Sango rests on a straw mat in a hut. She looks at the sleeping Kirara next to her fondly. Kirara cringes.

"Kirara…are you in pain? Naraku's toxins are still inside your system." Sango says worried

Outside The Hut

"An herbal antidote? Old Myoga, will Kirara recover if she takes it?" Kimiko asks hopefully.

"Yes… Supposedly, not far from here, is a village with an herb farm. But this herb farm is protected by a demon. I wonder if you can take the herb easily or not." Myoga explained.

"'Kay, this is where Inuyasha comes in. Beat up this demon and get some of the herbs." Shippo says.

Inuyasha folded his arms, chuckling. "Kirara actually took a bite of Naraku. Unlike Myoga, Kirara has gumption! It's the least I can do for her."

Myoga wails in protest.

Shippo folds his arms. "Unlike Myoga, we can count on Kirara's strength in battle. She must make a full recovery."

Inuyasha and Shippo nod in unison.

"Oh, guys! What're you saying? Old Myoga has been a big help to us. For example…" Kimiko try's to defend but then ponders. "Well…"

"H-hey!" Myoga fumes waving his arms madly. "I let you do the talking and you all decide that I'm small and useless! Physical prowess isn't the only criteria for achievement!" Myoga jumps in anger. "Give me some credit for having intelligence!"

Inside the hut.

"I see… Inuyasha went to get herbal medicine for me." Sango says.

Miroku and Yukina are sitting next to a resting Sango. "Yes, and Yukina and I stayed back to protect you. So put your mind at ease and rest." Sango watches miroku in silence. "Yes?"

Sango cowers under her blanket making Yukina lay closer to her. "I got the feeling it's even more dangerous here. Witch is probably why Kimiko left Yukina here"

Shippo is sitting opposite Miroku. "Don't worry, Sango. Kimiko told me and Yukina to watch so Miroku won't do anything funny."

Myoga jumps. "I'm here, too!"

Miroku sighs.

Inuyasha was running across an idyll landscape, Kimiko on his back.

"I think it's faster if I went alone." Inuyasha comments.

"Old Kaede taught me how to pick the correct herbs. I may hold you back a bit, but that's okay, isn't it, if I came to see this herb garden." Kimiko said in high spirits.

"Oh well then…I'm counting on ya." Inuyasha sighed deciding not to argue with her.

"It's been so long since we were alone. At first, just the two of us searched for the Sacred Jewel fragments. But now we're all together. Fighting the demons is hard work, but it's nice to have lots of friends." Kimiko said

"I guess." Inuyasha replies before concentrating on running.

"I guess…during the battle with Naraku, he was under so much pressure. A break might do him some good."

A peasant woman runs breathlessly, peering behind her. She trips. The sound of a demon closing in on her is heard. She shrieks in horror. Her basket of herbs is strewn far away.

Inuyasha and Kimiko are now walking together.

"I'll be fine walking from here we're close." Kimiko tells Inuyasha wanting to give him a break from carrying her.

"Whatever you say." Inuyasha replies. Kimiko catches up with him and looks at him. "Huh? What?"

'Isn't it fun being with me?" Kimiko asks.

"Huh? What're you saying?!" Inuyasha exclaimed shocked by the question.

Kimiko looks away. "You've been silent the whole time!"

Kimiko walks ahead.

"Just... thinking about things!" Inuyasha said.

"Just when we're all alone…" Kimiko thinks.

Kimiko notices something further in the woods and stops in her tracks. "Huh? What's that?"

Inuyasha stops as well. "Huh?"

A group of villagers are carrying the corpse of the peasant woman who was killed earlier.

"She's the third victim." The first villager said.

"I wonder if it is the work of Jinenji." The second villager thinks out loud.

"Of course! That monster! We can't let him get away with this!" The third villager shouts angry.

"B-but…what'll we do?" The fourth villager asks scared.

Inuyasha walks up to them. "Is this Jinenji a demon?"

"W-who are you?!" The first villager asked scared.

