Trap of the Cursed Wall Hanging

A frightened elderly man has happened upon Inuyasha and the others. He tells how he witnessed a group of women tossing a body into the swamp the evening before. "The body appeared to be ripped of its skin," he told them. Even though Kagome does not sense a shikon shard, the group decide it is best to investigate these women.

Not far off an injured samurai is taken to a village consisting of only women. His saki is drugged, and he is brought to the Kannon shrine by the young Wakana. At the same time a young man slowly scours the cliffs. There is only one woman on his mind. When the ground crumbles beneath him, the man screams the name "Wakana" before falling into the river below.

Later that day, the samurai awakens to find himself within a shrine. He notices a painting glowing and makes the deadly mistake of touching it. A slimy, evil liquid-like being emerges from the painting and gruesomely destroys the man. Not far off, Miroku senses the evil emanating from nearby, and he and the others race to investigate. They find the swamp and see a young man floating downstream unconscious.

That evening around a campfire, the young man (Shinosuke) has awakened and tells his story. He has been desperately searching for his fiancé. Three days before the wedding, he had to go to battle. He sustained terrible wounds that kept him away for 2 years. When he finally returned to his village, it had been burnt to the ground. He heard of a village of woman who's men and children were killed by the war and wanted to search for his Wakana there. Miroku, of course, is ready, willing, and able to get to this village, but they don't know where it is. Inuyasha notices some women watching them, "It seems they've come looking for us," he says.

Once they arrive in the village, poor Shinosuke is told that Wakana is not there. Not only that, but Inuyasha is unable to pick up an evil aura. They are about to leave, but the women convince them to stay at least for the evening. The forest can be so dangerous at night. Much to Miroku's dismay, the men are separated from the women. While each are in their different quarters, both Miroku and Sango are asked how they feel about one another. Flashbacks occur of their time on Mt. Hakurei, but neither will admit anything about their relationship. Especially when Sango sees Miroku lured outside by a pretty villager.

When almost everyone is asleep, Sango sees the women gathering. She puts on her exterminator gear and follows. Not long after, Inuyasha suddenly picks up the scent of a water being. Kagome runs up telling him that Sango went on her own. Shortly after they leave, Wakana enters the hut and surprises Shinosuke.

Sango arrives by the swamp, but is unable to find any of the women. That is....until she tries to cross over. A group of women emerge from the swamp water and grab the pretty exterminator. Kirara is unable to stop them from pulling his human friend down into the murky water. Just as Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo arrive, some of the village woman ascend from the swamp and hover over them. Kagome tells the hanyou not to harm them as they are being controlled. The women begin to attack.

Miroku, meanwhile, has been taken to the shrine by the young village woman. She asks him to comfort her, but he begins to sense evil. "You're being controlled, aren't you?" he says. Then he turns to the painting. The slimy water demon emerges again. "Hand over your flesh," it demands.

The next scene shows Sango awakening and shackled inside a cave. The older woman reaches into the water and pulls out a bluish green orb. "Swallow this," she tells Sango, "and you will become one of us."

This doesn't look good. What will happen to Sango and the others? Will Shinosuke keep his flesh? Don't miss the next exciting episode!!

Miroku's Most Dangerous Confession

(NOTE: The beginning is all recaps from the last episode.) Miroku faces the flesh eating demon. Seems it use to be a demon that ruled over a nearby swamp until one day a human monk exorcized him and sealed him in a scroll. Not satisfied with that, the humans also ripped off his flesh. Then with the drawing of Kannon, his movements were sealed. Now it desires human flesh so it can return to its true self. Luckily, Miroku is able to escape. The demon is ready to pursue but notices Wakana leading Shinosuke to the shrine.

After a brief look at Inuyasha fighting off the controlled women, we return to Miroku. He turns to see Shinosuke approaching the shrine and screams for him to run. Just before the demon can strike, Wakana's spell wears off, and she pushes Shinosuke to safety. Miroku runs up and is ready to use his wind tunnel, but the young women he had been with stands in front of the demon and is ready to strike. The young Monk uses his staff and pierces the demon in the eye. It screams in agony and flies into the swamp. Once it is gone, Miroku uses his ofuda and punches the attacking young woman in the stomach. She coughs up a small lizard-like creature. "So that is what is controlling these women!" Miroku concludes. He promptly does the same to Wakana, and then heads to the swamp.

