Hey all, new chapter at last!
So sorry for the longer than usual delay. I've been under some stress lately, and then of course the weather's been rather bitchy in regards to the temperature, making me want to lay down and do as little as possible.
But, I'm feeling better, and I'm gonna get back on track with the writing as best as I can.
Glad to see that the story is still popular; cracked into the 5000 mark in views! (Applause)
Keep it up, and enjoy the latest in this adventure!
Update (August 2020): Chapter edited and lengthened!
Chapter 28: History of the Shikon-no-Tama Unearthed
(Scrub, scrub...scrub, scrub, scrub...)
It's been several days since the battle with the demon puppet created in Naraku's image (sometimes known as a Kugutsu), and our traveling group of teens are still hanging around in the decimated village that once housed the secret clan of demon slayers, or yōkai taijiya. A melancholy air hangs over the grounds like mist after a fresh Spring rain, the atmosphere especially thick with sadness over the graves of the defenseless victims of the demon horde...
We zoom in on Coraline while she washes two of her tank-tops and a shirt, using a special biodegradable soap she brought in her satchel, and an old washtub she found undamaged from the attack. As for her current attire, she's wearing forest green cargo pants, an Isabelline white spaghetti strap tank top, her black combat boots, and has her hair tied into twin ponytails.
She wipes some sweat from her forehead, thinking to herself nonchalantly,
Maybe I should consid'a bringin' fabric spray...
Meanwhile, Shippō and Myōga explore the huts that were still in fair condition, marveling at the items they found.
"Woo-hoo! There's every weapon under the sun here, all made from the hides and bones of demons!"
As they examine a kama, the flea demon notes,
"The people of this village used these arms to slay demons."
"They must've been pretty strong for humans!"
"Yes. That's why the demons had so much anger towards this place."
The young fox forms a glare as he comments,
"Naraku took advantage of their hatred," and Myōga shares in the hateful distaste.
"He used the demons to do his dirty work."
Back outside, the young Croft rings and flaps out the last of her clothes, before laying them alongside Sango's clothing, to which the redhead kindly offered to wash.
...Sango...
Her eyes dilate with sadness as she laments over the events that brought her and the others thus far in their adventure, including the surviving demon slayer's newly grim reality.
T' think, this place once stood proud as'e village of strong warri'rs dedicated to fighting malicious demons...
Now thanks to Naraku's treacherous scheme, the entire population, save Sango, has been massacr'd.
...I feel so sorry for h'r...
All this obliteration, because the village harbo'd fragments of the damned Shikon-no-Tama, along with its history...
I just hope comin' here wasn' all for not...Still...
The redhead sighs and begins walking over to another hut where the brunette is currently resting, muttering bitterly,
"I'm starting to believe tha' jewel is nothin' but an omen of death."
At the same time Coraline made her way to see the demon slayer and bring them their clothes, Miroku is seen sitting in front of a blazing fire as he sends prayers to the fallen...But his work would soon be interrupted by Inuyasha carrying more wood for the fire, the latter becoming increasingly impatient with all of this waiting around.
"Damn it, what's goin' on here, anyway? Hey, Miroku, is that Sango girl still in bed healing her wounds or what?"
The monk sighs exasperatedly and replies,
"Yes, I believe she is."
"Well she can't sleep all day. Get her out of bed! She's the only one who knows where Naraku's hiding!"
The half-demon tosses the logs into the blaze and adds,
"She said that she can't remember how to get back to the castle where Naraku's staying. But if we keep lookin' around, somethin's bound to jog her memory sooner or later."
"Must've been a spell, and now that it's worn off, she's forgotten everything about Naraku and his whereabouts."
"Who cares about a stupid spell or wounds?! We've been here ten days! I would've been up in three!"
Miroku smiles sadly and says,
"Not me. I would've been bed-ridden for at least a month. (Frowns) Besides, Sango's not just suffering physically: she's lost her entire family and village. Her heart's been deeply wounded."
