A group of village men are screaming and pointing at something in the distance. It rises in a net into the air and slashes free. It's Inu Yasha, who snickers as he effortless dodges the attacks of the villagers and crashes directly into a temple. Smugly covering his nose with his sleeve, he steps up to the altar and snatches the Shikon Jewel glowing on it.
The men burst in and attack with spears and poles, but Inu Yasha is just too quick and escapes before the temple collapses. Mocking his attackers as he flies away, he remarks with glee how, with the jewel, he can finally become a full youkai.
Just as Inu Yasha flies past a tree, a Shinto priestess calls out to him and fires an arrow at him. It's Kikyou, and with deadly accuracy, she pins him to the tree. Too shocked to speak, the Shikon Jewel slips from his grasp and clatters to the ground harmlessly. Unable to move, Inu Yasha looks directly at Kikyou, a mixture of confusion and (as we find out later) heartbreak in his face and his voice as he whispers her name.
"How dare you…!" he utters before falling unconscious.
Kikyou weakly stumbles over to the Shikon Jewel and picks it up. A thick trail on the ground and stained shoulder reveal that she is mortally wounded and barely clinging to life.
A little girl with an eye patch rushes to her side, with others in tow, insisting that Kikyou needed her wounds tended immediately. The little girl is Kikyou's younger sister, Kaede. Kikyou remarks that her inexperience is the cause of her wounds as well as the Shikon Jewel. When Kaede continues to insist that Kikyou be treated, the miko (priestess) replies that it is too late, and makes a final request. She orders the little girl to burn the Shikon Jewel with her remains so that it will not fall into evil hands. Wincing in pain a final time, Kikyou dies as Kaede cries her name.
As requested, the Shikon Jewel is burned along with Kikyou's lifeless body. It was Kikyou's belief that by having it burned with her, it would be permanently destroyed.
Flash forward to modern day Tokyo
At a small Shinto shrine, a young high school girl asks about the Shikon Jewel, and her grandfather obligingly explains it to her. The next scene shows the young woman looking closely at a key chain with a ball on the end. It's Kagome, and she explains to her grandfather, the priest of the shrine, that such key chains are no longer the fad.
As the old man seeks to change her mind, Kagome is distracted by the antics of Buyo, her obese pet cat, as he paws at the toy. The more Grandpa Higurashi tries to explain the legend of the Shikon Jewel, the more Buyo pursues the key chain Kagome is holding, continuing to distract her.
Bored with the story, Kagome asks Grandpa if he remembers what tomorrow is. He chuckles and asks how he could possibly forget her birthday. Kagome is thrilled when (offscreen) Grandpa gives her a present. Unfortunately, the gift is a mummified kappa's (water monster resembling a cross between a duck and a turtle) hand that is supposed to grant good luck. Less than thrilled, Kagome hands it to Buyo to eat. Grandpa whines about what a waste giving it to the cat would be, but relents. In her mind, Kagome wonders to herself if THAT is what history is.
Kagome explains that her, her mother, grandfather, and little brother all reside in a very old family shrine loaded with legends. At a meal, Grandpa tries to explain the origin of some pickles served at the table, but Kagome interrupts by saying that they came from next door. Kagome continues to talk about the shrine, mentioning a well that might have something historical about it, but then again, so might everything else.
The scene changes to the city, where Kagome and some friends are socializing. Apparently, she went home, because a moment later she is seen leaving the house.
As she passes by the shed with the legendary well, she notices her little brother, Souta, standing at the door with a bowl of cat food. Kagome tells him that this was no place to be playing, but Souta explains that Buyo is inside. They call, but the cat does not come out of hiding. Souta is afraid to go near the well, and his sister teases, asking if he's a man or not.
An odd scratching sound is heard coming from the sealed well, and Souta panics, hiding behind his sister. Unfazed, Kagome heads down the steps to retrieve the cat. More scratching is heard, and Kagome realizes that the sound is coming from inside of the well. She suddenly screams, feeling something brush up against her leg, causing Souta to scream and fall on his butt. It's Buyo, and Kagome picks him up.
Souta scolds his sister for scaring him, but she retorts, scolding him back for making her get the cat. The scratching gets louder, and the well seal (behind Kagome) explodes, throwing up odd, hand-like ribbons that grab and pull Kagome into the well. Buyo escapes, but neither he nor Souta can do anything to help.
The hands holding Kagome pull her deeper into the well, and everything turns a misty blue around her. When she gets turned around, she comes face-to-face with a monster with a woman's upper torso and a very long, partially skeletal centipede body.
