I don't know about you, but that last chapter always sends chills down my spine and tears to my eyes. Poor Kagura! That last line man, it gets me every time. Well, now we're starting a whole new little conflict. So, heressssss Kikyo! (I'm sorry, I hate her SO much, I can barely stand it).

More terms;

O-Shishou-sama- really highly respected master monk.

Miko- priestess (I pray you know that one)

Ofuda- Miroku's sticky notes of death. Lol, just kidding. They're sutras.

Kochou and Asuka- Kikyou's servant Shikigami. They explained to Kagome how to save Kikyo when she was dying form shouki OD.

Houshi-sama- "Houshi" actually translates to "low, inadequate monk". Kind of an insult, even with the "sama", don't you think? Poor Miroku.

Sakujou- Miroku's staff.

Bakuryuha- Backlash Wave

Hijin Tessou- Blades of Blood

Sankon Tessou- Iron Reaver Soul Stealer.

Kusari-gama- Kohaku's chained scythe.

Shiniidama-chuu - Kikyou's soul collectors. What a name, eh?

InuYasha- Chapter 375- Hole in the Chest

The sky was painted black with dark clouds, covering the mountain side with a shadow. The sun was low in the sky, adding a strange light to the scene.

"O-Shishou-sama," a young man said, "The sun will be setting soon. It'll be impossible to pass over it. And according to the villagers, recently on this mountain, evil spirits are said to appear."

"Humph," the master spat, "You can't be afraid of every little rumor."

A small light glowed through the bushes, illuminating a small portion of the forest. It caught the monk's attention, causing them to jump in surprise.

"O-O-Shishou-sama! That's…!"

They looked closer, to see a woman, crouched down upon a tree base. She held her bow to her, her eyes closed peacefully. Her soul collectors twisted around her, bathing her in the light of deceased souls. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, onto her traditional miko dress.

"O-O-Shishou-sama!" the young man stuttered again.

"A-An evil spirit!" The master concluded, his eyes wide.

Kikyou opened one eye, glaring at them.

"I-It's looking this way!" the young man stumbled back.

The master yanked four ofuda from his robe, holding them out to Kikyou. "I know that! Begone youkai!"

Kikyou stood up slightly, staring them down, "You actually see me then?" The light reflected off her face, giving off a creepy glow.

"S-stay away!" the master cowered, holding his ofuda with a shaky hand. The sutras burst into flame, burning into ashes right in his hand. He stared at it in wonder, as Kikyou stepped closer.

"I'm sorry, but…" she apologized, "demon purification won't work on me."

The monks ran away, arms high above their heads in fear. "P-Please forgive us!" they called, disappearing into the night.

"Kikyou-sama…" Kochou said, her arms folded into her sleeves as usual. Asuka stood next to her.

"Those people…" Kikyou responded, "They were able to pass through my barrier. Well…"

This is bad, Kikyou thought, touching her hand to her chest, at this rate, before I defeat Naraku I will…

Meanwhile, on another part of the mountain, the group had traveled to the village of the demon slayers.

"It's sure gotten run down," Kagome observed, looking around. The entire village was covered completely in grass, weeds and moss coating the floor and walls. The wood from demolished houses stuck up like logs in a forest, adding the sense of eerie-ness the village gave off.

"Well," Miroku stated, looking around as well. "In this town of exterminators, there's no one living here anymore."

"Sango-chan…" Kagome looked over at her. "It must be painful for her."

Sango squatted with Kohaku, in front of their family's graves.

"This is father's and everyone else's grave," Sango explained to him. The weapons sitting on the mounds of dirt were getting covered by wildlife. Kohaku said nothing as he stared at them. "We found the bones…and brought them here….Everyone is sleeping peacefully here…so don't…"

Kohaku looked down at his legs, clutching his thigh with a shaking hand.

"Kohaku…"
Kohaku shook more violently, "However…" I can't forgive myself.

I guess it was too soon to bring him, Sango thought with sad eyes.

