Kimiko (1) climbs out of the Dry Well, hurling her backpack over.
"I'm back, Gramps! Is the bath water hot? I have to hurry or I'll be late!" Kimiko calls out.
"Is it so serious that she can't have visitors?" Hojo's voice asked worried in the background.
"That voice..." Kimiko trails off.
...
In The Courtyard
Hojo is talking to Grandpa and Kagome.
"Yes... Kimiko is laid up in bed." Kagome replied.
"I see. Err..." Hojo said concerned and holds up a blue present in his hand. "This is a hot compress for Kimiko..."
"Oh, you're so thoughtful, Hojo!" Grandpa said as he takes the present, tearing up. He wipes his tears. "My... I mean, her neuralgia will get much better with this.
"I'll be going then." Hojo informed while Kagome tried to keep a smile of her face.
Kimiko peeps out from the Dry Well structure at them, whimpering.
"Okay, take care." Grandpa said happily.
Hojo leaves. Grandpa waves and Kagome finally burst out laughing, Kimiko stands next to them with folded arms.
"Who has neuralgia?" Kimiko asked mad making Kagome immediately stop laughing.
"Oh, Kimiko! Be happy! You're supposed to be disposed today, so you can miss school." Grandpa said as he swings around and faces Kimiko.
"What are you saying?! I WANT to go to school desperately!" Kimiko exasperatedly states annoyed as she clenches her fists and waves them.
"You're a strange one." Kagome tells her.
...
Bird's Eye View Of The Higurashi Shrine
"Only my family knows of my jaunts through the hidden well into the Feudal Era." Kimiko voice says.
...
Kimiko And Kagome In English Class
"Besides, I doubt that anyone else would believe me if I told them." Kimiko thinks.
...
Kimiko, Kagome and their friends buy ice cream in a shop. Kimiko takes her cone and sighs. They start to walk in the street, eating ice cream.
"Huh? You're going to take the math supplement course, too?" Yuka questions.
"Teacher told me to." Kimiko replied.
"We're used to it, but it's a shock to hear that you need it, too. You even had to quit the archery club. The high school Hojo is applying to is very difficult to get into." Kagome adds on.
"What? Don't tell me you're seeing Hojo, Kagome?!" Yuka demands.
"Stop it! Who has time to go out with boys?!" Kagome shouts embarrassed.
"That's not something you want to brag about." Eri said.
"Err... Well..." Kimiko starts but then looks down worried, thinking. "Gee, I don't even know if I'll be able to get into high school! Not with a life like this!"
Kimiko, Kagome, Yuka and Eri walk across a playground. Several kids and their mothers are playing with fireworks.
"Oh, look! Fireworks! So pretty!" Kagome said.
"It looks like fun! Huh?" Kimiko said but noticed something.
A little girl, laughing mischievously, peeps out of a playground structure. She holds out a small firecracker. It lights up and spins towards the pile of firecrackers that the kids and their mothers had put on the ground. The entire pile crackles, startling everyone. The little girl gets on top of the structure and laughs.
"Ha-ha-ha! Serves them right!" The Girl laughs and runs off.
"That girl!" Kimiko said angry and chases the girl while Kagome, Yuka and Eri look at her.
Kimiko reaches the girl further up.
"Hold it!" Kimiko yells out and the girl stops and turns around. "What did you do that for?!"
"You... You can see me?" The Girl questions shocked.
"Who is this girl? Where're her shoes? And a down jacket...when it's almost summer?" Kimiko thinks as she examined her. She walks towards her, saying nicely. "Let's go apologize. I'll go with you."
"None of your business!" The Girl shouts as she slapped away Kimiko's outstretched hand.
Kimiko backs away and a ring of flames surround her suddenly. The Girl looks at Kimiko defiantly and vanishes. The ring of flames becomes smaller and disappears too. Kimiko, shocked, falls on her knees. Eri, Kagome and Yuka walk up behind.
"What's the matter, Kimiko?" Kagome asked concerned.
