Episode 61

Kikyo and the Dark Priestess is the sixty-first episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) Kagome, still under Tsubaki's curse, tries to resist as much as she can, telling Inuyasha to run away.
 * 2) Kikyō manages to break through Tsubaki's barrier and confronts her old rival; Kikyō tells Tsubaki that she can do what she likes with Kagome, but if she harms Inuyasha she will personally see to Tsubaki's demise.
 * 3) Kikyō's interference gives Kagome momentary respite, and she asks that Inuyasha take her to the Shikon no Tama shard that she senses, though the curse has still not been completely broken and the tainted Shikon no Tama shards still remain in Kagome's body.
 * 4) Inuyasha arrives at Tsubaki's location with Kagome, and Miroku and Sango soon arrive as well; Tsubaki emerges from the hut and tells Inuyasha not to draw his sword or else she will kill Kagome.
 * 5) Inuyasha struggles to battle against one of Tsubaki's demons without the use of Tessaiga.

Summary
Tsubaki continues with her curse on Kagome. Naraku has her put a curse on Kagome to force her to kill Inuyasha in the same way that Kikyō had 50 years earlier. Should Inuyasha stay with Kagome, he will die by her arrow; should he run, Tsubaki will kill Kagome instantly.

Some distance away, Miroku and Sango try to figure out how to get through Tsubaki's barrier only to find it too strong for them to break. Down on the ground, Kikyō arrives and thinks to herself that she can feel it the miasma is full of evil. Miroku and Sango question what was Kikyō doing here. Kikyō notices Miroku, Sango, and Kirara in the air, but doesn't care and enters the barrier effortlessly. Kikyō thinks to herself what does this mean and what's going on inside.

Back in Kaede's hut, Inuyasha is still facing Kagome, who aims at him with an arrow and tells him to leave, but he only walks towards her and finally Tsubaki gives the order to shoot. Kagome is forced to fire an arrow at Inuyasha, only barely missing him. As she prepares another arrow, she struggles to fight Tsubaki's control and continues to beg for him to run and save himself. However, Inuyasha refuses, then makes a charge for her. She lets the arrow fly.

Back in her own shrine, Tsubaki compliments Naraku on just how twisted and evil he is to force Kikyō's reincarnation to kill the man she loves as she thinks that Inuyasha died from the arrow. All of a sudden Naraku's puppet is obliterated and Tsubaki turns to face her old rival, Kikyō, who is now in the hut. Naraku realizes that Kikyō has killed his puppet, making Kagura surprised. Naraku says to not underestimate the powers of Kikyō Kagura wonders if Tsubaki can manage. Naraku tells Kagura to let Tsubaki do it as there's time after they see what Kikyō's up to.

Distracted by Kikyō, Tsubaki's spell weakens and Kagome regains control of her body. It is seen that her arrow missed Inuyasha and only grazed his arm. Kagome, weakened by her possession, collapses and Inuyasha takes her in his arms. She tells him she senses the Shikon Jewel nearby and asks Inuyasha to take her there. As they step outside, Kaede and Shippō are delighted to see Kagome awake again but attempt to convince her that she is too sick to go anywhere and that the curse still hasn't lifted, but Inuyasha promises he will protect her and he and Kagome set out to find the Dark Priestess. Shippō is worried that Kagome is in too much pain, but Kaede says that Kagome is a strong willed girl and will be fine. Silently, she knows that Kagome isn't doing well and hopes that Inuyasha will find a way to break Tsubaki's curse and save her. Meanwhile, Kagome apologizes to Inuyasha for almost killing him, but he says that it wasn't her fault since she was being controlled.

Miroku and Sango try to find another way to get through Tsubaki's barrier. Tsubaki asks Kikyō what's going on and if Kagome is really her reincarnation. Kikyō sees the nearly completed Sacred Jewel corrupted and says to Tsubaki she has placed a curse on Kagome and says it's useless with the power that she has. Tsubaki tells Kikyō to not take her lightly as she wasn't the same person she defeated last time. Kikyō says to Tsubaki she doesn't need to be told that and a glance at her tells her everything as she sold her soul to a demon in exchange in youth. Tsubaki says youth and beauty as a scar appears on the right side of her eye.

