Naraku and Sesshomaru Join Forces

[ recap ]

Flashback of KIK firing several arrows at INU. They miss him and INU looks at KIK in shock and anger.

INU:   Ugh!

KIK:   Die! Inuyasha!

KAG:  (narrating) In order to become a full-fledged demon, the half-demon Inuyasha required fragments of the Sacred Jewel. But someone tricked Inuyasha and Kikyo into hating each other and fighting.

Flashback from episode 15, when KIK was revived by Urasue. KIK held up her bloodied hand and yells.

KAG:  (narrating) The demon behind this cruel scheme was Naraku.

Naraku abbreviated as NAR from now onwards.

KIK:   Why did you betray me, Inuyasha?!

INU:   (shocked) W-wha…!

Flashback from episode 16, when MIR told the group about NAR.

KAG:  (holds up the necklace of Sacred Jewel on her neck) So if you keep gathering these Sacred Jewel fragments, you'll come across Naraku?

INU:   (clenches his fists angrily, thinking) I'm gonna avenge Kikyo's death… I'll find him and send him to hell!

[ End of recap: 46sec ]

[ Title screen: Naraku and Sesshomaru Join Forces ]

[ ACT I ]

Sunset. A tribe of mercenaries ride along a mountain path. Bales of food are tied to the horses that they ride.

Mercenary 1: We got a good haul today, Chief! Look at these bales of rice!

The mercenaries chuckle gaily.

Chief: For a puny village, they sure had a hoard.

Mercenary 2: Let's hurry, Chief. Demons are supposed to appear around here after dark.

Chief: (chiding) Can't be a mercenary if you're afraid of demons!

Mercenary 3: Chief look!

The silhouette of SES is seen across the setting sun in front of the tribe.

Chief: Huh? That's a mere mortal.

Mercenary 3: Interesting armor he's got.

Chief: Kill ‘im and strip ‘im! (raises his sword)

SES flashes a blue left arm. His eyes glow an eerie red. The tribe hold their horses, frightened. SES leaps in the air and slashes the group. The entire tribe is annihilated. SES lands.

JAK:   (appears among the grass, laughing) Well done! You are the one and only Lord Sesshomaru! Slaying that blue demon and taking his arm was a splendid idea!

SES:   (clenches his blue left fist) Are you blind? (detach and throws the arm at JAK) This is already useless!

The blue arm lands on the ground. JAK scrutinizes it.

JAK:   Oh…gone bad again? (the arm flexes) Arghhh!

The arm grabs JAK and he struggles, hitting the arm with his staff frantically.

SES:   Find a demon with a more suitable arm. Or else…I'll kill you! (walks off)

JAK:   (stops and panics) Arghhh!

JAK knocks the arm harder and is eventually freed. He glares at the arm and kicks it. The arm rolls aside and disintegrates.

JAK:   (sweating, thinking) Hah…I'm so tired of this life. (looks at SES) And it's all the fault of that Inuyasha for cutting off Lord Sesshomaru's arm.

Flashback from episode 7 when SES transformed and attacked INU.

INU:   Die! (slashes SES left arm off with a transformed TET)

JAK:   (voice-over) No… I don't hate that sword. Just that half-demon Inuyasha!

INU swings his sword at SES's chest, cutting him deeper. He swings again and SES falls backwards, with light sparks emitting from his chest. SES falls downwards, far away from the armor of INU's father.

JAK:   (voice-over) The Tetsusaiga belongs to Lord Sesshomaru! We will take it back from Inuyasha without fail!

Back to present. SES looks at JAK.

SES:   Even if I find another arm, it'll be useless after a while.

Voice:  You seem to be troubled.

A person in a baboon suit appears among the grass and speaks to SES. JAK panics and hides behind SES.

Baboon: Pardon me, but are you Inuyasha's elder brother, Sesshomaru?

SES:   Who are you?

Baboon: Like you, I despise Inuyasha. It was rude of me, but I overheard you talking. (holds up a human left arm) May I suggest that you use this arm?

JAK:   (steps forward and shouts) Don't jest! That's a human arm!