"Who were you talking to?" Yuka and Eri added on.
"Huh?!" Kimiko looks around, thinking. "Gone... Who was she?"
...
Feudal Japan
Tetsusaiga is stuck into a hive covered in thick wax, while bees buzz around the sheathe. Inuyasha squats and stares while waiting behind a bush, looking bored and frustrated.
"Myoga, isn't it finished?" Inuyasha asked impatient.
"Not yet. Master Inuyasha, if you go out now, you'll be stung to death. The sheathe was cracked battling the Thunder Brothers. Let the steel wasps repair it with their special wax." Myoga explained as he lands on Inuyasha's shoulder.
A pink blob (Shippo) floats behind Inuyasha.
"Dang it... It's boring!" Shippo complains and bites Inuyasha on the head and chews.
"Shut up!" Inuyasha shouts and shoves and punches Shippo.
"I came along because I thought Kimiko would be here! Why must I be stuck alone with you?!" Shippo shouts as he deflated and goes back to normal.
"That's my line!" Inuyasha yells back.
"Arghh..." Shippo grumbled exasperated and falls back and rolls on the ground to and from dejectedly. "Why am I alone with you?!"
"Keh!" Inuyasha scoffs.
"Don't I count at all? Huh?" Myoga asked.
A ball of yellow light float across the lake across them. Five other balls of light trail behind it and peaceful flute music is played in the background.
"That's..." Inuyasha starts.
"A demon!" Shippo finished nervous as he latches onto Inuyasha's shoulder.
"Shippo... So are you!" Inuyasha reminds.
"That's the Soul Piper." Myoga explained.
The Soul Piper blowing a little flute, while the light balls twirl around it. The light balls sometimes fade to children laughing and playing. The eyes of the Soul Piper are almost closed.
"It was born from the souls of departed children. When a child dies, the Soul Piper plays with that child until the soul is able to rest in peace. As long as its eyes are closed, it's a peaceful demon." Myoga informed.
...
Exterior Of Kimiko And Kagome's House
"What?! Not when I've come back to this world!" Kimiko shouts frustrated.
In a busy subway, Kimiko holds (2) Sota's hands while walking down a staircase with Kagome. Sota holds a chain of paper cranes in his hand.
"Jeepers! Why do we have to accompany you to visit YOUR friend in the hospital?!" Kagome complains annoyed.
"Because the hospital's in the next town and Mom's too busy to take me today." Sota said.
"Cripes! Everyone's interfering with my studies!" Kimiko said playfully.
Kimiko, Kagome and Sota get out of the subway onto the road outside.
"Sisters..." Sota trailed off.
"What?" Kimiko and Kagome asked.
"Is there such a thing as an evil spirit?" Sota questions Kimiko.
"Huh?" Kimiko asks confused.
...
In A Hospital Room
A boy lays unconscious on the bed, with a gas mask over him and drips injected in his arms. A woman stands near the bed.
"Sota, thank you for coming so often." The Woman thanks kindly.
"Aunty Akane, how is Satoru?" Sota inquired.
"Physically, he's healed. But he's still unconscious." Akane answers.
"Here..." Sota gives his cranes to Akane.
Akane's hands holding the cranes have a lot of burn scars on her hands.
"Thank you so much for worrying about Satoru." Akane thanked.
"Burn scars?" Kimiko thinks concerned.
"Oh these... I got them from the fire six months ago." Satoru's Mom explained as she notices Kimiko and Kagome looking.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Kagome and Kimiko apologized embarrassed.
"That's how Satoru..." Akane continued getting sad.
Satoru lying on his bed. Light glows from under the bed and a hand reaches out. It grabs the tube of a drip and pulls it down, shattering the drip.
"Huh?!" Kimiko gasps shocked.
Kimiko notices the girl under the bed tugging at the drip tube
"The girl at the park...!" Kimiko mumbles.
The girl fades away.
"She disappeared!" Kimiko said.