Inuyasha retorts with a slab of sarcasm,
"Ooo, a wounded heart? Well, the best cure for that is vengeance! And in order to get revenge, we have to find Naraku's castle! I'm gonna see if she remembers anything."
(...Bonk)
"Agh!"
A log of wood whacks the side of his head, and he snaps at the one who threw it,
"Why'd you do that?!"
The other male gets up and says with a calm smile,
"Leave her alone and let her rest for a while. I guarantee that will be the best medicine...Besides..."
He watches the redheaded teen start her gradual approach up the stairs of the hut where the brunette is currently laying.
"I have a feeling Coraline may be able to speak to her better than the two of us can...since she understands the feeling of losing a family member to murder before her very eyes..."
"Huh?"
Inuyasha turns to watch said girl enter the only truly intact building...before his eyes widen as he realizes,
He's right. Coraline knows exactly how Sango feels...
For her, Bishop is what Naraku is to the slayer.
Coraline's POV
I walk into the only hut miraculously untouched by the demon chaos with Sango's clothes, as well as the first aid kit to do some more treatment of her wounds...But when I get inside...
"What? Sango?"
...Where'd she go?
I look back outside, peering to and fro as I try to locate the missing slayer, finally spotting her kneeling in front of the graves of the villagers, still dressed in only her nagajuban.
...Oh dear. I had a feelin' she'd end up there eventually.
I put my pile of items down before making my way over there...I could see that she's holding one of the flowers I placed on the graves, and Kilala was snuggling up to her side, obviously trying to comfort her. Smiling sadly, I move to kneel on the right side of the slayer.
"Hey...Y' sure you should be up roigh' now, Sango? Your injuries still need a'bi' of time t' heal."
"...The graves."
"Hm?"
"You buried all of the villagers, and you marked their graves."
"...Well o' course. It wouldn't have been right no' to."
Sango goes back to staring at the flower, and I feel my heart clench at the sorrow radiating off her.
...There's no way I can tell 'er to cheer up. This is all still too raw. All i' took was a single night, and she became an orphan.
...Much like I did those years ago...
I shiver from the unpleasant memories, before taking a deep breath and addressing the older girl beside me.
"Listen, Sango...I'm not gonna act th' type who says the pain will go away in time...because the truth is, it doesn't."
She turns to me confused, and I continue.
"I understand the anguish and sorrow you must be feelin'...for I too lost a loved one, my fath'a thanks to a despicable man, and almost met a similar fate. It's been five years since that day, and I still feel the pain and hatred as fresh as i' was back then...However, I learned a long time ago that you can either le' yourself wallow in self-pity and anger...or, you can take the pain, and reshape it into something you can use to help you keep goin' in life."
I place a gentle hand on her shoulder and add,
"Don't allow yourself t' be swallowed by the darkness of yo'r suffering, Sango. Mourn for as long as you have t'...but remember you have the power to take your pain and make into a strength to carry on...I'm, sure your loved ones would wan' that for yae..."
She stares at me for a moment with wide eyes...and the next thing I knew, she's hugging me!
"Uh!"
I then feel her body trembling, and she whispers tearfully,
"Th-Thank you...I, hope you're right..."
Another sad smile graces my lips as I hug her back, murmuring soothingly,
"You're welcome, Sango."
After a couple minutes, she stops crying and allows us to part, turning her attention back to the graves.
...It wouldn' be righ'to leave her on her own after askin' about the jewel...
Maybe I can persuade 'er to join us.
"Say, when your wounds are fully healed, why not consid'a joining up with us? Inuyasha and Miroku are good guys, even with d'eir quirks, and Shippō's a real sweetheart...You don' have to answer right away, but 'ey, it'd be better than goin' about on yer own."
...She doesn't answer my question, instead asking one of her own.
"That's a Shikon-no-Tama shard around your neck, isn't it?"
"Hm? Oh, yes..."