Baboon: Precisely. However, it's not JUST a human arm. It's a human arm with a Sacred Jewel fragment imbedded in it. (A pink glow emits from the arm)

JAK:   A Sacred Jewel fragment?

Baboon: This arm will empower you to wield the Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha's fabled sword. The Tetsusaiga is known as the protector of humans. Presently, a demon like you cannot touch the Tetsusaiga.

SES:   (scoffs) Humph… You mentioned that you hate Inuyasha. Do you intend to use me to kill Inuyasha?

Baboon: Exactly.

JAK:   (angry) How dare you…?!

SES:   Interesting.

JAK:   Eh?!

SES:   I'll take the arm.

JAK:   (shocked) Lord Sesshomaru!

Baboon: One more thing… (holds up a round hive) This hive. I'm sure it'll come in very handy.

SES:   (takes the hive and looks) Tell me your name.

NAR:  It is Naraku. (smirks)

SES:   Naraku? (looks at NAR) I shall remember it.

[ End of ACT I: 5min 36sec ]

[ ACT II ]

Nighttime in a mansion. KAG and SHI are eating dinner happily.

KAG:  I'm so glad we're not sleeping in the forest! We get to eat a hot meal and sleep under a roof! Heaven!

INU:   (sulking in a corner of the room) Well, excuse me for making you sleep in the wild so often!

KAG:  Inuyasha, you take offense so easily these days.

SHI:   Hate the fact that it was Miroku who got us shelter here, huh? (to KAG) Soft, fluffy beddings are sooo nice!

KAG and SHI smile to each other wildly.

INU:   Keh! (looks away)

MIR puts a sutra on a pillar in the corridor of the mansion. The lord follows behind him.

MIR:   That should do it. Now the ominous black clouds that hover over this mansion will disappear for good.

Lord:   (bows) Thank you so much, Lord Monk! My goodness! When you came suddenly and informed me that there were evil clouds overhead, I was so afraid of what might happen! (heaves a sigh of relief) But now that you have exorcised this place, I can put my fears to rest.

MIR:   (smiles) It's just part of a monk's duty.

Back in the room. KAG and SHI have finished eating.

SHI:   Oh…such bliss! Such bliss!

KAG:  Thank you for the food!

MIR enters the room.

KAG:  Finished with the exorcism?

MIR:   Now then, I can rest. (sits)

INU:   Hey Miroku… Something still bothers me.

MIR:   Yes?

INU:   (walks to MIR and looks him in the face) When we're desperately looking for a place to sleep, you suddenly see a black cloud over the finest mansion in the area. How did that happen, I wonder?

MIR:   Huh? Why bring that up now? (waves his hand and smiles) You know the saying, “A lie is sometimes expedient.”

INU:   (taken aback) W-what?!

SHI:   (shocked) Lie? Was the black cloud a lie?

KAG:  (drinks tea calmly) I figured it was a lie. (sips)

INU:   W-what a shyster!

MIR:   Oh yes! (holds up a plate of food and INU gasps) He gave me a gift of dumplings, too.

SHI:   (grabs the plate and jumps in the air) Yea!

INU:   Hey, don't look so happy!

KAG:  (waves her hands) Calm down…

Suddenly, rumbling noises are heard in the background. The group looks around.

KAG:  W-what's that?

The rumbling gets louder and the ceiling shakes.

SHI:   (jumps into KAG's arms) Aghh! It's coming this way!

The candle in the room goes off.

INU:   Something big is coming.

MIR:   (takes his staff and says seriously) Let's run!

INU:   (looks at MIR, shocked) W-why you! Can't just eat and run!

MIR:   But it's big! We're no match for it. Impossible! Stupid! Like committing suicide!

INU:   What a guy!

KAG:  (notices something) I sense Sacred Jewel fragments. It's heading this way with enormous speed!

INU:   A Sacred Jewel fragment coming here?! What luck!

MIR:   If it's the Sacred Jewel, I'm willing to make the sacrifice! (runs out)

INU:   Hold it, Miroku! (chases)

Outside. The villagers gather, looking worried.