"Again... Why must this happen?" Akane asks a little desperate as she walks towards Satoru.
"Who is she anyway? I can't ignore this." Kimiko thinks becoming determined.
...
Above The Hospital
The Girl floats in midair. A Soul Piper blows his flute next to her.
"Darn, foiled again!" The Girl curses annoyed.
...
Kimiko, Kagome and Sota are walking along a road.
"You mentioned an evil spirit. What did you mean, Sota?" Kimiko questions intrigued.
"I thought maybe an evil spirit was after Satoru... Satoru has been in a coma since the fire six months ago. At first, all my classmates when to visit him at the hospital. But weird things happened on their way home, like falling down the stairs, or barely missing getting hit by a car... After these things kept happening, the kids stayed away. In that fire six months ago, she died...Satoru's older sister. Her name is Mayu." Sota explained sad.
Kimiko, Kagome and Sota look up to a burnt apartment in a building, from the ground.
"Is that the place?" Kagome questioned.
"Uh-huh... Whenever they tried to clean up after the fire, an accident would happen. So it's been like that for six months now." Sota adds on.
A balcony of burnt apartment. A pot of plant suddenly floats up and drops towards Kimiko, Kagome and Sota.
"Watch out!" Kimiko warned yelling.
Kimiko takes Sota and Kagome and walk a few steps away. Kimiko covers Sota and Kagome with her body. The pot crashed in front of them.
"I knew it! There is an evil spirit!?" Sota yells but then faints with Kagome from shock.
"Sota! Kagome!" Kimiko shakes Sota and Kagome and then looks to the apartment. "Huh?! Watch out!"
The Girl from before stands on the parapet of the balcony and jumps down. She lands in front of Kimiko.
"Stupid! I'm already dead." The Girl said in a duh voice.
"You're Mayu, aren't you? Why do you do these things? Aren't you Satoru's sister?" Kimiko asks not understanding why someone would attack their siblings.
"Satoru, hah! I'll kill him! Mom hated me! That's why she abandoned me! She never wanted me!" Mayu shouts angry.
"Mayu... She seems so nice. Don't make her unhappy anymore." Kimiko tried negotiating.
"Be quiet! If you keep interfering, I'll kill you, too!" Mayu threatened.
Mayu disappears and the plants around Kimiko are uprooted from the soil. A tree is uprooted high up in the air too. Kimiko shields Sota and Kagome while the plants crashes onto the ground around them. When the commotion stopped, Kimiko looked up. A flute tune is heard. Kimiko turns around to find the Soul Piper blowing her tune in front of her.
"Huh? Until my eyes...are open...?" Kimiko's inquired.
The Soul Piper disappears.
""Until my eyes are open"? What does that mean?" Kimiko asks confused.
...
Feudal Era
Kimiko and Shippo sit on the Dry Well. Inuyasha sits in front of them, leaning on a log with his arms folded.
"So that demon is named the Soul Piper?" Kimiko says.
"Uh-huh... So you have it in your world, too? It's supposed to console the souls of the dead children. It plays its flute until the souls find peace." Myoga informed on Kimiko's fingers.
"And if the soul cannot find peace? If the soul has regrets or harbors a grudge..." Kimiko asks.
"Then that spirit becomes an evil spirit." Myoga adds.
"Evil spirit?!" Kimiko shouts growing concerned for Mayu.
"When regrets turn to rage and hatred in a spirit, it becomes evil. Upon becoming an evil spirit, the Soul Piper hurls it into the depths of hell." Myoga explained.
"When the Soul Piper's eyes are fully open, it's too late." Shippo adds on.
"I won't allow that! Mayu must find peace!" Kimiko states fired up.
"Forget it, Kimiko! Ghosts are different from demons. You can't just slay them. One misstep and you'll regret it." Inuyasha insisted hoping Kimiko would drop it.
"But I can't ignore it!" Kimiko insisted and stands up. "I come from a shrine family! There must be something I can do!"