At the swamp, the demon has shape-shifted to a lizard monster, and it desires the flesh of a half demon. Inuyasha wants to attack, but the women hold him back. Miroku arrives to take care the that! Now Inuyasha can concentrate his efforts on destroying the demon, which he does with a powerful "Kaze No Kizu." Miroku, on the other hand, is having difficulty fighting off all of the attacking women. He calls for Sango, but Kagome explains that she went off on her own (thanks to your womanizing) and disappeared. A wet Kirara motions for Miroku to follow. The monk hands his ofuda to Kagome, jumps onto Kirara's back, and dives into the swamp looking for Sango. It isn't long before Sango's boomerang nearly pummels the Monk.

Miroku's fight with Sango is not an easy one. After all, she is a trained demon hunter and equipped with the necessary gear to kill a demon. After acquiring many wounds, Miroku is finally able to return Sango back to normal.

Later that day Shinosuke and Wakana say their thanks and bid farewell. Not far off, Miroku sits with Sango. Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo find a convenient area to spy on the two. Miroku begins to express his feelings. He tells her how much he cares about her but cannot love her as a woman for she is his comrade in their search for Naraku. Sango understands and tearfully wants to leave, but Miroku continues. "If the battle with Naraku comes to an end, and the curse of my Kazaana is broken, and I am still alive. At that time, will you live with me and bear my child?" A surprised and exuberant Sango buries her head in her hands and says "yes". When she asks if that means he will stop chasing woman, the lecherous monk is at a loss for words. (Oh well.....sigh....guess we'll just have to see what future episodes have in store.)

The Woman Who Loved Sesshomaru (Part I)

While Inuyasha complains, Kagome and the others are enjoying a beautiful ocean breeze. The young hanyou gets irritated at Kagome's frequent breaks. When they finally proceed, they pass a amadera (temple for female monks) where a group of villagers gather outside praying. Inside, a beautiful Princess by the name of Sara is dying of a disease. Before she breaths her last, she plays some final notes on her flute. Just before her death, she catches a glimpse of Inuyasha passing by. This reminds her that she has one last thing to do. When she does inevitably die, a particularly strong evil aura circles the amadera and the building goes up in flames. After the fire, the nuns are shocked to see that the area where the princess was lying is intact, however, the princess is gone.

In the forest Sesshomaru, Jaken, Rin and Aun continue to search for Naraku. Out of the clearing, the beautiful princess approaches Sesshomaru. She wants to grant his wishes. There are flashbacks of when she first laid eyes on him. Her father's castle was about to be attacked by troupes way outnumbering their own. Mysteriously, Sesshomaru appeared and begin slaying the offending army. Sesshomaru claims he doesn't remember. She begs to grant his wishes. "Do as you like," he tells her.

A little while later, Inuyasha and crew see a young woman bound to a stake near the raging sea. When a sea monster appears, the group run to help. Miroku and Sango arrive first for they have rode over on Kirara. Miroku is ready to use his wind tunnel, but something isn't right. When Sango turns to the woman, she, Miroku, and Kirara are turned to glass. Inuyasha and Kagome arrive to see them in that condition. The woman blames the sea monster as the one who must of cast a spell. Inuyasha destroys the sea monster, however, that doesn't change their friends back to normal.

They return to the village and find that all of the townsfolk have been turned to glass as well. The woman claims that there is a way that may change them back, and takes Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo to a cave. She tricks Inuyasha into using the Tessaiga to open a large boulder-type door. When he gets it open, the cave and everything around it begins to crumble. The hanyou must quickly get himself and Kagome to safety, but his sword was left in the cave. Before Inuyasha can retrieve his sword, the woman (Sara) appears dressed as a warrior princess and riding on huge black hawk. She holds the Tessaiga in victory. Her gratification escalates when Sesshomaru arrives. However, she wonders why he is here?

What does Princess Sara have in store for Inuyasha. Will he get his Tessaiga back? Watch next time!!

The Woman Who Loved Sesshomaru (Part II)

Picking up from last episode; Sesshomaru has arrived, and Princess Sara is delighted to hand the Tessaiga over to him. Inuyasha is furious to see that his brother was involved in this treachery. Sesshomaru, however, tells his younger sibling that this doesn't involve him. Then he refuses the sword saying he doesn't want any help from the likes of her.

Once Sesshomaru leaves, Princess Sara still refuses to return the Tessaiga. At one point she attempts to turn the young hanyou to glass, but one of Kagome's arrows destroys the pretty woman's necklace and thwarts that attempt. Unfortunately, the Princess is able to disappear before Inuyasha can get the Tessaiga back.

