Temptress in the Mist

[ recap ]

Flashback of scenes from past episodes.

KAG:  (narrating) I'm Kagome Higurashi, a ninth grader. My family are caretakers of a very old, historic shrine and I've led a very normal life. But on my fifteenth birthday, I was dragged into the civil war period by a demon who suddenly appeared from the old shrine well. Here, countless demons wishing to increase their power search for the Sacred Jewel. This is where I met a half-demon named Inuyasha. Inuyasha wants the Sacred Jewel to become a full-fledged demon… Ever since, we've traveled together from place to place in search of Sacred Jewel Shards which are scattered throughout the country. We've fought many demons in our search for the Sacred Jewel Shards, but we've also made friends along the way. Shippo is a very cute fox demon child. He always tries so hard and helps us with his fox magic. Miroku is a monk. His Wind Tunnel, inflicted on his palm by Naraku's curse, has the power to suck anything into it. He's a dependable person, but… Sango is the last survivor of a tribe of demon slayers. Her mission is to destroy Naraku to avenge her tribe and so, she has been traveling with us. The worst one is that Naraku! Without sullying his hands, he resorts to dirty tricks and sets sneaky traps… A despicable beast! He's been steadily collecting the Shikon Jewel Shards, growing more and more powerful. But we'll pool our strength together, and someday, we'll get rid of him! We'll seek out Naraku's castle and destroy him! Our journey continues!

[ End of recap: 3min 42sec]

[ Title screen: Temptress in the Mist ]

[ ACT I ]

Daytime in a forest. A woman sits on the path, groaning in pain.

Woman 1: (turns to her back) I'm so sorry to trouble you. But I felt this sudden pain.

Zoom out to reveal MIR rubbing her back.

MIR:   Don't mention it. It's all part of a monk's duty.

INU, KAG and SHI look on. SAN leans on a tree behind them, with folded arms.

KAG:  Not again.

INU:   Again.

SHI:   Yup, again.

MIR:   How do you feel now?

Woman 1: Thank you very much. I feel much better.

MIR:   (rubs her butt instead) But you shouldn't overexert yourself.

Woman 1: (stands) No, I'm fine now.

MIR:   (stands) Really? Well, I'm glad then. By the way…

Woman 1: Yes?

MIR:   (serious) Will you bear my child?

KAG:  Not again.

INU:   Again.

SHI:   Yup, again.

SAN takes a deep breath and sighs.

Woman 1: (bows) I'll be off.

MIR:   Take care.

The woman walks off.

SHI:   Miroku… Why do you always come on to pretty girls?

MIR:   It's just that I cannot ignore a girl in distress.

INU:   Keh!

MIR:   Anyway, we must hurry. (walks)

INU:   You're the one who kept us waiting!

INU-gang pass by a rest-house.

Man:  (walks out) Thank you!

KAG:  Oh! Say, how about taking a short break?

MIR:   That sounds nice. (digs into his clothes) Huh?

KAG:  What?

SAN:  What's the matter, Miroku?

MIR:   (searching his clothes) My travel funds…my money…is gone.

KAG:  What?!

MIR:   I'm sure I had it this morning.

SHI:   It must've been that woman at the roadside! She was a pickpocket!

MIR:   What?

INU:   No wonder she didn't go bonkers when you stroked her butt!

MIR:   (disappointed) What have I done?!

INU:   (pushes MIR) C'mon! Let's go!

MIR and KAG look at the food cooking in the rest house longingly.

In a forest. KAG stops and wipes her forehead.

KAG:  Say! Where's Miroku?

The group turns around.

SHI:   What happened to him?

INU:   He was lagging behind a while ago.

KAG:  Maybe he's depressed after getting robbed.

SAN:  I'll go check. (runs)

KAG:  (looks at SAN) Hmm…

INU:   What is it?

KAG:  (smiles) No. Nothing.

MIR is talking to a woman in the forest.

MIR:   Oh… I see.

Woman 2: We're all worried sick and we don't know what to do.

MIR:   (places a hand on the woman's shoulder) Well, there's no need to worry any longer.

SAN:  (reaches the scene) What are you doing, Monk?

MIR:   Huh? Well…nothing…yet.

In the village of woman 2. INU-gang is surrounded by the village women.

INU:   The men who went into the mountain haven't returned?

Woman 3: We're sure they've been captured by demons.

Woman 4: Please help us!

INU:   Saving people for free again?

KAG:  Come on, Inuyasha!

Woman 3: Please!

Woman 4: Please help us!

Woman 2: Please…save my husband!

