The barrier around Kagome grows, crackles and spits, before splitting entirely, much to Urasue's surprise. Inuyasha yells Kagome's name as he looks over at her again, sweat at his temple.
Urasue goes on to suggest that when Inuyasha called Kikyou's name, the soul's feelings were confused and the barrier burst open. Inuyasha and Kaede stare as Urasue mentions how awfully convenient this state of affairs is for her. Probably really happy that Inuyasha survived that fall now, huh? She raises her scythe and calls dramatically for the soul to return to its original body. Unnecessary, considering this giant ball of light is heading straight for the replica!Kikyou anyway.
It shoots into replica!Kikyou with various tendrils all piercing her at different points, Inuyasha and Kaede gaping on. Replica!Kikyou squeezes her eyes shut and grimaces, the first sign of emotion from her we've yet seen. Urasue is ecstatic, inviting everyone to observe how the soul has been absorbed into replica!Kikyou.
Shippou leans over the side of the tub Kagome is lying in, telling her to hang in there, though it's obvious she's unconscious. Urasue twists to look over her shoulder at him and deliver the grim news that Kagome is just a husk without the soul in her anymore. She plans to preserve Kagome in miso and eat her later. What do you mean that's not comforting?
Inuyasha looks like he's still processing the fact that Kagome's soul has been put into Kikyou's body, all but scratching his head as he stares in dumbfounded disbelief. Kaede addresses Urasue, haltingly asking what has been done, exactly, with her sister's bones. As replica!Kikyou grasps at her face and the soul continues to swirl around her, Urasue explains that she used her witchcraft to resurrect Kikyou's body from her bones, and her head starts getting a TAD bigger.
Urasue's head falls to the ground and bounces, but she still manages to call KIKYOU the idiot for choosing the wrong target. Kikyou, gritting her teeth and screwing her eyes shut, says Urasue was very much the RIGHT target for dragging her out. She's hunched, looking like she's in agony as she haltingly insists that she didn't intend to ever wake again.
Shippou gapes at Kikyou from his position beside Kagome's tub, and Inuyasha is also uncharacteristically speechless at the sight. Kaede attempts to get Kikyou's attention, and this is when Inuyasha chooses to ask this person in front of him if she is really Kikyou. Kikyou's eyes pop open at the sound of his voice. She looks at him, drawing out her recitation of his name, then staggers toward him.
Inuyasha is once again dumbfounded, this time at the fact Kikyou is saying that HE was the one to betray HER. Kikyou is all, "DUH" with her next comment, saying that it's why she gathered the last of her strength and sealed Inuyasha away, and that they were NEVER supposed to meet again.
Kaede grasps Kikyou, telling her to stop and using her favorite title for her older sister in the process. Kikyou is alarmed at this coming out of the old woman, who explains that she's lived for fifty years between Kikyou's death and now. Kikyou narrows her eyes in a glare and asks Kaede if she sides with Inuyasha then, that hanyou who wounded her and took the Shikon no Tama. Inuyasha glares right back at her when she says to him with a sour expression that she believed his words that he would become human.
She recounts in a flashback how she was carrying the Shikon no Tama to their meeting spot when she looked around, hearing a strange sound. She was attacked by sharp claws in her shoulder, and when she fell on her front into the grass, and her hand grasping the jewel was stepped on by a familiar bare foot. A surprised Kikyou listened to Inuyasha's voice telling her that she's an idiot for thinking he ever intended to really become human. A clawed hand picked up the jewel and held it up, the voice thanking her for bringing the Shikon no Tama. Kikyou's eyes were wide as she contemplated the voice, and Inuyasha's silhouette claimed that the jewel needed to soak up more bitter blood. Kikyou closed her eyes while "Inuyasha" stated that he planned to go attack the village.
At the end of her flashback, Kikyou repeats that Inuyasha betrayed her, and Inuyasha stares at her with confusion, because he's pretty sure that wasn't him. Well, if it was, you've got one hell of a split personality, don't you?
Meanwhile, Kikyou has stolen Kaede's bow and an arrow, and fires on Inuyasha, forcing him to leap away from her renewed attack.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Again with the very well-executed reveal of what Kikyou's experience of the day she died was. She's clearly much more well-spoken and articulate than Inuyasha about the events, if not more indignant. Of course, Inuyasha has had time to get used to his revival than Kikyou has had, so it may be his feelings around the subject are dulled with some time traveling with Kagome. As far as Kikyou is concerned, the last thing she remembers is the day she died, and the perceived betrayal, and being faced with the person who betrayed her right off the bat wasn't exactly going to put her in a good mood.
After all, wasn't Inuyasha in quite the mood himself when the first person he woke up to was Kagome, someone who RESEMBLED the person who betrayed him?
What was also done strikingly well in this chapter were the depictions of Kikyou's agony upon being resurrected. The expressions she wore were spot on, and I could really BELIEVE that she was in pain. Every KIND of pain, too, from emotional to physical, because that soul re-entering her body looked like it hurt a lot.
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