I grab out the said shard and mutter neutrally,
"The Shikon-no-Tama shards...they really have a bad habit of fuelin' power to the likes of darkness...There's still a good number of shards ou' there needed to restore the jewel back to wha' it was before."
"...Naraku will come after it. I'm positive...That's why I want to join you and your friends."
I nod understandingly:
"To avenge yo' family and fellow villagers, correct?"
Sango rises gingerly to a stand and replies,
"Mm, I guess so. Besides, the Shikon-no-Tama-"
"Was born here, yes; that's what I've learned recently. The others and I originally came 'ere in hopes of learnin' more of the jewel's history, includin' how and even why it was created."
All who come in contact with th' jewel seem to be granted with nothing but despair.
What is it, and wha' is the original purpose for its existence?
"(Mew...)"
"Hm?"
I look down and see Kilala sitting in front of me. I smile a bit and pet her:
"Hey. You doin' alright there, lass?"
"...Alright. Call your friends."
"Huh?"
I turn confusingly to Sango, and she says,
"You helped bury the dead...and your words were blunt but comforting."
As she begins to slowly walk away from the graves, she adds,
"So I will tell you, how the Shikon-no-Tama came to be."
Small Time Skip, No POV
Soon enough, our group of seven would return to the mysterious natural void, with Inuyasha carrying Sango on his back so that she didn't strain herself...
"At long last, we will be able to enter the limestone cave, the birthplace of the Jewel of the Four Souls."
The silverette asks the woman in his arms,
"So, tell us, Sango, how do we get rid of this stupid cave barrier, anyway?"
Myōga adds,
"We need to know what age old chant your villagers used to break the barrier and pass through safely."
"There isn't any incantation."
"Doh! Agh, of course there is! How else would you do it?!"
Inuyasha glares and mutters the flea demon's name, then blows him off Sango's sleeve before she explains,
"This place is a graveyard."
"Graveyard?"
"It's useless to just try and look for a way in. At first, my villagers had thought the demons had placed a curse to keep anyone from entering...But we eventually realized that it was she who keeps intruders out."
"And who is she?"
She says to Miroku,
"The person whom the Shikon-no-Tama was born. Her spirit is full of sadness and regret, and it prevents others from entering...That's what I sense. It will be easier to understand once we go in. Go on, step through the barrier."
"Uh..."
Inuyasha is a bit uncertain, considering what happened during his last attempts to enter, but nonetheless steps forward.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Countless people have been killed because of the Shikon-no-Tama's dark power, and it is the sympathy that you show for the victims that leads me to believe she will allow you to enter the cave."
Everyone begins to slowly make their way in...
(Glow)
"Huh?" "Hm?"
The energy of the barrier surrounds their bodies for a minute...before fading away.
Shippō comments in his own surprise,
"Hey, she's right. We got through."
They all start the walk down the rocky path, leaving Myōga the last to catch up as he says to himself excitedly,
"They did it! Now we can meet the person who gave birth to the Shikon-no-Tama! Enter, Myōga!"
...But upon leaping into the mouth of the natural void...
(Bzzzzt)
"Gah!"
He would be denied passage and thrown back outside, much to his confusion.
"Now why did that happen...?!"
While he ponders the mystery, we tail the rest of the group as they enter a section of the cave carrying hundreds of bones from deceased demons...Soon enough, they reach the heart, standing in front of a large statue made from the natural rock, depicting a monstrous demon grasping onto another figure...
"Wh-What the heck is this?"
Sango explains to Inuyasha as she moves to stand on her own two feet (with Coraline acting as a support),
"There was a time when ogres, dragons and other demons merged their bodies together to wage in battle. They fought against one powerful human."
As the two women knelt downward, the girl from another time narrows her eyes a bit as she examines the stone.
"...I see, a pers'n...a woman, carved into the stalagmi'."
Zooming in on said statue, we see the figure as a young woman with long hair, wearing garments similar to a priestess but with armor added on, and a hole in her torso...Inuyasha points out,
"The demon has her in its jaws," followed my Miroku remarking,
"Ancient armor...Is that an ancient warrior?"
