I don't own anything but my o.c characters

"His scent has vanished," announced Sesshomaru while staring into the wind.

"uh….scent? Who's scent?" asked Jaken looking in the same direction.

Sesshomaru lowered his head, "Moryomaru's…"

"That demon that cases Naraku's heart?" Jaken wondered. "I wonder what could've happened to him. Do you think he's been slain? Wouldn't that mean that Naraku is also dead?"

"It means Naraku absorbed him back into his body," he answered.

"Gee, I wonder why," said Jaken. "Perhaps that vermin lived in fear of someone killing his heart."

"Not likely," thought Sesshomaru. "This was all a part of Naraku's plan. He purposely released his heart, knowing it would have a desire to grow stronger. He must've patiently waited as it absorbed demon, after demon—increasing its strength. Penetrating Naraku's body will be much harder now that he has Moryomaru's added power."

Sesshomaru turned around and headed back into the forest. Jaken scampered after him, tripping along the way. Sesshomaru was disappointed that he lost his chance to destroy Naraku's heart. He was hoping to use his new technique against it. Sesshomaru would just have to settle with destroying Naraku on his own.

"I need to locate her…." He thought. "Though I'm reluctant to meet with her, she's the only one with the information I need on the meido zangetshua."

…..

Rin was searching the ground for some wild mushrooms. She desperately looked through the grass, but couldn't find any. Feeling defeated, Rin sunk to the ground in self-pity. Why couldn't she find any food out there? Shiori was lying down on her side, observing Rin's mad dash. She gracefully turned over to her back and stared up at the passing clouds. Finally, she found some behind a giant log. She checked to make sure they were safe to eat before munching away.

"Lady Shiori, how come I've never seen you eat before?" Rin asked in between bites.

"Because," said Shiori drearily, while still looking at the clouds. "My body doesn't require nourishment as often as yours does. Besides, I'm not always around you."

"So, is it the same thing with sleeping?" she asked. "You don't really sleep that much."

"I can go without sleeping for a long time," Shiori explained. "I've trained myself that way. Though I really shouldn't."

Rin worriedly looked over to her, "When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't quite remember," she freely admitted.

"I'm really worried about Lady Shiori's health," thought Rin. "I'm scared she's gonna wear down her body."

"You don't have to worry about me," said Shiori sensing Rin's concerned. "I'll be okay."

Rin came over and plopped down next to the laying girl.

"This activity is surprisingly relaxing," said Shiori. "No wonder humans do it all the time."

"Sometimes, I like to find shapes in the sky," said Rin also staring at the clouds. She eagerly pointed to one of them. "Like that one! I think it looks a monkey."

Shiori gave her a funny look, "A monkey? How do you see that? I don't see anything but white fluff."

"You have to use your imagination to see it," Rin laughed.

"Imagination you say?" said Shiori.

Rin laid down in the grass next to her, "The pictures in the sky don't look the same to everyone. You might see something different then what I see…Oh, I think that one looks like a turtle! What does it look like to you, Lady Shiori?"

Shiori squinted her eyes, "It…..still looks like white fluff."

"You're still not using your imagination, silly," Rin lightly teased. "Try again."

"Okay," said Shiori staring at another cloud. "I see…."

"Uh-huh," Rin encouraged.

"I see…I see…Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Huh?" said Rin looking at the cloud. "Y-you do? Is it just because of all the white fluff?"

Sesshomaru was sailing towards them on a cloud. He dropped down and landed directly in front of them. Jaken dropped down from his furry pelt. Rin quickly sat up, but Shiori stayed down.

"What are you doing?" asked a confused Sesshomaru.

"Watching the clouds go by," said Shiori, as if it were the most obvious answer.

"For what purpose?"

"Because, I've finally lost it, My Lord," said Shiori jovially. She, herself, wasn't sure if she was joking or not.

"Hmph, you can't lose what you never had," Jaken jeered.

Shiori ignored Jaken, much to his dismay, "did you find Moryomaru?"

"I can't locate his scent anywhere. I believe he was absorbed by Naraku," Sesshomaru answered.

"Then we've lost his heart," she said gloomily. "If only Sesshomaru hadn't stopped me from being absorbed by Moryomaru. I might've been able to kill him from the inside."