InuYasha sat, one leg crossed over the other one. He looked at his shoulder, where a small spec jumped up and down.

"Hey, Myouga-jijii. That better not be nonsense."

"InuYasha-sama, it's rather late to be saying that," Myouga responded. He rested by InuYasha's subjugation beads. "There's no mistake that the incident occurred. That's why we came all the way to the exterminator's town."

"Just aside from visiting the graves, though," InuYasha commented, staring at the siblings.

Myouga jumped up again, "What're you being so carefree for?"

"Let's leave Sango-chan and Kohaku-kun alone for a bit longer," Kagome said, putting her back pack over her shoulders. She turned to go with the others.

"InuYasha," Miroku stated, walking with his Shakujou, "Let's go by ourselves."

InuYasha hopped down from the wood he was sitting on, "Sure."

A few minutes later, the group had arrived at the cave.

"Myouga-sama. The incident at Midoriko's cavern?" Miroku asked the flea.

He jumped on InuYasha's head, "Indeed."

Kagome stared into the cave, her face calm. Midoriko…A miko from several hundred years ago. She could force out the soul of a youkai using her purification abilities….In the end, with a youkai, while killing each other. Something strange happened to the youkai's soul and her soul, and they were expelled out from their bodies. That mass of souls…is the Shikon no Tama.

In the cave, the group stood before the mound of flesh that was Midoriko. They stared up at it, illuminated by the stream of light that poured in from cracks in the cave. The hole where the jewel was expelled glowed brightly.

"Please observe," Myouga pleaded. "The hole in Midoriko's chest remains…"

"It's shining?" Kagome asked, looked at it quizzically. She stared at it, inspecting it closely. She gasped when she saw something, where the light was coming from, in the center.

"What…? There's something in the center of the light?" Kagome continued to stare at it.

Miroku stepped forward, "Shall we test it?"

He stuck his Shakujou out, instantly getting shocked by the electricity of a barrier. He grunted and pulled away. "It's making a barrier…but….I can see it. It looks like…a chrysalis."

Inside the hole was a small, round, rolled up object. The light indeed was pouring from that source.

"Midoriko is like the mother of the Shikon no Tama," Myouga explained. "It seems to something like that…. InuYasha-sama. This is nothing ordinary."

"Yeah," InuYasha agreed, "I guess we should watch over it."

This scent…

Later that night, Miroku, Kagome, Shippo, Sango and Kohaku sat around a fire, in one of the last remaining huts.

"A hole in Midoriko's chest?" Sango asked, after hearing Kagome's story.

"Yeah," she answered. "InuYasha stayed to watch over it."

Shippo warmed his hands to the flames, "Maybe it's by imagination, but that InuYasha…wanted to watch over it by himself."

"Eh?" Kagome asked. Why didn't she notice that?

"It's not your imagination," Myouga informed, jumping on the kitsune's head. "I was planning on staying with InuYasha-sama, but…"

"Myouga-jii-chan," Kagome asked, looking down at Myouga. "You didn't run away because you were scared?"

"That's wrong! I was chased out!"

Miroku joined the conversation, "That barrier wasn't something evil. Rather, it was pure…"

"Eh…" Kagome thought, then, that barrier was….InuYasha…

Back in the cave, InuYasha stared at the floor. He sat with his arms folded in his kimono sleeves, as always. The light in Midoriko's chest still glowed, bright in the darkness. InuYasha stared at it, watching it closely. Just then, the chrysalis began to move, and grow.

The chrysalis is…?!

It grew, coming out of its shell. It was a soul collector!

Kikyou's Shiniidama-chuu! InuYasha thought, standing up. The soul collector grasped a large soul it it's clutches, and started to fly away.

I knew it was Kikyou! he thought, following after it. Kikyou! What are you trying to do…?

Deep in the forest, Kikyou's clothes lay, in a clump on the shore. She stood under a waterfall, clad only in a thin yukata. She stared at the water rippling below her.

I can't turn back now…