Restored

...

Raids

Princess Abi and her flock of blood-drinking bird demons prove a difficult opponent for the Inutachi. Flight grants them the ability to easily escape from the group and their complete lack of jewel shards makes tracking them almost impossible. In their travels from one wrecked village to another Kagome hears rumours of a saint, a 'Holy One' gifted with spiritual powers that the survivors of the attacks are looking for.

Recognising that the villagers are probably walking into a trap of some kind Inuyasha hurries the band onwards towards the shrine where this so-called 'Holy One' is supposed to live.

Strike

On reaching the shrine the tachi is promptly attacked by Hakudoshi riding on Entei and Kagura wielding her fans while princess Abi and her bird youkai swarm the building, feasting on the locals. Hakudoshi taunts Inuyasha from behind a barrier even Red Tessaiga cannot break, the sword-spirit's blood-coloured cleaver slashing at the pale child to no effect. The young-looking detachment is about to attack when an arrow from a hooded figure near the trees shatters the pale child's defence.

Seizing the unexpected opportunity the hanyou attacks again, cutting Hakudoshi to pieces. The detachment however does not die despite the lethal wounds and Kagura swoops in to snatch up the dismembered pieces then flees with them. Entei stays behind to avenge his rider but is destroyed when Inuyasha uses his Backlash Wave on the demon horse, proving Kagome's theory that, however resistant, some attacks were just too powerful for the fire youkai to throw off.

Search

Careful examination of the arrow that broke Hakudoshi's barrier leads Kagome to believe Kikyou is the saint the villagers speak of, even though Inuyasha insists that the projectile does not carry the undead miko's scent. The hanyou decides nonetheless to meet this saint person for himself, so the band of shard hunters chases after the Holy One, who has slain the bird demons to protect the villagers and is hunting down princess Abi.

The trail leads them to the Forbidden Mountain.

Distraction

On reaching the mountain Kagome sees a great many lesser demons who are also looking for the mysterious saint. Inuyasha decides that the best course of action is for him to stay behind and fight off the youkai so the rest of the group can run on ahead and find the Holy One.

Kagome doesn't mind too much; she is confident in her growing abilities and recognises that Inuyasha is not even slightly threatened by the mindless horde attaching him. Even without Tessaiga the hanyou is stronger than his current opponents.

Further up the path Kagome spots another group of demons. Sango and Miroku promptly wade into the fight while Shippo sits tight on Kirara and provides distractions and backup; it is almost ten months since the tachi first formed and they fight together like an experienced unit now.

The miko does not join the fray: she has spotted two very familiar soul collectors. Seeing that her friends do not really need her help right now Kagome slips away, Inutaisho at her side, in search of Kikyou.

Cleansing

Kagome finds the undead miko in a pool beneath a waterfall, guarded by two shikigami. The duo, who look like well-dressed nine-year-olds, explain that both they and the 'Holy One' are Kikyou's servants, charged with her protection. They also tell the temporally displaced miko that Kikyou is slowly being poisoned by Naraku's miasma from the attack at Mt Hakurei and only Kagome can heal the damage.

Dokuseiga looks sceptical and Inutaisho appears lost in thought, but Kagome heeds her miko instincts and jumps into the water without a second thought.

Purifying Kikyou is surprisingly easy, but Kagome senses that the undead miko does not have much time left before her damaged shell can no longer keep her soul from the afterlife, even with a chunk of Kagome's own soul restraining her. With this in mind the time-travelling miko surreptitiously infuses Kikyou's clay body with a time barrier, slowing its decay and reducing the undead miko's need to consume pure souls in order to retain her power.

Changes

Kagome is pulled out of the water by the two shikigami, who also retrieve the now awake Kikyou. The clay miko gives the living one an unreadable look before gliding off, her two helpers at her heels and the Soul Collectors ranging ahead of her.

Inuyasha arrives on the scene a short while later and Kagome tells him what happened, suggesting he go looking for Kikyou since she isn't far away. The hanyou gives the miko an odd look before shaking his head.

"You're wet, tired and need feeding," her puppy-eared friend says flatly, "my father would have my head if I didn't take care of you and who knows what my bastard brother would do. You're pack, Kagome. Kikyou isn't and pack comes first."

The miko isn't sure what to say to that, so says nothing at all.


Could it possibly be that Inuyasha is growing a brain? Will wonders never cease? Oh, and Kagome gets to use her more interesting abilities again, this time on Kikyou.