Villager 1: What's that sound?

Villager 2: That trembling!

A giant hand looms over the sky and crushes part of the village. JAK's giant demon appears and trudges towards the village. INU-gang arrive at the scene.

MIR:   W-what…!?

The giant stops in front of them. Pan upwards to reveal SES and JAK sitting on its shoulder.

INU:   Sesshomaru!

SES flies down and raise his poison claw. He hits the ground and release a miasma. The group run away swiftly. INU is the last. He turns around and coughs.

SES:   Slow as usual, huh, Inuyasha?

INU:   (coughing) Damn you, Sesshomaru! Whaddya want?

SES:   Don't ask me stupid questions. I'm here for the Tetsusaiga!

INU:   (puts a hand on TET) You still haven't given up?!

Cut to MIR, SHI and KAG who hide and peep out from behind a boulder.

MIR:   Are they acquaintances?

KAG:  That's Inuyasha's older brother.

MIR:   (shocked) Brother?

KAG:  Unlike half-demon Inuyasha, this one's a full-fledged one. (thinking) He's still after the Tetsusaiga. He couldn't become one with the sword and couldn't even lift it! That's right! He shouldn't be able to touch it even now!

Cut to SES and INU.

SES:   Draw your sword, Inuyasha. Or will you hand it over quietly?

INU:   Shaddup! This time, I'll cut off more than your arm!

INU unsheathes TET and leaps in the air. He swings TET downwards at SES, who merely steps aside. He swings it again and SES leaps aside.

SES:   Inuyasha… You still haven't mastered the use of the Tetsusaiga.

INU:   W-what?! Cut your jokes, damn you! (rush towards INU)

SES:   (grabs INU's wrist with his poison claw) Such pitiful swordsmanship… You can't handle that large sword. (emits poison and burns INU's wrist)

INU:   (in pain) Arghhh!

MIR:   His arm is rotting!

KAG:  It's the poison in his nails!

SES:   If you don't release the Tetsusaiga, your arm will rot and fall off.

INU:   Damn! Before that happens…! (grabs TET with his other hand and punches TET at SES)

MIR:   He's resisting him!

INU:   I'll slit you in half!

SES:   Damn him…

SES lets go of INU and leaps in the air. He takes out his poison whip and lash it at INU, knocking TET out of his hands. TET spins in the air and lands near SES. It reverts back to its rusty state.

INU:   Damn!

SES picks up TET with his left hand.

INU:   (shocked) What?!

KAG:  Sesshomaru has a hold of the Tetsusaiga!

SES swings TET and sends an energy torrent at INU. The ground explodes. The smoke clears.

INU:   (stares at SES, thinking) W-why is Sesshomaru able to hold the Tetsusaiga?

SES:   I shall show you, Inuyasha… The Tetsusaiga's true power. Jaken!

JAK:   Yes, my lord! I shall summon all the mountain demons!

JAK stands on the giant demon's shoulder and points it to a forest. The demon turns towards it.

JAK:   Come forth!

The giant demon swings his fist on a mountain. The ground rumbles and everyone looks on in terror. A glow appears where the demon hit. Suddenly hundreds of demons fly out and cover the sky with their sheer numbers.

SES:   Watch me well, Inuyasha. In one stroke… The power to slay a hundred demons in one stroke…

SES swings TET which emits three waves. The waves rush towards the demons and disintegrates the demons completely. The glow of the waves envelopes the entire area.

INU:   W-what?!

The ground which SES sent the waves is smoldering. Everyone looks on in shock.

SHI:   The mountain…

MIR:   Not only the demons, he destroyed the mountain!

SES:   Now that is the true power of the Tetsusaiga, the supreme sword forged from our father's fang! Unfortunately, it does not have the power to choose his owner! Do you realize now that a half-demon like you can never master it?

INU:   (clenches his fist, thinking) D-damn!!

KAG:  (runs to INU) Inuyasha!

MIR:   Hold it, Kagome! (KAG stops) I'll go! Shippo, stay behind, too!

KAG:  Then…your right hand…!