Returning to the forest, Sesshomaru suddenly recalls the day he lost his arm to Inuyasha:

Soldiers were attacking Asano castle, but they wouldn't get out of his way. He easily destroyed every last one of them. Then rested by a large tree. It was there that the Princess saw him muttering his anger at Inuyasha. She fell in love with the handsome demon and picked flowers and played her flute for him. When her father heard of this, he grew angry and gathered his troops to slay Sesshomaru. However, Sesshomaru cannot be defeated that easily. He retaliated killing many of the men. The Lord had no choice but to retreat.

Princess Sara met up with Sesshomaru in the forest and continued the story:

It wasn't long after his men were slain by Sesshomaru that Sara's own father burned Asano Castle to the ground. Seems he was so scared of the dog demon that he went insane. The Princess joined a temple and became a Buddhist nun. However, she became ill. Right before she died, she saw Inuyasha pass and wanted to prolong her life just a little bit longer to do one last thing. She would get the Tessaiga for Sesshomaru to repent for her father. She gladly handed over her body and spirit to the demons who entered the room. She was reborn.

Inuyasha arrives just as Sesshomaru asks Sara if that is her true self. The dog demon will not allow the two to fight. It is Sesshomaru who uses his sword to unveil the slew of demons inhabiting Sara's body. Poor girl. She was just a medium for them.  Sara's spirit energy gave the demons strength. Sadly, because Sesshomaru's sword is filled with hatred and anger, it only seems to fuel the demons.  Even Kagome's arrow cannot purify the demons within the young girls body. Since the Toukijin will not work, Sesshomaru grabs the Tessaiga He slays hundreds of demons, but it severely burned his hand, and he must let go. Once the Tessaiga is back in Inuyasha's hands, the hanyou issues a Kaze no Kizu and destroys all of the demons but that included Princess Sara.

"Sesshomaru, thank you. I have no regrets...since in the end....I was able to express my true feelings, " the young Princess said just before disintegrating into the ground. Sesshomaru placed her flute by the site. "Go and play your flute on the other side," he said just before leaving.

Later that day Sesshomaru returned to the anxiously awaiting Jaken and Rin. And so the search for Naraku continues.

The Last Banquet of Miroku's Master

On a dark and stormy night, an elderly man is cut down without provocation by none other than Kagura. What could be her reasoning?

The Inuyasha group are discussing recent temple murders. Seems several Monks have been killed in various locations. They want to investigate due to the nature. Could it involve Naraku and the shikon shards? As they are talking, Hatchi arrives with urgent news. He informs Miroku that his Master, Muushin, may be dying.

When Miroku and the others arrive at Muushin's home, they find his master appears to be in the same drunken state as when they saw him last. However, he says that he is dying. They ask what they can do for him. That's when he really puts everyone to work....cleaning, scrubbing, laundry...you name it! Once everything is finished, he asks to be taken to an elaborate Inn to party. (Miroku has an especially good time.)

After the party, Muushin makes one last request. He wants sake from the legendary Mt. Kasumi. It is said to be the purest, but beware, for no one has ever returned from there. Determined to fulfill the man's last requests, Inuyasha and the others head for Mt. Kasumi. Once on the mountain, they are immediately surrounded by a thick mist. Suddenly, Kagome begins to sing. "Don't breath the air," Miroku warns, "it will get you intoxicated!" Uh oh...too late for Kagome, but she sure seems to be enjoying herself. Oh NO! Sango is drunk too! Is that Inuyasha she's flirting with? (This episode is hilarious!!!) Miroku is beginning to feel the effects and knows that he must do something. He uses his wind tunnel to absorb all of the mist. Once it is gone, all that is left are several tiny dwarfs staring at them. Huh?

Miroku brings the fresh sake to his Master and the two talk. Suddenly, Miroku looks over and fears the worst. No worries...the old man has simply fallen asleep. In fact, after talking to him later, they find that he is not dying at all. Seems that Hatchi overreacted when the old man got so drunk that he fell on his face. The following morning everyone must leave. However, no one can say that it was a waste of time especially since Miroku was able to bond with his Master once again.

Not far off, an elderly Monk is breathing his last breaths. Kagura arrives and places "Naraku the child(Akago)" on the dying Monk's chest. This was not what he was hoping for, and they leave. "Just what are you looking for?" she asks. The child says he is looking for the resting place of the final shikon shard.

Is Naraku that close to completing the jewel? Keep watching to find out.