Episode 144 - Housenki and the Final Shard
Inuyasha wanders an eerie, skeletal landscape of white mist. The fog dissolves, revealing the enormous remains of his father. An image of the black pearl appears. Inuyasha jolts awake - it was just a dream - recollection of the place where he obtained the Tetsuagia. Watching the sunrise, Inuyasha remembers the black pearl embedded in his eye is the key that can open the door to the netherworld and the last Shikon fragment. Leaving the team, he goes ahead to find Myoga and a way to retrieve the pearl once more. Kagome and the others follow Inuyasha later. As they travel, Kagome tells the others the story of the black pearl, it's history and its ability to open up the netherworld. Inuyasha arrives at Toto-sai’s foundry where Myoga is currently staying. After interrogating his diminutive retainer, Inuyasha learns the black pearl is useless as a portal. It performed its task as a gateway and is now inert. Toto-sai tells Inuyasha he's crazy to look for a Shikon shard in the netherworld - no way one could have gone there! Myoga agrees - if there had been a shard of the Shikon jewel in that place, Kagome would have sensed it when she and Inuyasha went there to claim Tetsuagia. If Kagome didn't notice one then, why would one be there now? Inuyasha insists things have changed, and they have to beat Naraku to the fragment currently hidden there. He succeeds in convincing Myoga about the shard and the flea tells him about Housenki - the demon that created the black pearl. Perhaps Housenki can provide them with another jeweled portal. Armed with the information, Inuyasha and the team set off to visit Housenki. Everyone else is on the move, too. A quarreling Hakudoshi and Kagura trail Inuyasha's group. Kohaku, Kanna and the second baby travel to meet Naraku. Sessho-maru and his entourage follow Kohaku's scent - convinced it will lead to Naraku. The path to Housenki is difficult: Inuyasha must climb a steep cliff. (Everyone else on the team takes the easy way -- riding Kirara and "balloon" Shippou). Reaching the summit, Inuyasha is greeted by the business end of Hakudoshi's spear! Hakudoshi, however, just stopped by to taunt. He welcomes the competition, is pleased to compete with the team for the last jewel, and departs leaving behind an outraged Inuyasha. When the team arrives at Housenki’s, they discover the demon has died, leaving his son the trade. The son is willing to help them, but advises it will 100 years before another jewel is ready to open the gate. The unwelcome news further frustrates Inuyasha. They have to find another route to the netherworld. Elsewhere Hakudoshi hatches a plan, dispatching Kagura with a message for Inuyasha. Kanna and Kohaku meet Naraku. Sessho-maru picks up Naraku’s scent and hastens towards its source. As Inuyasha and the team discuss options around the campfire, Kagura appears with a message from Hakudoshi. She tells them about a gateway which exists in the Country of Fire. If they want to enter the netherworld, they should go there and use the entrance. No one, including Kagura, knows why Hakudoshi is being so generous with such critical information.