Sango replies,
"It's a woman, a priestess that lived many centuries ago."
"Look at all of the demons surrounding her...This priestess must have had immense spiritual power."
She nods at the silverette before going into more detail about the time this figure was alive.
"The court nobles controlled the country at the time. Wars and famines dragged on and on, with countless perished. Demons devoured the dead, and the near-dead, and were able to grow in great numbers. Many priests and warriors set out to slay them, but only one priestess, known as Midoriko, was able to purify demon souls, and render them harmless...She was considered, the most powerful human of her time."
Coraline's eyes sparkle with curiousity:
"Fascinating. Midoriko was really so powerful?"
"Mhm. In her world, humans, demons, trees and even stones were all created through the Four Souls."
"The Four Souls..."
That's wha' Shikon translates to...
Miroku takes a step further in explaining the concept.
"I've come across that philosophy in my readings. The Four Souls were called Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama. When they're combined, they create the soul of one person, housed inside the heart. Aramitama is Courage, Nigimitama is Friendship, Kushimitama is Wisdom, and Sakimitama is Love."
He wanders forward to look at the statue more closely as he finishes his thoughts.
"When the Four Souls or Spirits work together in harmony, it is called Naohi, and the human heart is filled with goodness. Are you keeping up with me, Inuyasha?"
The half-demon's face heats slightly with a small blush of embarrassment and he admits,
"Eh, um, not really..."
Shippō wasn't fully understanding the philosophy either, falling forward from the sheer weight of his dizzying confusion.
"This is waaay too deep for me..."
Coraline helps Sango sit down on a nearby boulder as the latter says,
"When somebody does a bad deed, the Four Souls energize evil, and the human loses their way. In other words..."
Miroku finishes,
"In other words, a soul can turn good or bad, and this transformation can happen within a human soul, or a demon soul."
"Now you know why Midoriko was a formidable foe for the demons, because she was able to purify their souls and make them powerless."
Inuyasha scoffs out,
"So what? She fought off an army of demons by turning them into a bunch of weaklings. (Grim smirk) Well her power didn't last very long, did it? I'd say she's a pretty useless priestess now."
"She hasn't lost the battle yet."
The redhead looks at the brunette beside her in puzzlement at that remark.
Hasn' lost yet? Wha'does she mean?
She turns back to the statue...and notices a specific feature.
Hang on...Midoriko has a hole in 'er chest, going all the way throu-...
Could that mean...?!
"After battling for seven days and seven nights, a demon got its fangs into Midoriko...With her last ounce of energy, she reached deep within her own body for strength, and ceased the demon's soul. But in doing so, she forced out her own soul."
Staring at the monument for a minute, the monk with Prussian blue irises then asks,
"Tell me, is the hole in her chest the spot where she forced out her own soul?"
"...What flew out of her, was in fact the Shikon-no-Tama. She wasn't able to purify the demon's soul; all she could do was seize and imprison it, along with herself."
Coraline reaches to the shard around her neck as Sango adds,
"Although the flesh is gone, inside the Shikon-no-Tama, a battle still wages between Midoriko and the demons...That is why the fight is not over yet."
"A war between souls inside a jewel...Incredible..."
Inuaysha isn't quite as fascinated as the teen from another time is.
"Keh, it's not like this story complicates things. We just have to worry about Naraku hunting after the jewel shards."
He turns from the statue and adds with a smug smile,
"I'm gonna take the jewel, and use it to become a full-fledged demon, and then Midoriko can rest in peace...Uh?"
Suddenly, his body begins to glow a strange silvery white...
(Ka-WHOOOSH)
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!"
And before anyone could react fast enough, the half-demon goes flying out of the cave, passing through the barrier and soaring a good distance away from the natural void's entrance!
...
...
Back inside the cave, Miroku comments,
"Looks like those who talk about the Shikon-no-Tama and selfish gain get thrown from the cave."
