Kurai and Reiko were in a forest, by a waterfall.
"You've gotta be kidding! Even if it is Feudal Japan… There's no hot baths?!" Kurai was standing naked in a river, shivering. "C-C-Cuh-Cuh…" Kurai squatted into the river. "Cold!"
Kaede was sitting on the riverbank by the fire. "Kurai, Reiko, don't force it. Come on out."
"No! I'm all bloody and dirty. And I can't stand my filthy hair!" Reiko snapped.
Kurai gathered herself for a moment and plunged into the water. Kaede gave up and sighed. Upwards there was a cliff overlooking the riverbank. Inuyasha was resting on one of the tree branches, eyeing Kurai sideways spitefully. Kurai was swimming in the river.
Kurai was thinking. The Sacred Jewel…
The Night Before
Kurai held up her and and it glowed the pink color of the Shikon. She looked at it intently. Kurai, Reiko, Inuyasha, and Kaede were sitting in Kaede's hut, by the fire.
"What's going on?!" Inuyasha demanded.
"Stop barking, Inuyasha." Kaede said.
"What happened to the Jewel?!" Inuyasha snapped
"Kurai is the catalyst for the Shikon no Tama," Kiana said, entering the hut. "When she comes into contact with a shard she absorbs it."
"But then...what about the jewel?" Kurai wondered. "I still feel it's power."
"It can be used still, but only by and through you," Kaede confirmed. "It is a mystery, but Lady Midoriko's soul is contained in the jewel, and Kurai is the Lady Priestess' reincarnation. It is only natural that she should call back the pieces of her own soul."
"It wasn't my fault… was it?" Kurai said. I feel sort of responsible…
"Kurai, Reiko, Inuyasha… You must use your combined strength to gather the fragments and restore the Sacred Jewel!" Kaede said.
"Heh?" Kurai said, shocked.
"Listen up, old hag! I'm one of the "evil-doers" looking for the Jewel!" Inuyasha said.
"He has a point." Reiko said.
"It cannot be helped…" Kaede said.
Present Day
Kurai and Reiko were swimming and bathing in the river.
"Besides, I don't have such powers…! And Inuyasha is so selfish!" Kurai thought.
Kurai stood up in the water, and walked towards Kaede. She looked upwards, noticing Inuyasha's presence. Inuyasha was sitting on the ledge of the cliff, staring at Kurai innocently, blinking his eyes. Horrified, Kurai screamed and sat back into the water.
"Koibito!" Kurai shouted
The rosary on INU's neck pulled at him, making him fall flat-faced onto the ground.
"So you are here, Inuyasha." Kaede said.
"Damn! I'd forgotten about the subjudawhatchamacallit." Inuyasha said.
Kurai put her clothes on behind a bush. "Shame on you! Spying like that!"
"Huh?! Keh! Idiot! All I was doing was-" Inuyasha said.
Reiko was holding the jewel up and turned to Inuyasha. "…trying to steal the Sacred Jewel. Yes, I know."
Inuyasha sat up. "If you knew, why'd you ask?"
"The future looks very bleak… Inuyasha, unless you join forces with Kurai, who has the ability to "see" the Jewel, there is no way all of the fragments will be found." Kaede said.
"And I'm tellin' you that if it's for the sake of the Sacred Jewel, I'll put up with the dumb girl, so stop worryin'!" Inuyasha said.
"Do you really dislike me that much, huh?" Kurai asked.
Kurai walked up to Inuyasha wearing Kaede's priestess clothes, with her hair loose, looking exactly like Midoriko, minus the armor.
Midoriko... Inuyasha thought.
A while later, Kurai was folding her school uniform. Inuyasha sat with his hands on the ground (like a dog), stared at Kurai and growled.
"What's that expression on your face, Inuyasha?" Kaede said.
Reiko chuckled.
Inuyasha shoved himself sideways from them. Kurai glared back.
"I am the catalyst for the Shikon no Tama." Kurai splayed out her hand which glowed pink with the Jewel's power. Kurai shivered. "That means-"
"That you are the perfect prey!" a woman responded, and hairs caught Kurai around the arms and legs, dragging her away.