Sesshomaru looked at Shiori vaguely, and she sensed that he felt her thoughts. She quietly waited for him to turn away from her…..but he continued to stare. He finally turned away from them all and glanced towards the west. He was sensing something evil. Shiori felt it as well. She calmly sat up and looked around.

"Who is that?" she inquired. The presence wasn't familiar to her at all. It wasn't very far from where the group was standing.

"Such a nauseating stench," thought Sesshomaru. "Naraku is surely behind this."

"We're going," he said.

As they headed towards the sudden, evil presence, Shiori sensed something else along the horizon.

"It's that boy again," thought Shiori. "Sango's brother, Kohaku. Naraku must be in pursuit of his shard…but wait! I thought he was with Kikyo. And I don't sense her up ahead. Could something have happened to her?"

…..

Kohaku quickly darted through the trees while desperately looking over his shoulder. He was panting and nearly out of breath as he ran. He nearly stumbled over a few tree roots on the way. Just when he thought he was safe, he made an abrupt stop. A young male demon, with a long dark pony tail, stepped down in front of him. He smiled down at him as if he'd just made the catch of the day.

"Hey there, Kohaku," he said with a friendly tone. "Going somewhere?"

Kohaku looked at the demon with anger and attacked it with his kusarigama. The demon's body disappeared in a blue light leaving nothing but a floating paper flower. It was only an illusion.

"Huh?" thought Kohaku.

"Up here," called a voice.

Kohaku looked up to see the demon flying above him on a giant paper crane. He beamed down at him as he opened up a brown canister. Nearly a dozen black snakes shot out of the canister and attacked Kohaku's body. He sank to the ground as the serpents bit all over his body. Kohaku struggled to stand, but fell back down. His vision was becoming increasingly blurry.

"Give up Kohaku, you'll never be able to escape Naraku," taunted the demon, jumping down from his paper crane. "The venom of the snakes is made up of miasma. The shard that binds your life will become tainted….making my job of taking it a whole lot easier!"

As he leaned down to steal Kohaku's shard, a meido went flying over his head. He looked up in complete shock. Sesshomaru was steadily walking towards him.

"You surprised me there," said the demon. "I take it you're Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older brother."

"Another one of Naraku's incarnations, I see," said Sesshomaru dryly.

Shiori ran up behind him followed by Rin and Jaken. Shiori stared at this new demon.

"Who the hell are you?" she bleakly asked. Sesshomaru glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. He was surprised by her sudden forwardness.

"I am Byakuya of illusions," he cheerfully stated. "Very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"My, you're awefully cheerful for someone in league with the devil," Shiori commented.

"Moryomaru's scent has vanished. I take it Naraku observed him in the end?" Sesshomaru casually asked.

Byakuya smirked, "so have you come here to rescue Kohaku? It sure doesn't seem like it."

"I simply came to put out that nauseating stench," he coldly answered.

"Well in that case, I'll leave now," he said as he jumped on his crane. "No sense in being killed by someone who's just passing through."

Byakuya took off, and Shiori looked back at Kohaku's unconscious body. The snakes were still latched on to him. Rin attempted to touch Kohaku.

"Don't touch him Rin," ordered Sesshomaru. "Those snakes are poisonous."

"But….." she trailed off. "They're also biting Master Jaken."

Sesshomaru peeped over his shoulder at his imp servant.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken said with a stiff tone. He held out his arm to reveal a snake hanging from it. "Please help me….it hurts."

Shiori knelt down beside Kohaku.

"Kohaku," she thought. "Why are you here alone? Where's Kikyo?"

"Will he be okay, Lady Shiori?" asked Rin.

Shiori nodded, "fortunately for him, the miasma hasn't spread throughout his body yet. Both he and the jewel shard will be fine."

She looked over her shoulder and saw that Sesshomaru was leaving. She zapped all the snakes from Kohaku's body, killing them instantly. Shiori picked up Kohaku and slung him over her shoulder. She didn't want to just leave him there. Naraku or Byakuya might come back for the jewel shard. She refused to let Naraku have another advantage over him. With his heart back inside his body, killing Naraku suddenly became a lot more difficult. Shiori also wanted to talk to Kohaku when he woke up. She had to know what happened. She and Rin followed after Sesshomaru. Jaken frantically ran around in a circle—still being bitten by snakes!