MIR:   (shocked) You have a husband, too?

Woman 2: Yes.

MIR:   (sighs) I guess it's very lonely without your husband.

Woman 2: Oh please, Monk, lend us your power.

MIR:   All right. We shall go and free your men.

Women: Thank you very much!

MIR:   Got that, Inuyasha?

INU:   Well, I'm the one that has to deliver the finishing blow.

KAG:  (smiles) Exactly.

MIR:   (looks at woman 2 and sighs) Now then, let us go.

Woman 3: Please be very careful.

Woman 5: According to rumors, the demon is a beautiful woman.

MIR:   (stops and turns around, serious tone) I shall go alone.

The rest of INU-gang gapes at him.

In a hut in the village. SHI, KAG and INU sit in the porch.

KAG:  But why did Miroku go off by himself?

SHI:   He probably wants to be alone with the beautiful demon.

INU:   He never learns, does he?

SAN walks out of the hut, in her battle gear, with HIR.

KAG:  Sango, are you following him?

SAN:  (runs) Of course! Leave that womanizing monk and he'll be the one who gets bewitched. Come one, Kirara!

KIR meows and runs after SAN. They disappear into he forest.

KAG:  Say, Inuyasha.

INU:   Huh?

KAG:  I've been thinking…I'm willing to bet that Sango has feelings for Miroku.

INU:   Huh? What're you saying?

KAG:  (shocked) Haven't you noticed?!

INU:   Huh?

SHI:   I sorta had an inkling.

INU:   Huh?

KAG:  You're so dense!

INU:   Well… You've seen how Sango gets upset when Miroku strokes her bums.

KAG:  Listen… Women are creatures that cherish mood.

INU:   What's "mood"?

KAG:  Huh? Err…well… Anyway, Sango likes Miroku!

INU:   I wonder about that.

[ End of ACT I: 8min 34sec ]

[ ACT II ]

SAN and MIR walk in a deep forest. MIR sighs.

SAN:  Hey! What're you sighing for?

MIR:   Nothing.

SAN:  Do you get it? We're going to destroy a demon!

MIR:   I know.

SAN:  According to the villagers, long ago, defeated soldiers escaped deep into this mountain.

Flashback of soldiers walking into the forest and then to a cave.

SAN:  (voice-over) And there was a princess among them. But all the men who protected her died. And eventually, the princess also died.

Back to present.

MIR:   Oh? And her bitterness turned her into a demon?

SAN:  That's about it.

MIR:   I guess that's how women are.

SAN:  Huh?

MIR:   Well…women certainly are persistent, prone to jealousy and bursts of anger, and hatred… I've known so many like that.

SAN:  You're so experienced.

MIR:   However, even I don't know what kind of demon is created from the bitterness of a princess who dies a lonely death. I just have to see with my own eyes.

SAN:  Still, why decide to go alone?

MIR:   Well…I have my reasons. (stops) Can you see it, Sango?

SAN:  Huh?

A barrier appears in front of them.

MIR:   It's the entrance to the other side. Furthermore, this barrier seems easy to enter, but difficult to exit. Here. (gives SAN a bracelet) Put it on. It may prove helpful.

SAN:  Okay.

MIR helps put the bracelet on SAN's wrist.

MIR:   Let us go!

SAN:  Yes!

SAN and MIR run through the barrier.

SAN:  (struggling, thinking) Miroku! Easy to enter? You must've been kidding! Such strong resistance!

MIR run further and further away from SAN.

SAN:  Miroku! Miroku!

In a misty area.

MIR:   (looks around) Sango! Where are you, Sango? We've been separated.

The mist fades away a little to reveal a mansion in the distance.

MIR:   A mansion?

A princess appears near MIR.

Princess: Who is there? Why are you here so deep in this mountain?

MIR:   (thinking) A demon…this girl?

Princess: Well, whatever the reason, come to the house. (walks towards the mansion)

MIR follows apprehensively.

In another misty area.

SAN:  Miroku! Where are you?! Miroku!

The mist fades away a little to reveal silhouettes of people in the distance.

SAN:  Demons?! (run towards the silhouettes)

KIR follows and transforms into her cute form. The silhouettes become clearer. They are old man sitting down, surrounded with plants.

SAN:  (thinking) People… (walks through the men) Old men…all of them! (stops near an old man) Umm…old man…

Old man 1: (loud, holds a hand to his ear) Ehh?

SAN:  (loud) Say, old man!

Old man 1: I…ain't an old man!

SAN:  Y-You are old.

Old man 1: I ain't old!