The creature is overjoyed that its strength and body are returning. It insists that Kagome has 'it' and demands 'it' of her, licking the girl's face with a long, thin tongue. Disgusted and scared, Kagome screams and pushes the centipede woman away, startled by the blast of energy she fires at the monster. The creature falls away, proclaiming that it will not lose the Shikon Jewel. Alone and floating, Kagome wonders why the monster mentioned the jewel.
Kagome lands on the bottom of the well and catches her breath, still trembling from the encounter. Looking up, she realizes that she is at the bottom of the well. At first, she believes that the monster was little more than a dream, but one of the creature's arms that had been blasted off and is at her side convinces her otherwise.
Kagome calls for Souta to get Grandpa to help her out of the well, but there is no reply. With a sigh, she starts climbing up the vines, grumbling that Souta must have run away. She climbs out of the well, but instead of the well house, she finds herself in a forest with no buildings in sight. Confused, she calls for her family, but no one answers. At last, she encounters something familiar-the Goshinboku tree. She runs to it, knowing that her house should be nearby.
The house is nowhere to be seen, but pinned to the Goshinboku is none other than Inu Yasha, still perfectly unconscious. Naturally, Kagome finds it rather strange that a boy is pinned to the tree with an arrow, but chooses to investigate nonetheless. She asks for help, but there is no response. Getting a closer look, Kagome notices Inu Yasha's fluffy white dog ears, and even though she is curious as to why he has them, she cautiously reaches forward and rubs them between her fingers. After a moment, she stops, remarking to herself that this was no time to fool around.
Suddenly, a man's voice demands what she is doing, and he and several others fire arrows at her. All miss, but Kagome is tied up and brought to a village. The people gather and stare at her oddly, occasionally making remarks. Kagome notices that everyone is dressed and has his or her hair styled in a Feudal-period manner.
After some more chatter, an elderly woman with an eye patch and miko attire approaches and throws some dust at her. It's Kaede, who has grown much older. Irritated, Kagome demands to know what she is doing. The woman explains that since Kagome had been in Inu Yasha's Forest, she was suspected of being a monster. Someone suggests that Kagome could be a spy, but the old woman brushes it off as unlikely.
Glancing at Kagome, the woman suddenly pauses and asks to see the girl's face better. After turning poor Kagome's face several times, the woman remarks that Kagome looks like her older sister, Kikyou!
Kagome is invited to spend the night at the Kaede's hut and given some soup. Kaede apologizes for what happened earlier, but that there had been a lot of recent wars and that they had to be cautious. She goes on to say that things were still rather awkward since she (thinking that Kagome is Kikyou) had not forgiven them yet. Kagome asks if she is in Tokyo, but Kaede doesn't understand and asks if that is where she is from. Kagome simply states that she would like to return home, then wonders to herself just HOW she is going to get home.
As Kaede studies Kagome, she has a flashback to Kikyou's death. She recalls that 50 years have passed since that particular event occurred and gazes into the fire thoughtfully.
Outside, something is approaching the village from underground. It's the centipede woman, and she's attacking the village. The alarm is sounded, and Kaede and Kagome rush outside to see what is going on. The monster, called Mistress Centipede, rears back with a horse in her mouth, which she quickly lets go of upon spotting Kagome. She demands that Kagome hand over the Shikon Jewel as she writhes to tackle the girl.
Kaede is shocked by the centipede's words and asks Kagome if she really does have the Shikon Jewel with her. Kagome replies that she knows nothing about it. Impatient, Mistress Centipede thrashes about wildly, continuing to demand the jewel. Figuring that the monster is targeting her, Kagome overhears that it must be driven back to the dry well and asks where the well is. Kaede tells her that it is in Inu Yasha's Forest. Kagome further inquires if it is where the light on the horizon is coming from. Kaede is startled with what she hears and asks Kagome to repeat herself, but by then Kagome has run off towards the well.
As expected, Mistress Centipede pursues Kagome. Kaede is astounded that Kagome can see the light that ordinary people cannot. Kagome continues to run from the centipede. In her desperation, she screams for help.
The scene shifts to Inu Yasha, who is still pinned to the tree, but something is obviously different. He unleashes his claws and brings a hand to his face. He's awake, saying that he can smell the girl who killed him and that she is coming closer. Inu Yasha reaches to touch the arrow holding him fast to the tree, but it glows, revealing that he is still trapped. He curses his misfortune.