"Keh! Well, count me out of this one! There's nothing in it for me..." Inuyasha states and turns around to look at Kimiko but sees she's nowhere to be seen making Inuyasha frustrated.
"Kimiko is already gone." Shippo said amused. "Fool!"
...
In The Well
Kimiko is falling.
"I can't ignore her. That girl has so much sadness in her." Kimiko thinks determined.
...
Hospital - Evening
Akane is sewing a kimono.
...
Flashback
Mayu is looking at a goldfish swimming in a fishtank. Akane is washing dishes behind.
"Mom, I want a cotton kimono with goldfish on it." Mayu requests and turns around to look at her and Satoru's mom. "When the summer comes, I'll go to the fairs and catch lots and lots of his goldfish friends. I want to wear my cotton kimono then."
"Mayu, summer's a long ways off." Akane reminds amused.
"That's okay. Promise?" Mayu replied with a smile.
"All right!" Akane promised also smiling.
...
Present
Akane stops sewing and sighs. Mayu floats in the air, looking into the room.
"When Mom leaves the hospital tonight, I'm going to kill her dear, little Satoru." Mayu thinks angry.
The Soul Piper appears behind her and its eyes open a little.
...
Nighttime In The Hospital Reception
Akane is walking with a bag in her hand.
"You're going home now?" A Nurse kindly asks.
"Yes, I'll see you again tomorrow." Akane answers and bows.
"Take care." The Nurse bows in goodbye.
...
Outside
Kimiko runs towards Akane hurriedly.
"Excuse me..." Kimiko starts.
"Oh, you're Sota's oldest sister?" Akane remembers.
"Umm... About Satoru's late sister..." Kimiko try's to question but unsure how to continue.
An ambulance is heard in the background. A nurse runs out and waves in a direction.
"We've been waiting for you! Please go around!" The Nurse requested.
Kimiko and Akane look at the ambulance, worried.
"That day..." Akane starts.
...
Flashback - Akane'a Apartment
Mayu just returned. Satoru lies on his bed with a towel over his forehead. Akane looks at him worried.
"Stupid Mommy! Why didn't you come to the Open House?!" Mayu complains.
"It couldn't be helped. Satoru's temperature shot up." Akane explained softly.
"All you care about is Satoru!" Mayu complains frustrated.
"Mayu!" Akane chides.
"I hate you and Satoru!" Mayu shouts angry and plops her bag down and runs out.
"Mayu, just a minute!" Akane called out as she gets up and chases Mayu. "Mayu!" She stops chasing at the door.
"We always had arguments like that. On that day, when Mayu ran off, I thought, "Oh, there she goes again."" Akane's voice is heard saying.
Akane is returning from grocery shopping. Two neighbors stop her and point in a certain direction. Akane looks shocked. In the apartment, fire flames have engulfed the entire room. Akane rushes in and looks around, coughing from the smoke. A firemen putting out the fire. Akane walks down the stairs with an unconscious Satoru in her arms. A fireman put a blanket over her.
"But... If I had known that Mayu was inside the apartment..." Akane voice is continued to be heard.
...
In The Apartment
Two firemen stand near a closet.
"A child! Poor thing!" A Firemen said.
...
Present
"If I had known, I would have gone back... If I had only known...!" Akane starts crying.
"She wasn't aware that Mayu was inside during the fire." Kimiko thinks.
Sound of breaking glass is heard. They look up to find the window of one of the rooms shattered.
"That's Satoru's room!" Akane yells panicked.
"Mayu!" Kimiko calls out and runs into the hospital.
...
In Satoru's Hospital Room
The florescent lamps shatters. Medical equipment also breaks and sparks fly all over the place.
"Mayu, stop!" Kimiko pleads as she opened the door.
Mayu hovers above Satoru's bed. Akane gasps seeing her.
"M-Mayu! Why?!" Akane questions confused as she walks towards Mayu.
"Quiet!" Mayu shouts.
Mayu sends her and Akane flying. Akane crashes onto a wall, falls on the ground and faints. The kimono in her bag falls out a little.