Xxx
"Sister!" Reiko yelled. Her eyes flashed gold as anger and frustration overwhelmed her. "Kiana, why would a demon take my sister?"
"It is simple," Kiana responded. "That girl is the jewel now. She is a power source to any and all demons."
Reiko's fists clenched in anger and it took a moment for her to realize that Inuyasha had responded the same way.
"You're worried about Kurai?" Reiko asked in surprise.
"No way stupid," he responded irritably. "It's the Jewel I'm after."
"KOIBITO!" yelled Reiko.
Inuyasha faceplanted on the ground
Xxx
"Priestess Kaede…" Kiana said.
"Yes?" Kaede said.
"The girls in the village are in trouble." Kiana said.
"I see. I will be right there." Kaede said, and turned to Kiana. "I must return. Do not fight."
Kiana bowed to them and walked back to the village with Kaede. There was a long silence between Reiko and Inuyasha.
Reiko stood up and headed off.
"Hey. Where you going?" Inuyasha said.
"I've made up my mind. I'm going to find my sister. Goodbye, Inuyasha." Reiko walked off.
Inuyasha stood up. "Going home…? Hey!"
Reiko turned around. "What?! It's useless to try and stop me."
Inuyasha appeared in front of Reiko. "You can't just—"
"Koibito." Reiko said.
Inuyasha faceplanted.
Xxx
"This way, Priestess Kaede…" Kiana said.
Kaede entered the hut with Kiana. "She suddenly collapsed?"
A girl lay unconscious on a mat.
"Yes. She was just fine this morning." Kiana said.
"I see." Kaede said.
Kaede walked towards the girl. Suddenly, strange sounds were heard and Kaede stopped.
"Hmm?! Stay back!" Kaede said.
"Huh?!" Kiana said.
The girl suddenly floated in the air but she remained unconscious.
"She's… floating!" Kiana said.
The girl, floating in midair, turned around to face them, with outstretched arms and drooping head. Her hand raised slightly, revealing several strands of hair coiled around her hand.
"Hair…?!" Kaede aid.
A cleaver on the floor started trembling and flew into the girl's hand. She raised it and attacked.
A woman dropped to the ground.
"Hello there," she said softly, hopping around on air. "I have never seen two humans who looked just like each other. How strange..."
And before she knew it, Reiko was propelled into the air over the well and her head was gently tilted back as thin chords pulled around her neck.
Then she saw it. The demoness was surrounded by a web of hair. This hair was holding Reiko captive, and attacking Inuyasha.
Reiko walked up to the Dry Well.
Maybe Kurai went home? Reiko thought.
Something glimmered in the light. A falling leaf was sliced cleanly into two when it passed it. Reiko noticed and got up. Something cut her face. She looked around to find a tangle of very long hair surrounding her.
"It can't be! That's hair!" Reiko said.
A woman appeared and stood on a strand of hair.
No, Reiko thought. That is no woman. That is a demon.
"Oh, my! You can see it, then… my web of hair." The woman had hair wrapped around her fingers, like a puppeteer's strings "But being able to "see" it isn't enough…"
"Who're you?!" Reiko said.
The woman giggled evilly.
xxx
Inuyasha ran through a forest and leapt into the air.
Let her go, who cares? Inuyasha thought. I'm NOT going to save that Kurai girl.
He passed by Reiko and the woman standing over the well. Inuyasha paused, to see what was happening.
"They call me Mana of the Dolls." Mana said. "Though you needn't bother remembering it. Your time's about to run out!" She stretched out her hand toward Reiko. "What have you done to the Shikon no Tama? Why is it inside that mortal girl?"
"Give me back my sister!" Reiko snapped bravely.
"Answer my question! Where are the remaining fragments!?" Mana shouted.
"I… I don't know." Reiko noticed Inuyasha watching.
A sword floated towards Mana. "I see." Mana took the sword and jumped towards Reiko. "In that case…you may as well die!"
Mana swung her sword at Reiko. Reiko stepped backwards and falls into the well, screaming.
At the last moment she cried out for Inuyasha. "Inuyasha! Find my sister! She's using Kurai as a power source!"
Mana threw her swords in Reiko's direction in the well.
"It's useless to try and escape!" Mana said.