Kagome is still running from Mistress Centipede, who is also still demanding the jewel. Kagome yells that she has no such thing with her, but the monster does not seem to hear her, attacking and causing Kagome to fall. Inu Yasha's mocking tone calls her Kikyou and asks what the hell she is doing with the centipede. Kagome is shocked to learn that she is back at the Goshinboku and that now the boy pinned to it is awake.
Inu Yasha tells her to finish Mistress Centipede off in the same manner that she (Kikyou) did to him. Puzzled, he asks why she is staring at him in that uncharacteristic manner and if she has lost her powers. Fed up with being confused for someone else, Kagome is about to set the record straight when Inu Yasha warns her dryly that the centipede is attacking. Mistress Centipede is about to grab her when the villagers come to Kagome's aid and stall her.
Inu Yasha calls Kagome by the wrong name again as well as a disgrace. Infuriated, she gets in his face and demands that he address her correctly. Inu Yasha retorts, saying that she is the only one that would smell so disgusting to him. Suddenly, he pauses and sniffs at her. It finally clicks in his mind that Kagome is not Kikyou. Having won the argument, she makes sure that he understands her name is Kagome, sounding it out for him. Inu Yasha just remarks that Kikyou was more feminine and beautiful.
Kagome is about to blow up at him when Mistress Centipede suddenly grabs her. The centipede tries to pull Kagome away from the tree, but the girl is hanging on tightly to Inu Yasha's hair. Kaede arrives on the scene and is alarmed that Inu Yasha is awake. The tug of war on the tree continues until Mistress Centipede mentions the jewel again. The words instantly catch Inu Yasha's attention.
The centipede moves to bite Kagome, but Kagome involuntarily blasts her again. Kagome recalls that this happened in the well too, and the villagers stare in awe. Before Kagome can even wonder how she did it, something on her left side glows eerily. Mistress Centipede attacks, biting Kagome right on the glowing spot and hurling her into the air. From her wound comes not only blood, but also the Shikon Jewel!
Kagome tumbles to the ground with the jewel, and Inu Yasha orders her to give it to him quickly. Mistress Centipede surrounds them and ties them to the tree with her body, laughing about the story she'd heard of a half youkai brat that was searching for the Shikon Jewel. She taunts Inu Yasha, asking if he is the one she heard about. Kagome wonders what the centipede meant by that remark, then who the pinned boy is.
Inu Yasha tells the centipede not to take him lightly, that he could tear her up with little effort. Kagome takes this opportunity to form an idea, and asks Inu Yasha if he really is strong. Mistress Centipede asks what Inu Yasha could be wanting considering he is sealed to the tree, then eats the Shikon Jewel. Inu Yasha curses his imprisonment as the centipede's severed arms return to her.
Having devoured the Shikon Jewel, Mistress Centipede squeals in ecstasy at the power she is absorbing and starts to change. Her writhing nearly crushes Kagome, but the girl clings to Inu Yasha for dear life. In a calm tone, Inu Yasha asks Kagome if she is capable of pulling out the arrow in his chest. Kagome reaches to pull it out, but Kaede yells for her not to do it. Inu Yasha retorts, asking if the old woman would like to be food for the centipede once it has absorbed all of the jewel's power. He then asks Kagome if she wants to suffer the same fate.
Scared, angry, and confused, Kagome reaches up and takes hold of the arrow. She tugs on it, crying out that she does not want to die, and the arrow suddenly disappears. Kaede simply gawks in utter amazement.
For a moment, everything is silent. Kagome timidly utters Inu Yasha's name. A low chuckle erupts into maniacal laughter as Inu Yasha is freed from the tree. Mistress Centipede attempts to crush him against the tree, but he tears her apart with his claws. Kagome and pieces of the centipede's body tumble to the ground as the remaining, still-intact upper torso of Mistress Centipede charges at Inu Yasha. The newly freed Inu Yasha cackles as he rears back and destroys what's left of the centipede with his Soul-Shattering Claws attack.
Kagome watches in awe, but cries out and jumps away from a still-twitching piece of centipede flesh. Kaede approaches and asks if Kagome can see a lump of flesh that is glowing. Looking around, Kagome spots and points to it. Kaede removes the Shikon Jewel from the carcass and it melts away. She then hands the jewel to Kagome, saying that she is the only one that can use it.
Kagome asks about the jewel, but Inu Yasha interrupts, saying that it is useless to a human and that if she does not hand it over, he will kill her too. Kagome backs up, terrified and disheartened that Inu Yasha is no longer a hero.
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