Jinenji, Kind yet Sad

Leaving Miroku to watch over Sango, InuYasha and Kagome set out to find an herb to help cure Kirara. (As you recall in our last episode, Kirara had been poisoned by Naraku.) Myoga had told them there was a farm protected by a huge youkai and his mother outside the village. There they would find the herb that was needed.

As InuYasha and Kagome approach the farm, they find some of the village men stoning the large youkai called Jinenji. Seems a demon has been killing the villagers, and they believe it to be him. InuYasha is surprised to see Jinenji run away timidly...calling for his elderly mother. She may be small and old, but this woman is feisty and packs a punch.

After a rough start, Kagome and InuYasha introduce themselves and explain the intent of their visit. Once inside the woman's home, she explains that Jinenji is 1/2 demon (aka a hanyou) and how exactly she had met his demon father. She recognized that InuYasha was also a hanyou, so she knew he could relate to the torment Jinenji had experienced throughout his life. While she was talking, Jinenji had prepared an antidote for Kirara.

As they were leaving, InuYasha noticed the villagers were preparing weapons to kill Jinenji. He vowed that he would find the true youkai that was doing the killing. Kagome stayed behind with Jinenji as InuYasha went on his quest. Jinenji felt a warm attraction for Kagome as they worked together on the farm. She was the first girl that he could talk to, and his appearance had not deterred her in any way.

Meanwhile InuYasha has come across a hatched youkai's nest and knew that the parent is out teaching her young the taste of flesh. He fears for Kagome's safety and heads back

Back at the farm, the villagers had grown impatient and started to attack Jinenji when the real killer youkai and her worm-like children make their appearance. Kagome tries her arrow, but the large youkai strikes her down. This sends Jinenji into action. When InuYasha arrives, the elderly woman tells him not to interfere. She wanted Jinenji to learn to fight on his own. InuYasha calls to Jinenji.."Show them your strength!" The battle ends with Jinenji slaughtering the deadly youkai. Then the sensitive hanyou offers the villagers herbs to help heal their wounds.

The next morning the villagers arrive at the farm offering to help fix up the field. They have seen beyond Jinenji's appearance and looked into his kind soul.

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