Episode 27 (Hanyō no Yashahime)

The Silver-Scale Curse is the twenty-seventh episode of Hanyō no Yashahime, and the 3rd episode of the second season titled "The Second Act."

Synopsis

 * 1) 14 years ago, Zero put a spell known as the Silver-Scale Curse on Rin. Sesshōmaru and Jaken rush her to the Goshinboku, where the Spirit of the Tree of Ages tells Jaken to use the Yume no Kochō to slow the spread of the curse.
 * 2) Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha finally find Bokusenō, with the help of Riku. Bokusenō tells the girls that the Kyūyōkon Root can be found at Mount Musubi.
 * 3) Zero has successfully collected all seven Rainbow Pearls, but finds that the half-demon princesses' memories are projected in the pearls that they previously possessed, thus becoming intertwined with her own demon energy, much to her fury.

Summary
Jaken recalls how fourteen years ago, while Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha dealt with the Grim Comet, Rin had been approached by Zero and was fatally cursed via the binding spell called "The Silver-Scale Curse" coupled with the unbreakable. Now that Kirinmaru's elder sister had Rin as leverage over Sesshōmaru, she demanded the know the whereabouts of their newborn twin daughters, without which Zero would ensure that her silver-scale curse would gradually spread throughout Rin's entire body to the point that she would be entirely encased in "ugly" silver-scales and then forever perish.

As a last resort, Jaken had requested that Rin be placed under the protection and care of the mighty Sacred Tree of Ages, whose infinitely unparalleled powerful time-based abilities would assist in reducing a rapid spread of Zero's curse by forever keeping Rin within her current state of suspended animation. The Sacred Tree of Ages had then instructed Jaken to put a portion of the sacred Dream Butterfly on four-year-old Setsuna's neck, with which her own dreams and sleep would then be transferred to Rin to preserve her young life and temporarily stop the lethal curse in its tracks.

In the present, the Half-Demon Princesses resume their search for Bokusenō the two-thousand-year-old tree-demon to retrieve a very powerful, demonic mystical Kyūyōkon root for Towa's new and proper demonic-empowered sword. He informs them that a root of such ancient, mystical demonic power originates from none other than Mount Musubi, but neglects to mention the unusually strong shield of pure mystical, demonic energy that surrounds it. The Half-Demon Princesses reach the outside of said mystical demonic mountain and wonder what mysteries and secrets await them. A young red-haired girl is slumbering deeply on a pale green scale at the very center of the spiritual mountain.

Trivia

 * The cause behind Rin's present death-like slumber and Setsuna's curse are revealed to have good intentions, contrary to what Towa believes. It is the precise reason as to why Setsuna cannot dream nor sleep because they have been transferring to her young mother for her own safety from Zero and her fatal curse that has been halting in its tracks, if only temporarily:
 * Zero had cast a silver-scale spell on Rin which would end her life once she was fully encased by the scales.
 * A Dream Butterfly pupa was placed on the nape of the right side of Setsuna's neck at the behest of the Sacred Tree of Ages.
 * According to Jaken, Rin was supposedly eighteen at the time Zero fatally cursed her. She wore the exact same purple-and-gold kimono that was given to her when she was living with Kaede, but this time Rin also wore brown woven sandals.
 * It is revealed that Rin was already within the Sacred Tree of Ages before Inuyasha and Kagome were sealed within the second Black Pearl by Sesshōmaru. It is revealed that Sesshōmaru not only saved his younger half-brother and his human priestess wife from Kirinmaru, but also to prevent them from going after Kirinmaru and Zero themselves. This was what would have further spread the curse and hasten young Rin's third and final irreversible death.
 * It is revealed that the song Setsuna has been playing on her violin was not out of the blue, but actually her own hidden memory of what Rin had sung fourteen years prior.
 * Two of the demons who challenge Setsuna are identical to the demons who challenged Sesshōmaru after Meidō Zangetsuha was transferred to Tessaiga in Episode 184.
 * Riku's intimate connection and origins directly related to Kirinmaru is revealed: Originally, he was one of the Eastern Beast King's own horns that was cut off six centuries ago by none other than Tōga the Western Best King during one of the demon rivals many, many battles. This makes Riku an incarnation of Kirinmaru similar to the incarnations of Naraku.
 * Since Riku was originally part of Kirinmaru’s body, it also revealed the demon lord can see and hear everything that Riku does. Such a deep and personal connection was how Kirinmaru learned of Setsuna's resurrection.
 * Bokusenō makes his second appearance since the original series.

Error

 * When Sesshōmaru holds Rin as she faints, his sash can be seen in front of Rin.
 * Tōga was erroneously using Tessaiga against Kirinmaru 600 years ago, contradicting the fact that it had had been forged for the purpose of protecting his human wife Izayoi.

Episodi 27 (Hanyo no Yashahime) Episodio 27 (Hanyo no Yashahime)