Shippō adds nervously from the monk's shoulder,
"That must be Midoriko's version of 'Sit'."
...
...
...
"Good, th' clothes and blanket are dry now..."
After exiting the darkened area and meeting the sight of the sunset's beautiful orange glow, the group would return to the silent, damaged village for another night of rest. While the others were inside the single-standing hut (Inuyasha most likely being treated for minor injuries after his rough landing), Coraline found herself taking down the small amount of laundry she had hanging on a clothesline, while Myōga was being relayed by the fox demon of the new information regarding the jewel sought by souls of every kind...
"A priestess inside of a stalagmite?! Oh my, tell me all of the juicy details, Shippō!"
Nodding, the little ginger summarizes,
"The priestess thrust the Shikon-no-Tama out of her body while the demon had her in its jaws, and the image of them is set in stone."
"Hmm...They were covered in the stalagmite. So then several centuries must have passed since the battle just as Sango said..."
...Later in the evening, we see the silverette sitting on the roof of the hut as opposed to the rest sitting inside, listening to the surviving demon slayer speak about the Shikon-no-Tama's more recent history.
"My villagers have worked as slayers for generation upon generations. That likely has something to do with Midoriko's influence...For centuries, the Shikon-no-Tama has passed to several humans and demons, and eventually returned here during my grandfather's time. The Shikon-no-Tama had come out of the demon he had slain...But my grandfather's life, along with many others, were sacrificed in the battle. The Shikon-no-Tama was removed from the demon, but it was horribly defiled, and the slayers did not possess the ability to handle it."
"So they put it in Kikyō's care..."
"Kikyō? Was she the priestess who had the ability to purify the Shikon-no-Tama?"
Miroku nods,
"Yes, but Naraku found out about her and killed her."
The brunette is silent for a moment...before commenting,
"When demons and evil humans possess it, the jewel becomes defiled. When a purehearted soul possesses it, the jewel transforms, and becomes pure."
Coraline soothingly rubs Shippō's back as he sleeps against her left leg, listening as the monk mutters almost frustratingly,
"It's all very complicated: it's a jewel that possesses the power for good or evil, but I've never heard of an instance when it's been used for good. And as long as Naraku is after it, there will be more and more bloodshed. So we must, put an end to the Shikon-no-Tama's bad karma."
Miroku turns his head to the ceiling, and calls to the other soul in their group,
"Inuyasha, you must relinquish all thoughts of using the Shikon-no-Tama to become a full demon."
Outside, the silverette just 'Fehs' and says in his mind,
First things first, I have to focus on destroying Naraku...
Back inside, a quiet sigh escapes the only other female's lips and she says,
"There's no point in tryin' to persuade 'im, Miroku. Inuyasha is set in his ways, and we just have t' accept his decision when it comes."
"...You actually support the idea of him becoming a full-fledged demon?"
Coraline smiles calmly and replies,
"To be a good friend means supporting tha' friend's decisions in life, no matter how reckless or irrational it may be to others. It's something my brothers Freeman and Besa taught me..."
"Your, brothers?"
She turns to Sango and says with a small laugh,
"Well, we're not related by blood, of course, but that's how I see them, and they see me as their sister. We're, just tha' close...I was born an only child, and after travelin' here to Japan - in my time - when my father was murdered years ago, I was adopted by the Higurashi family."
"(Nod) I see..."
Letting out another breath of dissatisfaction as her mind refocuses back on current affairs, Coraline then comments,
"But back to the topic a' hand...the whole concept of the jewel defiled versus purified and evil humans...I dunno if I can agree with the terms."
"What do you mean?"
She looks over at Miroku and answers,
"I mean that the idea of pure humans and evil humans sounds like absolu' ludicrous te me. I've never once believed anyone can be truly pure of hear'. And labeling the jewel with terms like defiled and pure...It almos' sounds like a virgin before they're, 'deflowered' if you'll pardon my phrasin'."
Sango's eyes widen a bit at the redhead's rather nonchalant tone, while the monk laughs awkwardly at the word choice.