SES:   Become a victim of the Tetsusaiga… That's a fitting end for you.

INU:   (thinking) As if I'd let someone like him take the Tetsusaiga!

MIR suddenly appears in front of INU and cuts him off.

MIR:   I can't stay quiet any longer.

INU tilts his head out and stares at MIR. KAG appears behind MIR.

MIR:   Enough of this silly sibling rivalry.

INU:   Hey!

SES:   (thinking) Hmmm? That monk…?

INU:   (steps forward and shoves MIR) Stay back, Miroku!

MIR:   (steps forward and shoves INU) You can't handle this alone!

INU:   (clenches his fist and shouts) Shaddup! Get behind me!

MIR:   Don't be so stubborn!

INU:   W-what?! You…!

JAK:   (looks MIR) Is that the monk that Naraku mentioned?

Flashback from earlier on, SES and JAK's encounter with NAR.

NAR:  There should be a young monk with Inuyasha. He may prove to be more troublesome than Inuyasha.

Back to present.

JAK:   Hah! He looks like a mere mortal. (thumps the giant with his staff) Lord Sesshomaru, leave this monk to me! No sense in wasting your time with him.

SES:   That's true. I'll just watch.

JAK:   Onward! Smash them!

The giant demon growls and raises its fist at the group.

MIR:   Everyone, get back! (opens his Wind Tunnel) Heaven's wrath!

MIR's Wind Tunnel sucks at SES, who thrusts TET into the ground to gain a foothold. The giant demon's fist is sucked in while the rest of him struggles.

JAK:   N-no-o… Stop!

SHI:   Heavenly power! It's the Wind Tunnel!

KAG:  Miroku, you look great! (turn to INU) Inuyasha, you too.

INU:   (deadpan) Don't say it like an afterthought.

SES remembers NAR's words as he looks at MIR.

NAR:  (voice-over) Please try using this. It is the hive of the Saimyosho, the insect of Hell. You will find this very useful in plugging the Wind Tunnel in that monk's right hand.

SES:   Humph… We'll see if he was right. (throws the hive into the air)

A horde of bee-like insects with red eyes fly out of the hive. The head of the giant demon is almost sucked in when the insects fly towards MIR.

MIR:   W-what's…?

KAG:  Those bugs… They're not being sucked in, they're flying at him!

MIR:   They're…!

MIR winces in pain and freezes. He closes his Wind Tunnel and falls backwards.

MIR:   Inuyasha… Take over!

KAG:  Miroku!

INU:   What's wrong, Miroku!

The poison insects fly towards INU.

INU:   (claws at the insects) Iron-Reaver, Soul-Stealer! (destroys some insects)

KAG:  (holds up MIR) Are you all right, Miroku?

MIR:   I've been poisoned by those insects…

KAG:  Poison?

Some insects fly at the group.

SHI:   Foxfire! (leaps and burns them)

KAG:  Shippo!

SHI:   (determined) I can fight these bugs at least!

More insects fly towards SHI. SHI shrieks and runs.

MIR:   Shippo!

KAG:  (runs towards the mansion) Miroku! Wait here, I'll look for an antidote! (turns to INU) Inuyasha! Help Miroku! (continues running)

INU continues slashing at the insects.

INU:   (turns to MIR) Hey, Miroku! Do your share!

MIR:   (weakly) Sorry, Inuyasha… The poison's weakened me… I can't believe those petty insects shut down my Wind Tunnel…

INU:   (digs his claws into his arm) Blades of Blood!!

INU sends Blades of Blood at SES, who blocks easily with TET. INU grabs MIR and runs behind the fallen giant demon. SHI follows.

INU:   C'mon, Miroku! Get your ass over here! (thinking) Damn… He said something about poison… Is it fatal?!

SHI:   (peeps out behind the demon, gasps and inches back to INU) He's coming!

SES:   (walks near the giant demon) How hopeless he is.

INU:   (thinking) Damn it! What do I do?! One swing of the Tetsusaiga, and we're done for!

SES:   This is it. (a fiery glow surrounds TET) Die!