Old man 2: I ain't old either.

Old man 3: Ain't one either.

Old man 4: I ain't an old man!

Old man 5: Ain't old!

Old man 6: Ain't an old man!

All the old men start to insist they are not old.

SAN:  You're all not…old?

Back with INU, KAG and SHI sitting in front of the hut.

KAG:  Miroku's the problem. I wonder how he feels about Sango?

INU:   Any woman will do for him.

KAG:  But I think Sango is a special case.

INU:   Well, he does try to feel up Sango's butt often enough.

KAG:  C'mon! I don't mean it like that!

SHI:   (thinking) I'm tired of all this talk.

SAN talks to the old men.

SAN:  Huh? You're the men who disappeared from the village? What happened?

Old man 5: It was like a dream…

Old man 1: I was lost and in trouble when the most beautiful princess appeared…

Flashback of the princess showing a man towards the mansion.

Old man 1: (narrating) She brought me to a magnificent villa and I had such a grand time.

Back to present.

SAN:  Grand time?

Old man 5: It was grand…

Old man 1: Yeah… It sure was grand.

Old man 5: Then when we snapped out of it, we were like this.

SAN:  (thinking) The demon sucked the life spirit, the youth, out of the men.

In a room in the mansion. The princess pours some tea into MIR's cup.

MIR:   You survived the war?

Princess: Yes… And my vassals have all died. (closes her eyes sadly) I am alone…and very lonely.

MIR:   How tragic.

Princess: Monk…

MIR:   Huh?

Princess: I am unable to leave this place. Will you spend at least the night with me?

MIR:   Is that your wish?

Princess: Monk… Please look into my eyes. (looks at MIR with glassy eyes)

Fade to old man talking to SAN.

Old man 1: Anyway, when the princess gazed at you with those eyes…

Old man 5: I was mesmerized and nothing mattered anymore.

SAN:  Kirara, you stay close to these people. (runs, thinking) Cripes! That womanizing monk will fall right into her trap!

MIR drops his cup and hugs the princess.

MIR:   Princess!

Princess: Oh Monk!

The eyes of the princess turns yellow.

SAN runs through the mist towards the mansion.

SAN:  (thinking) Miroku! Stay alive until I get there! Miroku!

SAN runs into the room and witness MIR about to kiss the princess dreamily.

SAN:  (veins popping) Why that! (swings HIR) Wake up, you lecherous monk!

Princess: (thinking) A woman's voice?! (leaps backwards)

MIR:   (shocked) Princess!

The princess's hair turns grey as she lands. She slowly transforms into that of a coyote, thrice of MIR's size.

[ break ]

Coyote-Demon: (looks around and yells) Damn! Where are you?! You will not interfere!

SAN:  It cannot see me? (swings HIR) All right!

MIR:   Wait, Sango!

SAN:  Miroku! Weren't you bewitched?

MIR:   Don't speak! If you remain quiet, it won't know where you are.

SAN:  (thinking) I see! It's the power of the beads that Miroku gave me. But why isn't he destroying the demon?

MIR:   The true form of the demon is a female coyote.

Coyote-Demon: Become part of my power!

Her hair claws at MIR who dodges.

SAN:  Miroku!

MIR:   Stay away! (takes out two charms) I wanted to take care of this quietly, but… Princess! (runs) You'll have to endure a bit of pain.

SAN:  Princess?

MIR:   Please bear it!

MIR throws the charms onto the demon's forehead and neck, who yells in pain. Her body starts to burn. An image of the princess yelling in pain is seen with the demon.

SAN:  A princess inside the demon?

MIR:   (leaps with raised staff) Princess!

The demon turns around to face MIR and he hits her on the head with his staff. She falls backwards and the princess falls out of her body.

MIR:   Princess!

The demon attacks MIR who dodges.

Coyote-Demon: Damn monk! I shall show no mercy now!

MIR runs around the room as the demon attacks viciously. He runs to the princess.

MIR:   Princess!

The demon raises a paw at MIR, who holds up his staff. A glow appears and stops the demon momentarily.

Coyote-Demon: Give back the princess!

MIR:   Sango!

SAN:  (nods, leaps and swings HIR) Hiraikotsu!

HIR hits the demon on her face, who turns around.

Coyote-Demon: Why you…!

HIR returns to SAN.

Coyote-Demon: Where are you?! Where?!

The bracelet on SAN's wrist shatters and SAN is seen clearly.

Coyote-Demon: There you are!