Nothing happened. Mana landed on top of the well. Her sword returned to her.
"Gone…" Mana peered into the well. "Who was that girl?"
"Gotta investigate this." Inuyasha said and leapt off.
Xxx
Inuyasha leapt again, entering the village. Several women floated in midair in the village square, all unconscious and holding a weapon in their hand. Inuyasha landed.
"What's with you all?" Inuyasha said.
One by one the women raised their weapon.
"Interesting! Wanna take me on, huh?" Inuyasha said.
The women floated towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha was getting ready to fight the floating girls.
"Wait a minute! They're all girls from the village. What's going on? Planning to tie me up again? Well, I'm not giving in." Inuyasha said.
Kaede was injured and crawling towards Inuyasha slowly. "Inuyasha, don't do it! Do not harm the girls!"
"Old Kaede!" Inuyasha leapt to where Kaede was. "Wow, look at you. You're a bloody mess."
"Have you nothing nicer to say?" Kaede said.
"So why shouldn't I hurt 'em, huh? They're sure tryin' to hurt me." Inuyasha said.
The girls closed in on Inuyasha and Kaede.
"They're all under a spell." Kaede looked around. "Kurai? Where's Kurai? And what happened to Reiko?"
"Reiko went back to her own land. Kurai...that demon has her. I don't need them to handle this." Inuyasha said.
"You mustn't. Do not touch the village girls!" Kaede said.
"Will you quit flappin' your gums already? Or have you forgotten they're after you, too." Inuyasha said.
"Don't you understand, Inuyasha? We must get to the one who is controlling them." Kaede said.
One of the girls flew at Inuyasha and attacked. Inuyasha dodged.
"Now you've completely lost it." Inuyasha said.
"Then Inuyasha, please… Cut the hair! Just cut the hair and the trance will be broken!" Kaede said.
"The what? I don't see anything." Inuyasha said.
xxx
Mana's hands were moving like a puppeteer's, controlling the hair around her fingers. She was sitting calmly on a tree.
"Now, then… Time to draw close this prey." Mana said.
Xxx
Inuyasha attacked one of the girls. She dodged and flew upwards. She raised a cleaver. Other girls also floated higher up in the air.
"No! Inuyasha, run!" Kaede said.
Several strands of hair coiled around Inuyasha, immobilizing him. Mana giggled evilly while controlling the strands around her floating bodies were controlled by hair, and they moved around Inuyasha to coil hair around him.
"They're not too smart, whoever's behind this. I may be tangled up, but even if I can't see who's doing it, I can cut down whoever's in front of me!" Inuyasha said.
Inuyasha pulled at the hair tangling him. Mana let some slack in the hair around her fingers.
"Oh, so sorry!" Mana said.
Inuyasha fell to the ground due to the slack in the hair tangling him.
"I suppose I've teased you long enough." Mana said.
Her fingers spread out, making a 'cat's cradle' hair formation with her fingers. She pulled her hands apart, making the 'cat's cradle' tighten into a smaller ring. Inuyasha lifted off the ground and slammed unto a tree. The tension of the hair tightly coiled around his neck and hands were making him wince in pain. He struggled in vain.
"Inuyasha…!" Kaede said.
Mana spread out her arms. Many strands of hair came out from her chest. The grip of the hair on him tightened, making it hard for him to breathe.
"Nnyaah!" Inuyasha gathered his strength.
Inuyasha let out a yell and pulled at the hair tangling around him and the tree. The tension in the hair tightened and slices the tree trunk, making it break into pieces. The tree fell and Inuyasha was released from the hair. The hair around Mana's fingers suddenly slack and droop.
Mana was surprised. "The tension's gone. The head must not have been severed." Mana was pissed.
Inuyasha felt around his neck, gasping for air.
"Oh, man… I thought I was done for." Inuyasha said.
"If you'd been a mere human, it would have come clean off." Mana said.
Some metallic sounds were heard in the background. The two of them looked up to find a few villager men, unconscious, floating towards them with weapons in their hands.
"The village men!" Kaede said.
"More human puppets? It's gettin' kinda old." Inuyasha said.
"Inuyasha, leave this to me and make your escape." Kaede said.
