjudge you!" Kimiko chided amused because she knew he wouldn't leave Sango and then pats Inuyasha's head. "Forgive him. He talks rough, but he's actually quite nice."
"Hey you." Inuyasha grumbled looking at Kimiko's hand on his head with a slight blush making Sango quite a fond giggle.
"Sango, Master Inuyasha and the others could not leave you to die with your deep wound." Myoga further explained on Sango's shoulder.
"Old Myoga…" Sango said recognizing the flea.
"Let's speed it up!" Inuyasha scoffed before thinking. "Naraku… You won't get away!"
...
With Miroku, Yukina, Kirara And Naraku
"Is Naraku's appearance a deception?" Miroku pondered.
"Deception or not…find out for yourself!" Naraku answered.
Naraku's branches zoom towards Yukina, Miroku and Kirara who fight them off. The pieces that fall off joins back to the main branches.
"Damn! No matter I slash them, they revert back!" Miroku swore annoyed.
One of the branches grabs Miroku's ankle and another strikes through Miroku's stomach.
"He'll impale me!" Miroku thinks a little frightened.
Inuyasha suddenly appears and cuts off the branch.
"Miroku! What're you doing?! You're hopeless!" Inuyasha said.
"Inuyasha, behind you!" Miroku warns.
Several branches fly at Inuyasha. He turns around and cuts them with Tetsusaiga.
"Inuyasha, so you're still alive?" Naraku comments amused.
"Keh! As if a human can kill me!" Inuyasha retorts back.
"You looked to be losing to that wounded Slayer." Naraku comments.
"Shaddup! Naraku, you're the one, huh?! You turned the pack of demons on the village and annihilated everyone!" Instead shouted mad.
"I just told the demons that the guard on the village was down." Naraku admits unashamed.
Sango, Kimiko and Shippo look on in the distance.
"So he…!" Sango gasps thinking.
"Was your goal to get the fragments kept at the village?!" Miroku demands.
"Oh? Very perceptive of you! I must say where there's a Sacred Jewel fragment, there's always a fight to be found." Naraku answers amused.
"For just that…you killed so many?!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"Naraku!" Sango yells outraged.
"Sango?" Naraku inquired.
"The demons in the castle…the demon spider… Were they all part of your trap?" Sango asks.
"Trap? Is that what you call just simple games? I thought that the Slayer of this village could handle any sort of demon." Naraku said.
"Why you…!" Sango growled out standing picking up Hiraikotsu and running towards Naraku.
The Sacred Jewel fragment falls out of Sango's back and she collapses to the ground, yelling in pain.
"Sango!" Kimiko shouted worried running to Sango.
The fragment lands on the ground and one of Naraku's branches pick it up.
"Fool… No way I loan the Sacred Jewel to one who defies me." Naraku said.
"Sango…!" Kimiko yelled.
"The fragment suppressed the pain…" Sango thinks realizing struggling and shakes her head. "Damn!"
"You should have believed Inuyasha was your sworn enemy and killed him, then you would have died happily." Naraku tells Sango.
"F-father…! Kohaku…!" Sango thinks shaking in anger.
"You always trample on people's feelings!" Inuyasha shouts angry and leaps and attacks Naraku.
"Are you remembering Kikyo?" Naraku questions amused dodging.
"Shaddup! You son of a bitch!" Inuyasha swore beyond mad.
Inuyasha cuts off Naraku's head and it lands on the ground. Miroku runs to Inuyasha.
"Damn him!" Inuyasha cursed frustrated.
"Too easy… Could this really be the Naraku I was pursuing?" Miroku mused looking at the head.
"A punk like this…made Kikyo suffer…as well as countless others." Inuyasha growls out.
"Inuyasha, watch out!" Miroku shouts his warning.
Naraku's decapitated body strikes a branch in Inuyasha's direction but he dodges.
"His body is moving freely!" Shippo mutters in shock.
The head turns around and laughs.
"I will not die!" Naraku announced.
"His head is alive too! What's going on?!" Miroku exclaimed.
Several branches attack MIR and INU who parry them off. The fallen pieces rejoin to the main branches.
"He's reverting back to himself." Kimiko shouts before thinking. "He's using the power of the Sacred Jewel!"
"Why didn't I notice it? I spent time with such a demon…yet I sensed nothing at all. In fact, even now… No! I can't sense any demon spirit! Then…he is…" Sango thinks angry at herself before she yells to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha! That's just a demon puppet!"
"A puppet?" Inuyasha asked confused.
"In demon puppetry, the true apparition is hidden in the deepest part of the body. His heart! Aim straight for his heart!" Sango explains.
"Humph…so you figured it out." Naraku commented.
"Take that!" Inuyasha shouts leaping and slashes Naraku's body right in the middle.
The head spins around and flies into the air, where it bursts and disintegrates. Inuyasha lands as the rest of the body disintegrates.
"He did it!" Kimiko cheered.
The smoke clears away to reveal a wooden stick puppet, Kimiko's fragment necklace and another fragment the one from Sango's back. Miroku picks up the puppet.
"What's that?!" Inuyasha asks.
"This is demon puppetry. This paper wrapped around the doll belongs to Naraku." Miroku answered.
"Then who was it that we fought all this time?" Inuyasha asked confused.
"A counterfeit Naraku. Probably the real Naraku was somewhere safe controlling this puppet." Miroku theorized.
...
Castle
Sunset in the castle. In a room, a wooden puppet in a plate breaks into two and falls. The Young Lord is seated and looks at it. A servant speaks to him through the blinds.
"Young Lord… Neither the girl-slayer nor Naraku have returned. Could they have been killed?" The Old Man questions.
"That is possible. Continue a strict guard around the castle." The Young Lord orders.
"Yes, Sire." The Old Man replied.
"This castle…and this body which hides my true identity…I will use to great satisfaction…my dear Kagewaki." The Young Lord thinks standing.
The Lord looks at the puppet and scoffs slightly. He walks out of the room. The sunset casts a silhouette of him on the door. As he walks on, the silhouette moves into that of a baboon suit.