"A demon!" The second villager exclaimed.

Kimiko placing her hand on Inuyasha. "Umm…this person does fall into that category, but…"

The Villagers taking a step backwards. "Huh?!"

"No! He won't harm you. We're just looking for a farm to get some medicinal herbs." Kimiko explained.

"Medicinal herbs?" The fourth villager inquired.

"From Jinenji's farm?" The third villager asked.

"That's the farm of the demon who killed the woman!

Cut to a hut in the middle of a farm." The first villager said.

"Jinenji is a huge demon who lives with his mother on the edge of our village." The second villager told Inuyasha and Kimiko.

"He has a farm of very effective medicinal herbs. We used to go to get herbs once in a while." The third villager said.

"But lately, Jinenji's gotten a hankering for human flesh." The first villager informed.

A huge demon trudges out of the hut, carrying a pail. He has big blue orb-like eyes.

"That's Jinenji. Doesn't he look fierce?" The fourth villager asked.

Inuyasha, Kimiko and villagers are hiding behind a boulder.

Inuyasha scoffs. "He's just big, that's all."

"Hey you…are you really going to slay him?" The first villager asks Inuyasha.

Inuyasha gets up. "Yea…in addition to getting the herbs. Kimiko, wait here."

"Uh-huh." Kimiko agreed.

Inuyasha leaps from behind the boulder to the farm.

"Is that boy strong?" The fourth villager asks.

"Who cares? It's a battle between demons." The first villager says unconcerned.

"Doesn't matter which one dies." The second villager agrees.

"I don't feel good about them…" Kimiko thinks becoming angry at their comments.

Inuyasha lands on the farm. "Are you the cannibalistic demon? I'm gonna kill you, so prepare yourself!" Inuyasha draws Tetsusaiga

Jinenjin turns around slowly. "Huh?"

"Hmm? He doesn't smell of human blood." Inuyasha thinks slightly confused.

The villagers throw rocks at Jinenji.

"Huh?!" Inuyasha exclaimed getting more confused.

"Hey Jinenji!" The first villager calls.

"Prepare to die!" The second villager yelled.

Jinenji shields himself from the rocks, trembling. He turns around, his blue eyes flashes red momentarily. He looks like he's about to retaliate. Inuyasha gets Tetsusaiga ready.

Jinenji wails. "Ma! Ma!"

Jinenji runs towards the hut.

Inuyasha is bewildered. "Huh? Wait!"

Inuyasha chases after Jinenji.

Jinenji is still running towards hut. "Help!"

An old woman rushes out of the hut carrying a log in her hand.

"Why you…!" The Old Women yells angry.

Inuyasha stops. "A mountain witch!"

The witch reaches Inuyasha. "How dare you make up excuses to take away my fields!"

The witch raises the log and thumps Inuyasha on the head. The log breaks.

Inuyasha is unfazed and confused. "Huh?"

"The kid's down!" The fourth villager said.

"So weak!" The third villager said.

The villagers throw away the rocks in their hand and escape.

"What's with them?" Inuyasha asks.

"I don't know what those villagers put you up to, but this child would never eat people! Never! Picking on him because he's a half-demon!" The witch said out of breath.

"Half-demon?" Kimiko thinks.

Jinenji is cowering in front of the hut, trembling.

Inside of the hut.

Jinenji is cutting herbs in the back. Erza the old woman whom Inuyasha thought was a witch just now, Inuyasha and Kimiko sit around a fire.

"You there…Inuyasha? You are a half-demon, aren't you?" Erza asked.

"Can you tell, crone?" Inuyasha counters.

"You're good-looking for a half-demon. But no matter what, you're just half of one." Erza somewhat compliments.

Kimiko turns to Inuyasha. "Half? I guess that's around here, huh?" Kimiko takes hold of Inuyasha's ear.

"You can understand what it's like. Just because my Jinenji is a half-demon, how much we have suffered at the hands of those villagers." Erza said.

