-1InuYasha-Chapter 376- Alike Souls
Under the moonlight, Kikyou stood under the water fall, letting the water soak her through. She was purifying herself, for what lied inside her was eating away at her flesh. Through the thin white fabric of the yukata, her shouki wound was visible. From when Naraku had stabbed her, causing her to fall off the cliff. It had left a deep wound of shouki, and was eating away at her, from the inside out.
Kikyou sighed, "Naraku's miasma sure is persistent."
Kikyou watched as InuYasha made his way up to her. He stopped in front of the water, staring at her with disbelieving eyes. The Shiniidama-chuu followed after him, curving around him to get to Kikyou. In its grasp was the soul, illuminating the night, like the moon.
"InuYasha…" Kikyou said, clutching her hand to her chest. "What are you doing here?" The soul collector flew around her, glowing against the water's rippling surface.
"Kikyou you…! With Midoriko's soul?!"
Kikyou grasped the shoulder of her yukata, and began to pull it down. InuYasha jumped back, shock on his face.
"Kikyou…?!"
A giant scar was visible up the crack of her kimono, almost reaching the tip of her shoulder.
"This scar…has gone as far as my shoulder. The scar I got from Naraku at Mt. Hakurei."
InuYasha blinked at her, "W…Wasn't it healed…?"
He recalled the scene where Kagome had used her powers to heal Kikyou. I though Kagome had…purified the miasma.
"Only for a while, however, the wound has widened," Kikyou explained. "That shows just how strong Naraku's cursed feelings for me are. That is why I extracted Midoriko's soul. I've got no choice but to do this." She touched her hand to her heart, to her scar, again. The Shiniidama-chuu circled around her, basking her in the light of Midoriko. The water waved calmly as the light reflected off it. "If I don't use it, Before I can destroy Naraku, my body will be slowly dissolved by his miasma, and return to soil and bones."
"It's that bad then?!" InuYasha asked, a bead of sweat running down the side of his head.
"But since it's Midoriko's soul, then….Even though it's a dead person's soul, it should be able to save me. A miko who died while killing a youkai…in a sense…. Midoriko and I are…two people with alike souls."
The Shiniidama-chuu let the soul go, the light erupting into separate trails. They all flowed to Kikyou, full force. She stood her ground as they collided into her, causing her hair to fly up with the force. She braced herself as they were fully absorbed into her body, disappearing into her. Finally, she fell, exhausted, into the water below.
"Kikyou!" InuYasha called, running to her. He took her up into his arms, holding her wet form to his. Her hair clung to his chest, her clothes to her body. The shoulder of her yukata slid off, revealing a closing piece of flesh.
The wound…is closing up…InuYasha observed.
Back in the cave, Midoriko's eyes glowed…
In the house, everyone was fast asleep. Kagome sat, her legs pulled up to her stomach. She rested her arms on her knees, and her head upon her forearms. Miroku sat against the wall, holding his staff to his body. Shippo lay on the floor, his little limbs sprawled out. Sango and Kohaku lay on a bed of hay, next to Kirara.
Kagome sighed. She couldn't sleep anymore. Not like this. InuYasha…I guess he did sense Kikyou's presence…left in Midoriko's cave…. Her eyes shot open. She snapped her head to the side, staring at the young boy next to her. Kohaku-kun's Shikon fragment is…
The shard glowed brightly.
What…? It's like it's resonating with something…
Go!
Kohaku sat up, curious at the voice in his head. Miroku opened his eyes, staring at the boy. Sango sat up, twisting around to face him.
"What is it, Kohaku?" she asked, her eyes drooping.
He hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "It's nothing…"
A light glowed from the corner of the hut. Everyone turned to stare at it, curiosity on their faces. Soul collectors appeared from the blackness.
"Kikyou's Shiniidama-chuu!" Sango stated.
So Kikyou was nearby…Kagome evaluated.
The soul collectors tore out of the hut, streaming away into the night. Kagome grabbed her bow and arrows, and ran out of the hut as well.
"Let's go!" she shouted.
"Right," Miroku agreed, following after her. He was then followed by Sango and Kohaku.
The soul collectors led them into the forest, turning back now and then to make sure they were still there.
"It's like they're inviting us!" Kagome observed, her eyes wide.
Sango nodded, "Yeah."
Suddenly, Kagome ran into a barrier. It shocked her, sending her back a foot. She grabbed her arm in pain.
"It's a barrier…"
"I guess it's Kikyou's," Miroku stated, staring up at the invisible wall.
Kagome disagreed, "It's not." I've been through them every single time. This is someone else's…
Kohaku ran through the barrier, scythe in hand. He bounded in, going out of sight.
"Kohaku-kun?!"
"Kohaku!" Sango shouted. "Come back Kohaku!"
Kohaku turned to her, giving her a small smile. "Don't worry Ane-ue." He turned and began to run again. The shard…the shard is telling me to go. So that I can destroy Naraku…
"Kohaku-kun!"
"Kohaku!"