"Lord Sesshomaru! Shiori!" he pathetically called out. "Oh, don't just leave me here to die! Get this thing off of me! Please! Shi—"

But he was silenced by a violent beam of purification. It shocked him with such force, that his Kimono was tattered to shreds. His eyes bulged as he fell back to grass.

….

Inuyasha ran through the forest, with Kikyo in his arms. They'd gone to the place where Kikyo last saw Kohaku, but he was no longer there. Kikyo could sense that something happened to him. She could also sense that her shikigami had been slain. Inuyasha continued followed after Kohaku's scent and suddenly stopped.

"This scent…..it's Sesshomaru's. Did Kohaku go along with him and his group?" thought Inuyasha. He wearily looked at the sliced tree trunks. That was the very spot where Sesshomaru's meido struck when he was attacking Byakuya.

"What is it, Inuyasha? Have you located Kohaku yet?" Kikyo weakly asked.

Her clay body was badly injured by Naraku's evil spider webs. They were so tainted, that they reopened the miasma wounds she received from Naraku back at Mount Hakurei. Even Midoriko's spirit wouldn't help her for long. Kikyo didn't have much time left.

The only person who could save Kikyo, was Kagome. Kikyo sent her on a mission to a place called Mount Azusa. There, she must take the bowstring from within a mausoleum on top of the mountain. The bow of Mount Azusa is an increasingly powerful object. With it, Kagome must shoot into Kikyo's wound and purify her body.

"It looks like he went along with Sesshomaru and Shiori," he answered her.

"I see," she said. "Then he's safe for now. I suspect Shiori will be coming to find me soon. Will she try to stop me?"

"Let's go find Kagome and the others," Inuyasha suggested. "Maybe they've made some progress."

…

"Lady…..Shiori?" he was a little disoriented, but sat up anyway. "Is that…..you?"

Kohaku woke up to find Shiori sitting next to him. Rin was glancing down at him from his other side. Her little face lit up with delight

"Kohaku!" exclaimed Rin with glee. "I'm so glad you're okay! You really scared us."

Kohaku looked around and saw Sesshomaru behind them. He had his back turned to everyone and appeared to be studying the sky. As if he was looking for someone.

"Where's Kikyo?" Shiori asked.

"I….I don't know where she is," said Kohaku. "She told me I had to stay away from her."

"Why would she say that?"

"Because she was entangled in Naraku's evil spider webs. She said that if were around each other, she might corrupt my shard," he answered.

"Webs….what webs?" she asked.

"I don't know. I couldn't see them. Only Lady Kikyo could," said Kohaku. "She ordered me to go into hiding with her two shinigami. They put up a barrier around me to keep Naraku from finding me. But I was found anyway."

"Naraku must've entangled Kikyo in these corrupted webs in order to separate you," said Shiori. "He knew Kikyo would want your shard to stay pure…so naturally, she'd send you away from her."

"Then I have to find her," he said. "She's in trouble!"

"No, you're still too weak," Shiori rose to her feet. "Stay here. I'll go find her."

Before Kohaku could object, Shiori was already done. She soared through the skies, searching for Kikyo.

"Why Kikyo? Why would you do something like this? I told you not to anything dangerous," she thought as she zoomed through the clouds. "You shouldn't have separated from Naraku. You know the fate that awaits you when you die, yet you don't seem to care….I just don't understand."

She vigorously followed after Kikyo's trail, but it was severely weakened. Shiori began picking up on the others too.

"Inuyasha and company are just up ahead…as well as that bastard Naraku. Kikyo, hold on. Just a little bit longer."

Finally, she caught up to Kagome, standing alone on a ledge. She was watching the battle take place between Naraku, Inuyasha and Koga. Miroku and Sango were attacking Naraku from the air. But where was Kikyo?

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder as he moved to attack Naraku, "Shiori? What's she doing here? Why isn't she with Kohaku?"

"Kagome!" called Shiori.

"Huh?" Kagome whirled around and saw Shiori rapidly approaching her. "Shiori?"

"I came as fast as I could," said Shiori, slightly out of breath. "What's happening?"

"Naraku…..he's got Koga in his grips right now. If he absorbs his body, then he'll get the jewel shards in Koga's legs," she answered. "Once he has those shards, he'll only need Kohaku's to complete the jewel."