'You mean, he's bullied?" Kimiko asked outraged.

"Hah! They've tried to kill him so many times." Erza says.

"Sorry Ma…they bully you cuz' of me." Jinenji apologizes guilty.

"What are you saying? We have done nothing wrong! Your father was a fine, good demon." Erza scolds and tells him.

Flashback

A young and pretty woman on a slope. Yellow light orbs appear and transform into a handsome man. He walks to her.

"Such memories I have…I sprained my ankle in the mountain and couldn't walk. It was your father who saved me. He was in the form of a handsome man, but I knew immediately that he was a demon. Because he was bathed in light. And we fell passionately in love." Erza tells the group.

Present

Erza blushes contentedly and nostalgically.

"Just a minute, crone. That means you're the human?" Inuyasha inquired.

"What did you think I was?" Erza asked mad.

Kimiko embarrassed, thinking. "She's not a witch."

Jinenji offers a sachet to Kimiko. "An antidote. If someone is poisoned, prepare this potion."

Kimiko takes the sachet. "T-thanks. How much do we owe?"

"Never mind. We're even now…for the clubbing I gave him earlier. Now go. If you stay, you'll get caught up!" Erza waves off.

Jinenji and Erza are working on the farm, while Inuyasha and Kimiko leave. They look back at Jinenji and Erza, pondering. Inuyasha turns around and walks on.

Kimiko catches up. "Inuyasha, is it okay to leave them?"

"Whaddya mean?" Inuyasha questions.

"The villagers believe that Jinenji eats people. Jinenji is big in size but he seems very gentle." Kimiko said worriedly.

"That's why he's picked on. When you're born a half-demon, you need to be prepared and you need to be tough." Inuyasha says resolutely.

Inuyasha looks down and walks on. Kimiko looks at him in silence.

The villagers pile up an assortment of weapons on the grass.

"Gather every sword and spear in the village!" The first villager orders.

"This'll do! We can beat Jinenji with these!" The second villager says.

The womenfolk looks on in the distance.

"We must kill him before he kills us!" The fourth villager shouts.

Inuyasha and kimiko appear along the path behind them.

"Tonight! We'll settle it tonight!" The Fourth villager declares.

Kimiko hearing, rushes up to them. "Just a minute!"

"What? It's you!" The first villager exclaimed.

"You intend to attack Jinenji?" Kimiko demanded worry filling her.

"Of course!" The second villager confirmed.

"But you have no proof that he killed anyone!" Kimiko told them.

"It has to be him!" The first villager shouts.

"That hag and her son resent us!" The second villager tells them.

"They're just getting back at us!" The fourth villager agreed.

'Hey you, you've been awfully cruel to Jinenji, haven't you?" Inuyasha asks.

The first villager stutters. "Huh?"

"Well anyway, unless the real flesh-eating demon is caught, this won't be resolved." Inuyasha said.

"Real flesh-eating demon?" The third villager inquires.

"You're gonna capture it?" The fourth villager questioned.

"Inuyasha, I'm going back to the farm." Kimiko tells him.

"Kimiko!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

Kimiko turns to the villagers. "So until Inuyasha returns, please don't attack Jinenji." Kimiko remembers something in mock horror. "If I should get caught up and hurt, points to Inuyasha who looks a little amused by her antics. "this Inuyasha will wreak havoc in the village!"

"Huh? What?" Inuyasha asks wondering what he was supposed to do.

Kimiko Inuyasha smiling. "Why not? You'd better wreak havoc! You have to!"

Inuyasha sighs dumbfounded. "W-well…I guess I can… The things I do for you woman."

The villagers gather among themselves.

"What is this kid?" The second villager asks confused.

"He doesn't seem reliable." The fourth villager remarked.

Inuyasha sprints through the woods.

"The murdered woman had the smell of a demon on her. I can smell it…it's nearby!" Inuyasha thinks before leaping.

At Erza's farm.

"The villagers did?" Erza inquired.

"Yes. So until Jinenji's innocence is proven, I'll help out here." Kimiko told them.