SES swings TET which slashes and disintegrates the giant demon. A loud explosion ensues and pieces of the demon falls to the ground. INU crawls out of a hole and glares at SES.

SES:   (laughs) You are such a fool! You can run and hide. That would totally be expected of you. Living in this world only adds to your disgrace.

INU:   Will you shut up?! Getting a hold of one sword sure loosened your mouth! (laughs) Well, lemme tell you something. When you kill someone, make sure you do it right! Otherwise, you may just end up… (leaps and yells) eating your words!!

INU claws at SES who blocks with TET. INU claws again and SES leaps into the air.

SES:   I've had just about… (swings TET down) enough!

INU takes TET's sheath and blocks TET. Sparks emit.

SES:   (pushing TET at INU, thinking) He's resisting the Tetsusaiga! That's the sheath of the Tetsusaiga!

INU struggles and laughs. Cut to JAK.

JAK:   (crawls out of the hole made by SES) I was just about to be killed by Lord Sesshomaru! (holds his head, worried) Even more than the monk's heavenly power, Lord Sesshomaru's disregard for ally or foe when he kills is a hundred-fold more frightening. (looks down) Oh dear… I fear for the future.

MIR crawls out and grabs JAK's head. SHI crawls out too.

JAK:   You…!

MIR:   Something really bothers me. We have never met, yet it's as though you had those insects just to trap me. What's going on?!

JAK:   Huh?! Well…err… (reaches for the human-head staff behind him)

SHI:   (notices) Miroku!

JAK raise his staff which spews a torrent of fire. MIR falls backwards into the hole. SHI chases.

JAK:   (chuckles) A weak monk and a puny fox-child… I, Jaken, can handle you alone!

MIR and SHI glare at JAK. Back to INU and SES.

SES:   You hope to resist me with a sheath, huh?

INU:   (struggling) Well, this is no ordinary sheathe! You'll soon see…when I crack open that head of yours!

Back to JAK, SHI and MIR. SHI leaps throws his assortment of toys at JAK.

JAK:   (knocks them away with his staff) Stupid things!

SHI:   (spins his top) Illusory Top!

JAK:   (leaps and knocks the top away) Fool!

SHI:   Dang it! My power isn't enough…

MIR:   (weakly) Go, Shippo! Never mind me!

SHI:   Miroku!

JAK laughs and sends another fire at them with his staff. MIR and SHI run away. Back to SES and INU.

SES:   The sheath, huh?! (frowns) What sheath?!

SES raise TET suddenly and INU falls forward from inertia. SES swings TET and INU somersaults backwards. SES chases and attacks INU's sheath continuously and violently. INU runs backwards while struggling to block SES's blows. SES finally knocks TET's sheath out of INU's hands. INU kneels and looks at SES.

SES:   (raise TET) One swing… Just one more swing. (looks at INU with disdain)

INU growls. SES swings TET down. Suddenly, an arrow appears and hits TET. Everyone looks on in shock. TET reverts to its rusty state.

INU:   (thinking) The Tetsusaiga's transformation has been cancelled!

The arrow lands and strikes the ground. KAG appears from afar with a bow and arrow in her hands. Her haversack lies next to her feet.

KAG:  Sesshomaru! The next one is aimed at your heart!

INU:   Kagome!

KAG:  (draws an arrow) Inuyasha… Make your escape! Hurry!

SES:   (glares at KAG, thinking) That young woman's arrow reverses the Tetsusaiga's transformation.

MIR:   (thinking) Could Kagome really be the reincarnation of the priestess?

Everyone looks at KAG while she pulls at her bow determinedly.

[ End of ACT II: 20min 35sec ]

[ End of episode 18: Naraku and Sesshomaru Join Forces ]

[ Preview for next episode ]

Miroku's Wind Tunnel has been blocked and Tetsusaiga has been snatched away. Sesshomaru's ruthless attacks drove Inuyasha to desperation! If the Sacred Jewel appeared from my body, then it means I should be able to fight demons too! We worked hard to fight Sesshomaru, but Inuyasha… what are you doing?! Next episode, 'Go Back, Kagome! To Your True Time'!