"Aw man, would you quit bein' such a martyr an'—" Inuyasha said.
Kaede collapsed onto the ground.
"Old Kaede!" Inuyasha said.
Kaede winced in pain from her injuries. "Inu…yasha…"
"Can't be helped." Inuyasha said.
Mana was on the tree, retrieving the puppet-ting hair. The end of the strand reached her, and a strand of silver hair was seen.
"Ooh! Such pretty, silver hair." Mana said.
Inuyasha was piggybacking Kaede.
"Hang in there, old woman!" Inuyasha said.
Kaede noticed a web of tight hair in front of them "Be careful, Inuyasha! The hair…"
Inuyasha leapt through the air, and snapping the hair without feeling anything or getting injured "You say somethin', old woman?"
"Never mind." Kaede said.
Mana swung from tree to tree using three strands of hair as a vine.
"Such a stubborn one. This is fun. And this silver hair… I must have it!" Mana said.
xxx
Evening, in a forest. Kaede lay on a heap of fallen leaves, in pain. Inuyasha squatted next to her.
"Old woman, you said you can see the strands! Tell me where it's being pulled from, then." Inuyasha said.
"Don't be ridiculous! With me in this condition, and even with my seeing powers… Hurry… Kurai and Reiko can—" Kaede said.
"So they can see it, too?" Inuyasha said.
"Yes. For this foe, Reiko… Reiko is necessary for victory…" Kaede said.
Kaede winced in pain and closed her eyes. Inuyasha looked at her intently.
Xxx
Evening, in modern day Japan. Reiko lay unconscious in a dark pit.
Reiko woke and looked around. "Where is this?" Reiko felt the ground. "The bottom of the well. That's right… That girl came after me and pushed me into the well."
It was as she feared: she was in the present.
"We've looked in this well over and over again." Grams said.
"But I already told you, it's where she fell in!" Atsuko said.
"You must've been dreaming." Grams shone a torchlight into the well.
"It's the truth!" Atsuko looked down into the well to find Reiko under the rays of the torchlight.
"Grams! Mom!" Reiko said.
In the courtyard of the shrine, Reiko looked at the scenery outside: the temple structures, telephone poles, shops in the streets.
I'm back… Back to my own time. Reiko thought
Grams was standing behind Reiko with Atsuko. "Reiko, you've been gone for three days… We've been so worried. Where's Kurai?"
"Honey, what happened to you?" Atsuko said.
I'm not dreaming! I'm really home! Reiko thought.
Reiko's eyes started to tear. She turned around and dove into Grams' arms and wailed loudly.
"Grams! I was so scared!" Reiko said.
"Reiko… What happened?!" Grams said.
"I'm separated from Sister forever!" Reiko said.
Xxx
Back in the Feudal Era, in a forest, Kaede lay on a heap of leaves with her eyes closed and her arms across her, in a serene position. Inuyasha was next to her, digging a pit in the ground (like a dog).
Inuyasha got up, in serious tone. "Okay… This is it, old woman."
Kaede was in the pit, buried under a pile of soil.
Inuyasha was piling more soil onto Kaede. "Givin' you a decent burial's the least I can do."
"Fine." Kaede opened her eyes "Only…I'm not dead yet."
"What I meant was, bury you to hide here. I'll even come back an' dig you out, if I don't forget." Inuyasha grabbed a pile of leaves and spread it on top of the soil.
"Are you sure? You had better not forget." Kaede said.
Inuyasha got up and starts to walk away. Kaede's hands raised from the 'grave', pointing at Inuyasha.
"Do not forget, Inuyasha!" Kaede said.
Inuyasha was exasperated. "I know! I know!"
Inuyasha sprinted across the forest. "Curse that stupid girl! Where'd she run off to, at a time like this?"
Xxx
Reiko was a bathtub in her home, having a soak.
Reiko was closing her eyes and enjoying the warm water. "Happiness at last. I'll go back and get Sister in the morning."
xxx
Inuyasha was sprinting across the forest. A huge pile of hair flew after Inuyasha.
Mana controlled some hair around her fingers, giggling. "Wherever she went, she won't get away!"
xxx
Reiko was in the shower, combing her wet hair with her fingers.
"It feels so good." Reiko said.