"Oh dear, I didn't think you would take the terms so seriously."
"You say tha' like you don't."
"Huh?"
Coraline gently moves Shippō off of her leg, before rising to walk towards the doorway with a rather grim look on her face.
"Everyone speaks of the jewel as something that can be saved from 'evil', but I think the Shikon-no-Tama is nothin' more than an omen for death...and there's nothing tha' can be done to change its path of 'bad karma'."
The monk and slayer gasp at the girl's judgement, and she leaves with another huff of air.
Inuyasha's POV
I found myself hanging on every word Coraline ranted regarding the jewel, and I'm watching her leave the hut now with wide eyes, shocked by both her support of my wish and her rather cold thoughts of the object.
An omen for death?...Has her opinion really gotten that grim?
Still...she, supports my decision...
Her body disappears out the front gate of this wrecked village, and I decide to follow after her incase not every demon from the raid had left the area (or at least that's the excuse I'm going with...). Leaping off the roof, I land a few feet away from the entrance, seeing that she's sitting on the edge of the cliff path, looking up at the sky.
"...I know you're there, Inuyasha."
"Uh!"
Damn, how'd she know?
She turns to give me a small knowing smile.
"I can sense yo'r aura, remember?"
"...Right."
"Heh, it's okay...You can come si-er, drop down beside me if you wan'."
I give her a smirk-glare at that near slip of the tongue regarding those damn beads, but accept her invitation nonetheless. I plop down on her left with one arm propped on my knee, and neither one of us says anything for a while...I then ask her,
"...Do you really support my decision?"
"Why wouldn't I? It's wha' you want most in life, is it not? Achieving a strength tha's been denied to you for'a long time, and becomin' someone you can be proud of bein'."
I look at her with surprise, before asking in a strangely timid tone,
"But, what if, I'm not the same afterwords?...What if, when I become a full-fledged demon, I'm, not the person I am now?"
...Huh. So I'm actually worried about it...Hauh, I guess saying out loud makes it true...
"Inuyasha..."
I turn to see her looking at me with a mix of concern and curiousity.
"Are you really worried about tha'? (Small smile) Because you shouldn't be."
"Huh?"
"I have faith in you, faith that yo'll be who you are, no matter if you're half-dem'n or otherwise."
"...You have faith in me?"
She nods, and I feel my heart warm up a bit.
...No one's ever said, they had faith in me before.
I couldn't help it; I had to crack a small smile back at this strange girl.
"...Thank you. I, appreciate that you support me."
"Heh, no problem."
We turn to look at the stars again...and after a few minutes of comfortable silence, I bring up another question.
"...I heard you talkin' about the jewel pretty bitterly earlier, and, something about humans never being truly pure of heart...Is that really what you believe in?"
I see her face shift to a frown as she answers,
"...Yes, I do...The idea of bein' completely pure just seems impossible to me. We all do good and bad deeds here and there, even if they're minor. To be void of any darkness, doesn' sound right to me. If one is completely pure and innocen', how can they be prepared for the harshness of life?"
"Hm...I see what you mean about that. Too much innocence can lead to ignorance...But what about that death omen bit?"
...I hear no answer come out of her...
"Coraline?"
"Hauh, alrigh', maybe that was a bit harsh of me to say...But, it seems like whomever possesses the jewel will eventually meet d'eir untimely end, and in a horrible way. An' the battles being waged because of it only add to th' growing casualty list...The Shikon-no-Tama, to me, doesn' represent good or evil...Instead, it represents an unforgivin' grim reaper, just waiting to swing d'eir scythe at their next victim."
...Coraline...
I feel my eyes soften at the morbid redhead, and before I knew it, I placed an arm around her shoulders.
"H-Huh?"
She looks at me in surprise at my gesture:
"I-Inuyasha, wh-what...?"
I smirk a tad at her sudden timidness, and say a bit teasingly,
"Keh, never thought I'd ever see you act shy."