"Mayu, think hard! Did your mother really abandon you? Maybe she didn't know you were inside the apartment during that fire?" Kimiko pleads yelling.
Mayu stops and ponders.
...
Flashback
Mayu just returned. She takes off her muffler and places it on a clothesline over the heater.
"Brrr... It was cold!" Mayu shivers as she warms her hand around the fire.
"Sis... You're not supposed to hang things above the heater when Mom is not at home." Satoru reminds weakly.
"Oh, be quiet!" Mayu snaps annoyed and opens a closet and hides in it. "Don't you dare tell Mom that I'm hiding here. I want to make her worry!" She demanded and closes the closet.
"That muffler caught fire! It's all my fault. Mom's not to blame. Even Satoru..." Mayu's voice is heard saying.
...
Present
"Mayu..." Kimiko softly said feeling sorry for the girl.
"I... I... I know that!" Mayu yells out.
Mayu shouts and the floor shatters and rumbles. Satoru's bed is flipped and Satoru is thrown out of the window.
"Satoru!" Kimiko yells out panicked as she rushes to the window. "Huh?! He fell!"
"Cripes! I can't stand to watch you!" Inuyasha states frustrated he was even helping.
Inuyasha hangs from above the window, with Tetsusaiga stuck in the wall as support. Inuyasha holds Satoru in his other hand.
"Inuyasha! You came!" Kimiko said happy beaming a smile at Inuyasha.
"Didn't I tell you not to get involved?" Inuyasha demands with a little blush from Kimiko's smile at him frustrated he was even helping and looks at Mayu who is floating in front of them. "It's too late for that little kid."
Kimiko holds Satoru and Inuyasha jumps onto the window ledge.
"Making her realize the truth doesn't mean she'll find peace. It ain't that simple!" Inuyasha said simply.
The Soul Piper appears behind Mayu. Its eyes fully opens.
"Huh?! The eyes!" Kimiko said.
Chains suddenly appear and tie around Mayu.
"Aghh! What's this?!" Mayu questions starting to panic.
The Soul Piper drags Mayu away with the chains.
"No! No!" Mayu shrieks becoming afraid.
...
A train runs along a bridge spanning across a river. Inuyasha runs hurriedly along the top of the bridge, piggybacking Kimiko. Both of them look determined and worried.
"Remember this! I don't know anything about ghosts! So you work it out!" Inuyasha reminds gently.
"I must help Mayu find peace before she falls into hell." Kimiko replied determined making Inuyasha barely smile at her stubbornness.
Inuyasha leaps and jumps onto a building. The Soul Piper flies past them.
"This is what Myoga said...the Soul Piper takes the Spirit to the spot where the death occurred then drags it down into hell!" Inuyasha tells Kimiko.
Inuyasha leaps towards a window in a building which in glowing in pink ominous light.
"Look over there! Seems pretty dangerous to me!" Inuyasha says landing on the balcony.
"Inuyasha, let me off here." Kimiko request.
"Fool! Did you really think you can manage alone?" Inuyasha demands worried not wanting to leave Kimiko alone.
Inuyasha walks into the room but Kimiko slowly fades away.
"No wonder they say that there's nothing scarier than an ignoramus!" Inuyasha said but then notices Kimiko's disappearance. "Oh that's right... This is where humans get sucked into hell. Only humans like Kimiko can proceed any further. Damn! This is one time I'm totally helpless!" Inuyasha said hating feeling this helpless.
...
Mayu kneels in a dark area. Her hands are in chains.
"It's pitch black. Where am I?" Mayu asked.
A slit of light appears
"A light?" Mayu inquired.
Mayu reaches the vertical slit of light and opens it. Flames of fire and smoke rush in. She is in the closet, confronted by the fire. Mayu gasps and yells.
...
In the hospital
Akane, lying on a hospital bed, suddenly wakes and gasps.
"Huh?! You're conscious!" A Nurse said surprised.