"Koga? You mean that other hellhound?" Shiori looked over to see Koga entangled by Naraku. He had the wolf demon entangled by a bunch of adamant. "Those adamant shards…..I recognize them. They're apart of Inuyasha's attack. The one called Koga…..he's got some kind of wolf spirits surrounding him… I wonder what that's about."

She looked back at Kagome, "Come to think of it, there's something strange about this bow that Kagome's carrying….it's wrapped in spiritual energy. I wonder where she got it from."

Shiori quickly remembered the real reason she came, "What's happened to Kikyo?"

"She's down there,"

Kagome pointed down toward the bottom of the ledge. Kikyo's unconscious body was lying in the pit. Kagome filled Shiori in on everything that was happening with the battle. Naraku was currently using his miasma to keep everyone away from Koga's body. She even told her about her trip to Mount Azusa in order to retrieve this bow.

"If I don't shoot Kikyo with this bow, she'll die. But she doesn't want me to shoot just yet," said Kagome. "She told me so….in my mind."

"I see…..Kikyo established a mind link with Kagome, just as I did with Lord Sesshomaru," thought Shiori.

"If you don't mind me asking…" said Kagome. "Just….what is your connection to Kikyo? I've never actually seen the two of you together and…"

"Let's just say, she's a friend of my father's," Shiori replied. "And…in a way…..she helped make me the person I am now. It's hard to explain exactly…..but she did. Before I met her, I never felt sympathy for anyone….at least, not out loud."

Kagome looked at her sadly, "Shiori….."

Shiori leaped down to the bottom of the chasm and landed beside Kikyo. She lifted up her slightly and held her in her arms.

"Kikyo, wake up," said Shiori softly. "Wake up."

Kikyo began stirring in Shiori's arms and slowly opened her eyes, "Shiori….you're here."

"Of course I'm here," she answered.

"Where's Kohaku?"

Shiori smiled weakly, "He's safe. Don't worry."

Kikyo returned her smile.

"I told you not to do anything dangerous," Shiori scolded. "You can't die…..you know what'll happen to you if you do."

"But I haven't," she admitted. "At least, not yet. I still have one final trick up my sleeve. I'm simply waiting for the right moment."

Shiori helpless stared at her dying friend. Kikyo's miasma wound had grown larger since she last saw her. There wasn't anything she could do for her. Shiori's purification powers were too much for Kikyo's clay body. If she tried to save her, she'd accidently destroy her body. Tennin's spiritual powers worked differently than human spiritual powers. It takes a lot of concentration and dedication for a tennin to purify a non tennin….let alone a human. One wrong move and the patient could end up dead. There was no way Kikyo's body could possibly survive that kind of purification.

"So once again…..I'm unable to save someone with my purification," thought Shiori, sadly looking at Kikyo.

"Shiori?"

"Yes, what is it?" Shiori asked.

"You don't need to worry about my soul…." Said Kikyo. "I'll be okay.."

She then looked back up at Kagome. "I can't save her….but she can. Kagome's the only one who can. Maybe there's still hope….Is that what she means?"

Naraku peered down at Shiori and Kikyo.

"Well, if it isn't the Angel of Darkness. Come to grace us all with your presence?" he taunted. "Did you come to watch Kikyo die?"

"I came for the same reason as everyone else here," she fired back. "I came to kill you."

"You seem a bit angered by my question, princess," he said with a smirk. "I wasn't even aware that you knew each other. Just what is your relationship with that woman?"

"It's none of your concern," she threw her hands in a diamond formation, "you filthy scum!"

She fired a beam at Naraku's body, but he avoided it. She unsheathed her sword and jumped up to attack him. He blocked her pursuit and tried to flatten her, but she escaped. Shiori landed down on another ledge. Inuyasha jumped down next to her.

"Shiori, keep doing what you're doing," he ordered. "I'll go save that mangy wolf. We can't let Naraku get those shards!"

She nodded in compliance, and the two of them separated. Inuyasha tried to rescue Koga from Naraku's encasing, while Shiori fired more attacks at Naraku. He swung at her with tentacle after tentacle. Shiori managed to avoid him each time.

"So little princess, you think you can escape me?" he jeered. "But for how much longer…."

He fired a series of adamant straight at her. Inuyasha lunged towards the trapped Koga. He sliced through the cage of adamant in order to free him. Koga was lying down on the floor of the encasing.

"So, you're alive you wimpy wolf….." he teased.