She blushes in embarrassment and retorts halfheartedly,
"Shut up..."
I chuckle a bit and say more gently,
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing...It's cute."
Whoa whoa whoa, what?! Did I seriously just say that?!
"...You, think I'm cute?"
Crap, I did.
"U-Um...yeah. I mean, why not?"
Her blush grows a bit more, and she smiles before saying softly,
"Thanks...I've, never really been called cute before..."
"Really?"
"Yeah...I've, never really given beauty much though'. Just doesn't seem like an necessity; only makes y' vain."
"Hm..."
We both go quiet after that, nothing else to really talk about.
Instead, we just enjoy this moment of peace, and I pull her a bit closer to me, she cuddling back.
Man...I haven't felt this content in a long time...
And, having Coraline here with me, just the two of us...it feels right.
But the quiet wouldn't last for too much longer, when I suddenly feel Coraline's muscles stiffen.
"Hm? What is it?"
"...I sense something...somethin' off."
She turns her head back towards the village...and I see her eyes glow for a second, before she widens them and says,
"The cave; the demon spiri's...They're comin' back!"
"What?!"
"We need to get ov'a there, now!"
No POV
At the same time Inuyasha and Coraline were having a midnight chat, the others in their group had fallen asleep in the hut...All except for one. Kilala suddenly stirs awake, and exits the small structure before bounding in the direction of the limestone cave...
Zooming in on said natural void, one could hear the familiar ding that resonates from a certain jewel, belonging to the large piece that was once around Coraline's neck. She had given it to Miroku before she left the hut for safekeeping, plus she didn't want to look at it at the time...Unfortunately, the sleeping monk will have been procured of the Shikon-no-Tama by another demon on their side, their curiousity over the jewel's history putting a temporary lapse on their judgement...
Anyway, we watch the twin-tail cat stop to sit in front of the statue depicting Midoriko and the demon she fought in her last battle...She then scratches at her neck, prompting Myōga to jump out.
"Ah, good. Thank you, Kilala. We made good time coming here."
He turns his attention to the priestess of stone.
"Midoriko, I too feel compassion towards humans. However, when one lives as long as I have and sees a great deal of death, and becomes hardened by it...Please forgive me. This afternoon, I was too eager in my pursuit for the truth. But since you've allowed me to pass through the barrier, I take it you understand?"
"(Mew...)"
"Oh, sorry, sorry, Kilala. I'll be finished here soon."
Myōga then proceeds to drag the large jewel fragment with him in a blue cloth up to the statue itself.
"(Hop) Urh, damn arthritis...So many huge demons. A single priestess took on this many demons at once? Unbelievable; simply unbelievable. Numerous smaller demons merged together to form huge ones!...Hm? What's that in her armor? Ooh, I bet that's the hole where the Shikon-no-Tama was forced out. Yep, it must be, judging from the size..."
(...Rumble...)
"Wh-What's going on?! Gah!"
The flea demon looses his grip on the cloth, and the jewel shard tumbles to the ground below...!
Kilala growls, knowing something is about to erupt...Myōga says to himself worriedly,
"Ooooh, I have a bad feeling about this!"
...The shaking slows for a moment...
(POW)
But then, a sunset coral glow emits from the ground below, along with several orange orbs!
"Damn, it's the power of the Shikon-no-Tama! The demons who were completely subdued are trying to revive!"
The apparent demonic spirits shoot straight into the statue, the impact causing Myōga to fall backwards for Kilala to catch. The cat demon then faces the statue, and surrounds herself with fire, before transforming into her full demon form.
...
...
Thankfully, by this time, someone else besides the redhead yonder had felt the shift in atmosphere, and Miroku hurries out the hut on alert.
"What was-"
"Miroku!"
He turns at the call of his name, spotting Inuyasha and Coraline running towards him.
"Did you feel that too?"
"Yes. Something's wro-Oh, damn!"
Miroku feels around his neck, and realizes something is missing.
"The jewel shard is gone!"