The demon attacks SAN who blocks with HIR. HIR cracks a little from the impact and SAN gasps. MIR throws two charms on the demon's back who yells in pain. SAN throws HIR and slashes her body into two. HIR returns to SAN but the crack in it grows bigger. The demon yells in pain as she falls backwards.

Coyote-Demon: (thinking, shocked) My power… The demon power I gathered…

The demon dissipates and the mansion fades away, revealing the landscape outside.

SAN:  (looks around) Miroku… What's the meaning of this?

SAN turns to find MIR hugging the princess.

MIR:   (gentle tone) I was very rough.

Princess: Monk…

SAN looks down.

MIR:   You were alone for so long. It must've been lonely.

Princess: Yes, because I was so weak hearted, I fell victim to a demon.

MIR:   You'll be all right now. I'll take you to the village.

Princess: Thank you very much.

The princess fades and turns into a white orb. It flies high up into the sky and disappears into the clouds.

SAN:  (looks up) She disappeared…

MIR:   That is her soul. She died all alone. Rather than bitterness…it was loneliness that kept her from finding peace in death. The demon coyote stole the princess' body and soul, then imprisoned her to lure men and sucked out their youth to gain strength.

[ End of ACT II: 19min 4sec ]

[ ACT III ]

In the village. A plate of food, some flowers and joss sticks are placed in front of a mound. MIR kneels in front of the mound. INU, SHI and KAG stand next to him, while the village women stand behind him.

MIR:   (praying) I've placed the princess' ashes in this grave. If you offer prayers, I'm sure she will watch over the village.

Woman 1: Thank you so much!

Woman 2: You brought our men back home to us!

Cut to men.

Man 1: It was like a beautiful dream…

Man 2: I'll say.

MIR stands.

KAG:  Miroku?

MIR:   Yes?

KAG:  Did something happen in that mountain? Sango has seemed awfully depressed since coming back.

MIR:   (surprised) Well…I don't know what it could be.

SAN sit alone by a river.

SAN:  (tosses a rock into the river and sighs) I feel like such a fool.

MIR:   (sits next to SAN) Sango… What's the matter?

SAN:  (looks away) Miroku, you really didn't need me there.

MIR:   No such thing! You're the one who destroyed the demon.

SAN:  Only because you helped me.

MIR:   No, I relied on your help. Because I believed in your strength.

On a slope a distance behind MIR and SAN, INU, KAG, KIR and SHI look on.

INU:   You're imagining things! Sango wouldn't fall in love with that lecher!

KAG:  Why not? Look at that mood!

INU:   So what is "mood" anyway?

Cut to SAN and MIR.

MIR:   Sango, you came because you were worried for my safety, right?

SAN:  Well…that's…of course, I was worried! When it comes to women, you don't discriminate. I was sure you'd get into trouble.

MIR:   Forgive me. I just couldn't ignore a woman who might be grieving.

SAN:  (defensive) I'm not jealous or anything!

MIR holds SAN's hand. SAN gasps.

Cut to INU-gang on the slope. SHI gasps.

KAG:  That's what you call "mood". Mood!

Back to MIR and SAN.

MIR:   More than any woman… (looks at SAN) Your concern for me makes me happiest.

SAN:  (blushes and turns around) Hey! What're you saying?! (thinking) Oh no! What'll I do?!

At the slope.

KAG:  Go for it, Sango!

Back to MIR and SAN.

MIR:   Sango?

MIR looks down at SAN's butt. He cops a feel.

SAN:  (clenches her fist, veins popping, thinking) That hand… Why not touch my shoulders…or somewhere more…

KAG and SHI look on I exasperation while INU is surprised.

SAN:  (yells) Don't you know anything else?

A loud slap is heard.

INU-gang travels along a path. SAN walks alone in front.

MIR:   (with slap mark on his face) Well… She seemed to be silently begging me to touch her.

KAG:  Miroku… Rather than women themselves, you need to brush up on knowing women's feelings.

INU:   (to KAG) See? Didn't I tell you that you're all wrong? See?

SHI:   (sighs) Boy, such a fool!

SAN:  (sighs and looks at HIR) Better fix it.

[ End of ACT III: 22min 8sec ]

[ End of episode 56: Temptress in the Mist ]

[ Preview for next episode ]

What?! Going back home again? Do you like "tests" that much, Kagome? Well, it can't be helped. I have things I need to do. What's this creepy looking fruit? A fruit with a human face from Togenkyo?! Are you kidding?! Using humans to make anti-aging potions?! And you call yourself a sage?! Next on Inuyasha: "Fateful Night in Togenkyo, Part I". Damn! The moon is disappearing!