"As you please." Erza told her.

Kimiko walks up to Jinenji who is weeding. "I just pull out the weeds?"

"Y-yes…" Jinenji answers timidly.

Kimiko kneels down beside Jinenji to start weeding. He glances sideways at her and shuffles a few steps away. Kimiko looks at the massive Jinenji beside her, and notices numerous scars on his arms and legs.

"So many scars…The villagers must have inflicted them." Kimiko. Thinks sad before asking. "Say, didn't you ever think about leaving here?"

"This place is best…My pa left us this farm." Jinenji explains.

"I see…" Kimiko says before returning to weeding.

Jinenji's heart beats loudly, thinking. "I-I'm speaking to here…For the first time in my life, I spoke to a girl!"

Kimiko lets out a scream! Jinenji looks at her.

KImiko shrieks and cowers. "An earthworm!"

Jinenji picks up the earthworm.

"Thanks…" Kimiko tells Jinenji heaving a sigh of relief and returns to work.

"She's scared of earthworms, but she' not afraid of Jinenji?" Erza thinks amused yet intrigued.

Evening at the farm.

Jinenji is feeding the birds and Kimiko looks on in delight. A bird lands on Kimiko's finger and she turns to Jinenji.

"Look!" Kimiko exclaimed excited.

Jinenji nods joyfully thinking. "Ahh…is this what it's like to have fun?"

Night time in the woods.

Inuyasha crawls on all fours, sniffing the ground.

"It's around here. I'm sure of it." Inuyasha said and starts digging. "This earth." Inuyasha shoves some leaves away and punches the ground violently. "Are you beneath this?!"

Inuyasha falls a long way down a hole from the spot where he punched.

"Aw…Ouch…What is this place?" Inuyasha asked himself looking around.

Inuyasha gets up and explores the cave. Clean bones are strewn around. Inuyasha walks on and finds a huge pile of shell-like things, with holes in them, covered in a green slimy goo.

Inuyasha touches the goo. "These are eggs! And they've just hatched. I see…this is a demon's nest!" Inuyasha gasps. "No! The parent demon has taken her brood out! What'll they do? It's obvious! She's taken her newborn to teach them how to hunt humans! Kimiko is in danger!"

Back in the village.

The villagers walk in a row, carrying weapons and torches.

"Shall we do it?" The third villager asks.

"We needn't worry. Only Jinenji eats humans!" The first villager reassures.

"We can't trust that other half-demon kid!" The second villager reminds them.

In Jinenji's hut

Kimiko and Erza are sleeping by the fire. Jinenji looks at her.

"What am I feeling? When I'm with this girl, I feel a warmth in my heart." Jinenji thinks conflicted.

A rock is thrown from outside the window and lands near Jinenji.

"Come on out, Jinenji! We know you're the one who killed our people!" The villagers yell angrily.

Jinenji closes his eyes and trembles. Erza wakes up.

"You rotten half-demon!" The villagers shout.

"Old woman!" Kimiko says.

"Those men!" Erza yelled mad.

"Ma!" Jinenji exclaimed frightened.

"Don't worry. Stay put!" Erza reassurance before she walks out of the hut with a hoe. "Why you…!"

The mob of villagers outside throws rocks at her.

"You ingrate!" The third villager shouts.

"After we let you live near our village!" The second villager exclaimed.

Kimiko comes out of the hut, and shields Erza. "Stop!" Erza'd head was grazed by a rock. "Are you all right?"

"Move, girl!" The first villager orders.

"Why try to protect them?!" The third villager asks angrily.

"Jinenji can't kill anyone! If you stayed with him, you'd see that immediately! Jinenji is a kind and gentle person!" Kimiko told the villagers.

"Never mind! Kill the girl too!" The third villager ordered.

"She was in cahoots with that half-demon boy anyway! She's one of them!" The second villager remembered.

The villagers hurl torches onto the roof.

"The hut!" Kimiko shouts concerned.