"Umm... What happened?" Akane asks getting up.
"Never mind... Look at Satoru!" The Nurse softly said with a smile.
"Huh?! Satoru!" Akane said as she rushes to Satoru.
"Mom..." Satoru weakly said as he opened his eyes. Satoru holds Akane's hand. "Mom... Umm... Sis is inside the closet." Akane gasps. "Please hurry and get her!"
...
Mayu is surrounded by flames. She cowers and shields her head with her hands.
"This is how I died. I couldn't be saved..." Mayu remembers.
"Mayu! Mayu!" Kimiko calls out worried.
"Who is that?! Mom?!" Mayu asked.
"Where are you?! Answer!" Kimiko pleads as she walks into the burning apartment but then notices Mayu. "Mayu! Hurry! Let's get out of here!" Kimiko holds up her hand in a hopeful tone.
"Are you crazy?! I'm already dead! I don't have a home anymore!" Mayu said annoyed.
The ground behind Mayu rumbles and falls away. The chains around Mayu are dragged downwards, pulling her into the void below. Mayu shrieks in fear.
"Mayu!" Kimiko calls out and grabs Mayu's hand. "Mayu!"
The eye of the Soul Piper appears and loom above Mayu. Flame sparks fly all over the place as Kimiko struggles to hold on to Mayu.
"You're going home, Mayu. You're going home and make peace with your mother. Your mother loves you so very much! Is it okay if you never see her again?" Kimiko promised than asked.
The chain tugs harder at Mayu.
"She's not angry?" Mayu asked after a pause, gently.
Kimiko gasps and looks at Mayu.
"Mom's not angry at me?" Mayu asked getting happier.
"Don't you worry. She's your mother!" Kimiko reassured with a smile.
Mayu looks at Kimiko and starts sobbing sadly.
...
Flashback
Mayu's fond memories of her Mom, at a carnival, at the beach and taking photographs of her.
"Try to remember...about your mother..." Kimiko's voice is heard pleading.
...
Present
"Mom! I want to see you one more time, so I can say I'm sorry! I wanted to make up with you!" Mayu realized.
The chains suddenly break and fall into the void.
...
Daytime In The Apartment
Akane enters and looks at the aftermath of the fire. She stops in front of the closet.
"Mayu..." Akane said kneeling and stares into the closet.
"Mommy!" Mayu calls out happy and appears behind Akane.
"Mayu!" Akane said and turns around.
"Mommy!" Mayu said and touches Akane's face. "I'm sorry..."
"Mayu..." Akane said softly.
"I have to go now." Mayu replied and fades away.
Akane's smiles a bittersweet smile.
...
At The Top Of The Apartment Building
Kimiko and Inuyasha sit on a ledge.
"I hope it worked." Kimiko said worried.
"Cripes! You get into such scrapes! One wrong move and you'd have been dragged into hell with that impish evil spirit!" Inuyasha scolds with a hint of worry making Kimiko smile.
...
Bird's eye view of Kimiko's house - Inside Kimiko's room.
"One week later, Satoru was released from the hospital." Kimiko (3) told Inuyasha who was sitting on her bed waiting for his instant noodles.
"Kimiko!" Mayu calls out happy.
"Mayu!" Kimiko said walking to the window with Inuyasha.
"I wanted to thank you two before I left." Mayu thanks as she floats outside the window in a goldfish kimono.
"Such a pretty cotton kimono!" Kimiko compliments.
"Mom sewed it for me. Thanks for everything. Bye-bye! And you boy better protect her." Mayu smiles and orders Inuyasha making him nod in agreement before she flies upwards.
"Mayu, wasn't meant to be an evil spirit. She was just a little girl who loved her mother very much." Kimiko tells Inuyasha giving him the instant noodles and starts to eat with Inuyasha.
The tune of the Soul Piper plays in the background. Mayu flies upwards and joins the Soul Piper with closed eyes. Mayu turns into a light and flies around it, laughing happily. They fade away.