Chapter 36: Curses

Kagome takes a minute to remain in her closet after Kaede told her another secret she kept for her. Although it's none of her business unless it involves her. "Is she the only one?" Kagome was able to ask her cousin as she comes out. She sees Kaede sitting on her bed. "So far it's just her. Ever since my father found out, he wanted her to stay focus on that other than her studies at school. According to dad, a priestess is to never fall in love with anyone." Kaede said to her serious so that Kagome can understand where this is going. "And if she did?" She asks hesitantly.

Kaede pauses to come up with a good answer. "She'd be cursed." That was all she could tell her. Kagome sits on her desk chair. "Did Inuyasha know anything about this?" She asks her curiously. "I doubt it. I have a hunch though." Kaede replies as she looks passed Kagome towards her window that faces Inuyasha's room. "What hunch?"

"I think my father wasn't the one who would think Kikyo to fall in love. If I were to know any better it might've been Tsubaki who manipulated him to tell her than instead." Kaede thinks out loud. "So then Tsubaki is the one who cursed Kikyo." Kagome assumes at that part. "Do you know anything about the curse that Tsubaki placed on her? Was it that killed Kikyo?" Kaede looks down in sadness. "I would believe that but there's something else that killed her." Kagome sits next to her and comfortably takes hold of her shoulder to encourages her to continue on. "I think since that time, Kikyo wasn't the same. She believed it was Inuyasha who caused her to slip and what you know so far. I think Tsubaki convinced to break up with him so that she can stay pure instead of being tainted by the curse."

Kagome can now see how painful it's affecting Kaede. "We can drop the topic. I can see it." Kagome suggests. Kaede nods and leaves the room to go to her own room. Too curious for her good, Kagome pulls out her tablet to see if she could find anything useful to get more information about being a priestess. After going through a few websites she finally found one that makes the most sense to her. For what she about to found out was easy so far until a fact that a priestess is to never do is marry. 'So maybe this is why Tsubaki cursed her and her into thinking that if she fell in love with someone else, she'd pay the price.' Realizing what this has become, Kagome has decided that she has to forget all about this and move on. She puts the tablet away and go to sleep.

In Inuyasha's room, he was able to hear the conversation thanks to his sense of hearing. 'I had no idea that Kikyo was a priestess the entire time. But then why was she wearing different clothes instead of her miko attire? Did she want not to be one? Am I to blame for her death?' He was lying on his bed with his hands tucks under his head thinking of many assumptions that might be true. A ding from his phone alerts him. He turns it on. 'Can we talk? Tomorrow?' It was a text from Kagome. 'Sure, but it has to be private though. I know our friends want to help us out but this is something they need to stay out of. Especially Kaede.' He texts her back.

After a minute another ding comes back. "Where should we go so that no one can follow us?" Kagome's text asks him." Inuyasha thinks for a few seconds. "I know where. Meet me in the afternoon. When we get home from school." He texts back and sends it to Kagome. "K See ya." Kagome writes her last text. He goes into his closet to find something else that once belonged to Kikyo. It takes him a few minutes until he finds a box with Kikyo's name on it. He opens it up to find what he's looking for. "This will straighten things out." He smiles and puts it into his backpack

The following morning, Kagome and Kaede come out of the house to get into Kagome's car. As soon as they pull out of the driveway, they see Inuyasha doing the same. Knowing Kaede is with her, Kagome decided to ignore Inuyasha's presence so that Kaede wouldn't get suspicious about their meeting in the afternoon. Inuyasha follows the same route until they reached the school's parking lot for their students. As soon as they get out, nothing exciting happened at school so far. As such everyone were minding their own business to study for any upcoming tests in the near future. No one wants to talk about what Kagome found more about her cousin. Ever if she sees Tsubaki, Kagome has to ignore as much as possible, but she is trying to find out any thing for what she believed is true.

The bell rings for the final time of the day to let their students to go home. When the Kagome and Kaede head towards Kagome realized something. "Ready to go home?" Kagome asks as they get into the car. "Yeah. I believe my mom should be discharged from the hospital today as well." Kaede smiles as they head back to the Higurashi house. When Kagome pulls into the garage, she sees her mom's car gone. "Looks like mom is picking up Muyiki. We should wait until they return home." Kaede suggests as they get into the house. "I agree." Kagome nods as they head into the kitchen.

A ding from Kagome's phone alerts the girls. 'Ready to go?' The text shows that it's Inuyasha. "Sorry, Kaede I need to run some errands. I'll be back soon." Kagome smiles at her cousin and leaves the house. Kaede is about to go after her until the front door opens. "We're home." Ai calls out to anyone in the house. 'Might as well wait.' She sighs and welcomes her mom to their temporary home.

Kagome sees Inuyasha on his porch with his arms crossed. "Took you long enough." He comments on her late arrival. "Sorry. I had Kaede glued to my hip. I had to try to get rid of her so that she wouldn't follow us." Kagome explains to him. Inuyasha leans forward. "This is better than driving. My old man has a tracker on my car so he'll know where I'll be." Inuyasha explains his position. Kagome gets onto his back and then Inuyasha leaps up into the air towards a particular spot.