Jinenji is still hiding in the hut, shivering in fear.

Erza raises hoe. "Why you-!"

A silhouette appears behind the mob and growls. It turns out to be a centipede-like demon. A brood of small demons gather around her feet.

"Tago's been seized by a giant demon!" A fifth villager yells.

Villagers run away leaving Tago. The small demons starting eating the unconscious Tago. One villager gasps in horror.

"The larvae are eating Tago!" The fifth villager exclaimed horrified.

"They're gonna eat us!" A sixth villager shouts.

"You see?! They're the one who ate the villagers!" Erza says.

The larvae is finished with Tago and crawls towards the other running villagers.

Kimiko holding Erza's and running, thinking. "I have to do something! Anything!"

Inside of the hut is burning.

Kimiko rushes to take her bow and arrow.

"Jinenji, run outside! Stay with your mother!" Kimiko tells him not wanting him to get hurt inside the hut.

Jinenji comes out of the house. "Mother!"

Jinenji raises to his full-length and sees the demon. Kimiko shoots an arrow at her, slicing off one big chunk of her body.

"I got it!" Kimiko cheered proud at herself.

The demon, infuriated, yowls and hurls Kimiko to the ground with her tail. Kimiko faints. The demon moves up to Kimiko and stretches out her tongue, in a bid to devour her. Jinenji, seeing, raises his fist and rushes to them.

"Stop!" Jinenji yells.

Jinenji punches the demon in the mouth, his fist driving through and stays. The demon grabs Jinenji's neck with one of her limbs, choking him.

"Jinenji!" Erza shouts worried.

Kimiko regains consciousness, to find Jinenji and the demon at a deadlock.

"Hurry and get away! You were the only one…who treated me like a human!" Jinenji begs as he struggles and then chokes. "If I let you die here, I won't be able to live with myself!"

"Jinenji!" Kimiko says touched.

"Jinenji…!" Erza said softly.

The villagers are fighting off the larvae in vain. One villager trips and the larvae surrounds him, dragging him away. A slash is seen.

"Iron-Reaver, Soul-Stealer!" Inuyasha calls and defeats the larva. "Kimiko! Where are you!"

Kimiko from a distance away. "Inuyasha! Save Jinenji!"

Inuyasha starts to sprint towards them.

"Don't help him!" Erza tells him. Kimiko shocked, turns to look at her. "Don't interfere! Jinenji must fight alone!"

"Why?!" Kimiko asks wanting to help badly.

"Old woman…So that's it." Inuyasha thinks understanding.

Inuyasha notices the villagers making their escape. He leaps in front of them.

"What're you sneaking around for?! I see…you were up to no good again, weren't you?" Inuyasha comments clenching his fist threateningly.

"W-we're sorry!" The first villager apologizes and his drops weapon. "We'll never do anything again!"

"Please spare us!" The second villager begs and clasps his palms. "Please!"

Inuyasha scoffs unimpressed. "Hah! You grovel before the strong. Better say sorry to him, too!" Inuyasha shouts to Jinenji. "Jinenji! Show 'em just strong you are!"

A blue aura emits around Jinenji. He gathers his strength and breaks out of the demon's grip on his neck. He squeezes the demon with both hands tightly. His squeeze gets tighter and tighter until the demon explodes. Its head flies up into the air and falls again. Jinenji punches it with a final dashing blow. The blue aura around him ceases. The villagers look on in both amazement and terror.

"Amazing!" Kimiko comments impressed.

Jinenji catches his breath and trudges towards the villagers. They fall to their knees and staring kowtowing in terror.

"W-we're sorry we suspected you! Please don't kill us!" The villages grovel.

Inuyasha folds his arms. "Well, now the villagers should behave…"

"Say! Everyone's shaking in fear!" Kimiko chides but feels a little happier that the villagers are getting a taste of their own medicine making Inuyasha smirk since he could hear the relief in her voice.

"Good for them! No way are they gonna be friends. So it's better to make it clear who's stronger." Inuyasha retorts.