Coraline's eyes narrow as she mutters,
"I bet whateva's going on in Midoriko's cave has somethin' to do with that..."
"We have no time to lose!"
...Just as they prepare to head for said natural void, the teenage girl stops when Shippō pops out of the hut and says to her,
"Hah, hah, Myōga is missing, Coraline. Do you know where he went?"
"No...I would'v assumed 'e went with Inuyasha, but..."
"(Shakes head) Not a chance! That little coward never sticks his nose into danger. He always hides when there's trouble. Myōga, where are you?!"
Back inside, Sango - also woken up by the commotion - notices her companion was missing too.
"Where's, Kilala?"
Coraline hums over the current factors...before her eyes widen, and she curses loudly when she realizes,
"Shit! Myōga, he-"
...
...
Back in the cave, Kilala dodges the orbs as they try to charge at her, while the flea demon was trying to urge her to retreat.
"Kilala, run! Call Inuyasha and Miroku!"
But she ignores him, choosing to charge forward instead...
"What's the matter, Kilala? Oh, right; we have to get the jewel shard back!"
...But just as the twin-tail leaps towards the fabled shard, the spiritual image of the monstrous demon suddenly springs forth from the stone, ensnaring her in a vice grip!
"(Rowl)"
"Kilala!"
The head of the demon would then come out, readying itself to attack...
"Demon spirits! They're transforming into something foul!"
The antagonistic entity brings the twin-tail closer, prompting her to let out another frustrated howl.
"Hang on, Kilala, please! Oooh, this isn't looking too good!"
...Just when things were about to take a turn for the worst...
(Sheen...)
"Huh? That's...What?!"
The statue of Midoriko glows that familiar amaranth pink, before her own spirit comes forth! Sensing their age-old enemy, the demon refocuses its attention on the priestess as she draws out her sword, then sends an energy wave attack against the demon.
(POW)
"The priestess, Midoriko...!"
...But the image fades, and we see that 'Midoriko' is actually Inuyasha!...Kilala lands on the ground safely, followed by the half-dog demon who then shouts,
"Hurry, Miroku!"
Said monk rushes over to where the Shikon-no-Tama shard fell, and takes it back before whirling back around on his heel.
"There! I shouldn't linger here with the jewel shard. I have to leave the cave!"
"Go!"
Putting his Tessaiga away as the other young male hightails it for the outside, Inuyasha says to himself,
"Keh, now that's over with..."
He walks over to Kilala and begins searching her fur.
"I only know one creature on the face of this whole earth who would pull a stunt as stupid as this one..."
The cowering flea demon is easily found, who springs to a stand and says,
"Oh, Master Inuaysha! Ah, thank goodness nothing too serious has happened..."
"Oh cut the crap, will ya? Why'd ya drag the jewel shard to a place like this in the middle of the night?"
"I-I was asleep on Kilala's back, and before I knew it, she had taken me here!"
Said cat demon growls, not amused by Myōga's fib...
"You liar!"
"I-It's true! A-And when we got here, the demon spirits that still had some evil energy in them reacted and revived with the light from the Shikon-no-Tama!"
"I could'a told ya that would happen, ya idiot! Tryin' to smooth over the fact that you were nearly killed? Keh, I should'a never bothered in savin' you..."
The flea demon is a little confused, having seen Midoriko perform the act rather than his young charge.
"Uh, excuse me, Master Inuyasha, but I don't recall you actually saving me..."
"Use your little brain! Don't be so dumb!"
Inuyasha then snatches up Myōga, and proceeds to shake him while beginning his journey out of the cave, even with the protests that echoed along the way.
"I'm, not, being, dumb! The priestess Midoriko saved me, not you!"
"Save your dreamin' for sleep!"
The flea demon is then thrown into a stalactite, and floats to the ground...As this went on, Kilala slowly moves towards the statue, and stares at the depicted Midoriko for a moment, before moving to curl up and rest below...
Almost as if, old companions had reunited for a moment of peace.