"Heh," Koga scoffed. "Like I'd die that easily."

"Then hurry up and get out already!"

"Oh shut-up," said Koga with anguish.

Inuyasha peered inside and stared with horror. The reason Koga couldn't move, was because he's legs were infused with Naraku's body. Naraku was determined to have Koga's shards. Meanwhile, Kagome was still watching for the sidelines. Miroku and Sango had also joined her. Kagome got an uneasy feeling deep inside her soul. Something was wrong.

"Koga's shards…..they're turned black. That mean's Naraku's already touched them and corrupted them. But I don't understand….he has the Shikon jewel," she thought. "As long as he's holding onto to it, he shouldn't be able to touch a completely purified shard. If he did, then he'd be purified for sure…..so why hasn't that happened?"

She suddenly came to a realization.

"Naraku's not holding onto the Shikon Jewel! He's hidden it….but where?"

She looked around to see if she sensed it anywhere. Kagome knelt over the ledge to ask Kikyo for help…..and it was then that she saw it. The jewel was inside of Kikyo's body, but it was completely corrupted. Kikyo was far too weak to be able to purify it now. That was why Naraku chose her for its hiding spot….and that was the moment Kikyo was waiting for. She shot opened her eyes and stared at Kagome.

"Now," she mentally told Kagome.

"Now?" Kagome answered. "Okay…."

She pulled out her bow and reached for an arrow. She only had one more left. There was no room for failure. In the distance, Kagome could see Kikyo's soul schemers gliding towards her. It was now or never. She pointed the bow at Kikyo .Naraku stopped fighting with Shiori and turned to Kagome. He had to take the jewel back. He struck at the ledge she was standing on, causing Kagome to fall.

"Kagome!" called Inuyasha.

Before Kirara could rush to save her, Kikyo's soul schemers wrapped around Kagome's body and began flying her down towards Kikyo.

"They're holding her up," Sango marveled.

"Curse you!" Naraku hissed as he shot a tentacle towards Kikyo's body.

"Oh, no you don't!" Kagome fired her arrow.

Just as Naraku was about to grab the jewel, Kagome's arrow struck Kikyo's miasma wound. Instantly, Kikyo's body was purified, along with the sacred jewel. Her soul schemers repelled the arrow towards Naraku's body. She was attempting to purify Naraku as well. But Naraku countered it with his dark miasma. Everyone watched the epic battle between Kikyo's spiritual power and Naraku's demonic power.

"She's doing it," thought Shiori. "She's going to purify Naraku….this is it."

Just as everyone was starting to gain hope, Naraku's miasma disappeared, revealing a completely tainted jewel.

"The jewel….it's been corrupted," said Kagome with despair. "How…."

Suddenly, a pillar of light erupted from Naraku's body. Kikyo's power was still working inside of Naraku. It was breaking apart his body. Koga's legs were coming loose from Naraku's body. Inuyasha took this chance to pull him free. Naraku's tentacle's still managed to rip out his Shikon shards.

"My shards!" Koga called.

"We have to go!" snapped Inuyasha, taking him to safety.

Kikyo and Naraku's power were now battling within the jewel.

"He's in pain, can't you see it Kikyo?" asked Kagome. "It's over."

"The rest…is up to you," said Kikyo weakly.

It was then that Kagome noticed Kikyo's presence was disappearing from inside of the jewel. Naraku was gaining the upper hand. Inuyasha, Shiori, Miroku, Sango, and Koga were all watching from up top of the ledge.

"The arrow….it's disappeared," Shiori choked.

"Kagome…..protect Kohaku's shard," she strained. "This is something only you can do."

"No, Kikyo…what are you saying?" said Kagome tearfully. "Don't talk like this. I thought shooting you with the arrow was supposed to save you!"

"Why…..why didn't Kagome's arrow save her like she said it would," thought Shiori. "I don't understand….why…"

Shiori felt a pure sensation coming from Kikyo's body…..even though Midoriko's soul was long gone.

"I understand now….."

"Ha, you lose Kikyo!" Naraku jeered.

"Whether I've lost or not, is something you'll find out when you die," Kikyo thought.

"There is but one shard left…..you'd better start thinking about how you're going to fight without Kikyo around," Naraku boomed.

"Inuyasha, come quickly," Kagome yelled. "It's….it's Kikyo."

"Ki-Kikyo? Inuyasha stammered.