"But…!" Kimiko said wanting Jinenji to become friends with other people.

Jinenji trudges towards them with a clenched fist. He points his fist at them.

"Sorry! We'll never torment you again! Forgive us!" The first villager promised.

"Um…" Jinenji said.

"Huh?" The second villager asked.

Jinenji opens his fist to reveal herbs on his palm. "You're all hurt. This will help your wounds."

"Jinenji…!" Kimiko said impressed with Jinenji's kindness.

Inuyasha gives a I-give-up-look. "Aw man!"

Villagers take the herbs from Jinenji, deep in thought in remorse.

Jinenji walks to Erza. "Ma…are you all right?"

Erza is touched. "Jinenji… You…!" Erza smiles to Jinenji, thinking. "If this is how you want it, that's fine with me."

The sun rises over the village.

'Will you really be all right?" Kimiko inquired.

"Yeah…you need to take the medicinal herbs to your friend. Hurry and be on your way." Erza tells her.

"Okay. Well then, Jinenji!" Kimiko calls.

Jinenji who was tending to the fields behind them, walks up.

"We'll be going now." Kimiko informed.

"A-all right…" Jinenji said.

"Good bye. Thank you for everything." Kimiko thanks.

"Yes." Jinenji answers blushing.

Inuyasha and Kimiko are walking off.

"We're the ones who should be thanking you." Erza said before turning to Jinenji "Okay, Jinenji. Cheer up!" Erza claps. "We have to tend to our trampled fields."

"Yeah." Jinenji replied.

Erza notices something and raises her hoe. The villagers appeared with planks in their hands.

"Um…" Erza says threateningly.

Villager 1: "We'll help." The first villager told her.

Erza stares momentarily, face softens and closes eyes. 'As you wish."

Erza walks away.

The villagers are helping to rebuild Erza's hut and salvaging the fields from last night's rampage.

"Hey…" Kimiko's voice says.

"Huh?" Inuyasha's voice responded.

Jinenji wipes off his sweat.

"Did that happen to you, too, Inuyasha?" Kimiko's voice asked.

Erza is teaching villagers how to tell the plants apart.

"Like what?" Inuyasha's voice inquired.

A bird lands on Jinenji's shoulder.

"Well…like bullying…" Kimiko's voice further explains.

Jinenji looks at the bird. The bird flies off into the sky.

"Hah! Stupid!" Inuyasha's voice scoffed.

Inuyasha and KAG walking along a path.

"No way I'd have taken it lying down!" Inuyasha said.

Kimiko laughs unnaturally. "Oh, you're right." Kimiko begins thinking. "He was bullied."

Inuyasha was silent for a while, then says softly. "I'm neither one nor the other."

"Huh?" Kimiko asks.

"I'm not a demon…nor am I human. I don't belong to either. So…I always believed that I had to create my place in life through power. That's how I lived and then I realized, I was alone. That was the only way I knew how to live."

"Inuyasha…I…" kimiko starts to say but trails of unsure of what to say.

Inuyasha turns around.

"You've made me happy." Kimiko confessed.

"Happy?!" Inuyasha exclaimed folding his arms and blushing a little.

"It's the first time you've opened up to me. I wanted to know about your sad times…the rough times… about your feelings and your thoughts. I'm glad that you talked to me seriously." Kimiko explains.

"That makes you happy?" Inuyasha asks.

"Uh-huh... So sometimes, you can show me your weak side.

I want to know everything about you." Kimiko says.

"Hah! You make it sound like I was whining just now!" Inuyasha brushed off ignoring the happiness he felt.

"So what? You're not alone anymore." Kimiko reminds walking further ahead leaving Inuyasha standing in road.

Inuyasha thinks to himself as he watches Kimiko walk down the hill. "Not alone? Not alone? Yeah... before I knew it... and yet so naturally... Kimiko is by my side. I don't think I ever want her to not be there."

Inuyasha runs up to Kimiko and picks her up bridal style and starts running.