"She's lost to my demonic aura," said Naraku while flying away, "it's all over….."

Kikyo placed her hand on top of Kagome's, "the bow of Mount Azusa….it's now yours…."

"No," Kagome pleaded. "Why, Kikyo?"

….

Inuyasha held a battered Kikyo in his arms, as all of his friends stood around them. There was nothing more they could do for the dying priestess. A great sadness had fallen over the group as they all stared off into the crimson sunset.

"Lady Kikyo….." said Miroku sadly. "I can't believe this is happening.

"I couldn't….save her," said Kagome with tears in her eyes. "I couldn't save her. I'm so sorry Kikyo."

"Don't cry Kagome," thought Kikyo with a smile. "…..it was my soul that was saved."

"I'm sorry…..but could you leave us alone," said Inuyasha with anguish. He slowly took Kikyo further away from the group and sat with her. He wanted them to be alone for their final moments.

Shiori sadly looked at the crying girl. That was exactly how she felt when she couldn't save Kagura. Now Kikyo was the one dying. Shiori put a hand to Kagome's shoulder, and Kagome caved into her body. She buried her face in Shiori's chest.

"If only I were stronger," cried Kagome, "If only…I…"

"I know how you feel," said Shiori as she forced back her tears. "And it's not because of my empathetic powers. I know the feeling of being completely helpless and unable to save someone. But you shouldn't feel that way…..because you saved her."

"Huh?" said Kagome looking up. "What do you mean?"

"Kikyo was a dead priestess who fed on the souls of the dead to survive," she explained. "Because of this, her soul was tainted and she would've gone to Hell for sure. But in the end, her soul was purified—by you."

"I….purified her soul?"

"And now….she can rest in peace….." said Shiori looking up to the sky.

Kikyo's time was coming soon. The red sunset had slowly transitioned into night. Shiori could see the soul schemers returning. They were being led by someone.

"Father?" Shiori gasped. "You are the one coming for Kikyo's soul?"

"I know how important she was to you," said Isao, as if reading her mind. "So I personally came to deal with her soul…..besides, I owe it to her soul….."

…A few yards away…

"Do you remember when you wished to be human Inuyasha? Before Naraku tore us apart?" asked Kikyo, lying in Inuyasha's arms.

"Of course I do…" he said. "I wanted to become human and live with you forever…."

"I've finally become an ordinary woman," she said silently.

"Kikyo….ever since I was born…..you were the first woman I ever loved. Even so, I wasn't able to do anything," his voice was straining with emotion.

"I've never seen such an expression on your face before," she said weakly. "It's heartbreaking…."

"Kikyo," said Inuyasha holding her closer. His tears dropped down on Kikyo's forehead. "I couldn't save you…"

"You came for me," said Kikyo as she genuinely smiled. "And that's good enough…"

With her last dying breath, Kikyo kissed Inuyasha. They held each other in what was their last embrace.

"Kikyo…"

"Inuyasha…"

Kikyo's body transitioned into a bunch of lights. Everyone stared in awe as the lights floated around them. Isao stood beside Shiori.

"This light is….Kikyo's soul," Sango observed.

"It's as if it's coming to greet us," said Miroku.

"She's free now," said Isao to Shiori.

"Her energy…it feels so warm," she said.

For a moment, she thought she heard someone call her name. She saw Kikyo's smiling face looking at her in the mist of all the light. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

"It's time for me to send her on her way," said Isao.

"I know," she answered. "Take good care of her…."

Kagome looked over to Shiori. Who was she talking to?

Isao and the soul schemers lifted Kikyo's soul straight up into the sky and into the heavens…..she was finally free.

"Farewell, Kikyo," said Shiori quietly. "Farwell, my friend."

"She's free now," said Inuyasha somberly. "She won't suffer anymore."

Kagome turned to say something to Shiori, but she was already gone.

I know a lot of people out there hated Kikyo, but I actually didn't. And I was sad when she died. Yes she did a lot of bad things, but she also did a lot of good things. and without her...well, it wouldn't be Inuyasha lol. I just wish Takahashi focused less on the love triangle and more on Kagome and Kikyo combining their powers. I love that episode of them trapped in the cave together...if only they had more moments like that. Can you imagine how much ass they could've kicked if they actually worked together and fired their sacred arrows in unison? lol...but that's just me.