In a flashback, at a shrine young Tsubaki is admiring her youth hand beauty in a mirror and thinks to herself that someday she will lose them and wonders if that's the fate of one who isn't a God and if she can get a hold of the Sacred Jewel that Kikyo guards her beauty will be eternal. Inuyasha questions Kikyō about being a human. Kikyō tells Inuyasha he can be a human since he is half human after all and if the Sacred Jewel fell into the hands of a true demon its powers would greatly increase but if it was used to turn him into a human the Sacred Jewel would be purified and would probably cease to exist. Inuyasha asks Kikyō what would happen to her. Kikyō says her duty is to protect the Sacred Jewel and without it she'd become an ordinary woman. Inuyasha and Kikyō were riding on a boat and when she gets off the boat she accidentally trips and he manages to catch her. Inuyasha and Kikyō stare at each other for a moment before they hugged one another.

Tsubaki thinks to herself that if she can defeat Kikyō now while she is infatuated with a hanyō. During the season of spring, Tsubaki later confronted Kikyō in a forest and sensed Kikyō's spiritual powers waning after she fell in love with Inuyasha. Tsubaki tells her Shikigami to arise and kill Kikyō and steal the Sacred Jewel attempted to cast a curse on her. Kikyō sees and used her bow to reflect the curse and sent it flying back at Tsubaki, which gave her a scar on her right eye. Tsubaki says to herself that day 50 years ago Kikyō reversed the curse unto her. At the shrine, Tsubaki picks up a mirror and becomes horrified to see a scar on her right eye then drops the mirror, shattering it to pieces.

End of the flashback, Tsubaki's scar disappears and says to Kikyo she wasn't able to steal the Sacred Jewel from her but she linked up with demons and gained youth and beauty as well as demon power. Kikyō tells Tsubaki she is foolish. Tsubaki says to Kikyō she should talk and wonders how can she appear here looking exactly the same as before and notices dead souls within her. Tsubaki says to Kikyō that body she has is neither human nor demon and it's a fake and she was using dead souls yet she dares lecture her. Kikyō says to Tsubaki she just came here to ascertain the cause of the miasma and doesn't care what happens to her then senses Inuyasha coming. Tsubaki becomes confused before she looks at the corrupted Sacred Jewel again. Kagome asks Inuyasha why didn't he run away. Inuyasha says to Kagome he would never run away from her, but always stand by her side.

Miroku and Sango see Inuyasha and Kagome arrive outside Tsubaki's barrier and Kagome prepares to bring it down with her sacred arrow. Tsubaki becomes surprised that the Sacred Jewel is being purified and asks Kikyō if this is the work of Kagome. Kikyō says to Tsubaki she told her that a curse by the likes of her won't work on Kagome. Tsubaki tells Kikyō to be quiet and she was to blame for appearing when unwanted. Kagome brings the barrier down with her sacred arrow as Miroku and Sango watch in amazement. The energy from the collapsing barrier draws Tsubaki's attention to the door and she looks outside to see Inuyasha with Kagome, annoyed that she missed. Kikyō becomes suspicious before shoots arrows at Tsubaki from behind, one parting strands of Tsubaki's hair and the other pinning her sleeve to the doorway. Tsubaki turns to Kikyō and asks her what was she doing.

Kikyō asks Tsubaki what did she just say that she tried to have Inuyasha killed by Kagome's arrow. Tsubaki smirks at Kikyō and asks what's the matter and wonders if it was some unpleasant memories maybe and confirms she made Kagome shoot the arrow. Kikyō lowers her bow as she becomes angry. Tsubaki says to Kikyō in just the same way she killed Inuyasha back then. Kikyō angrily stomps up on Naraku's broken puppet, confusing Tsubaki. Kikyō walks up to Tsubaki from behind and snatches her up by her hair and says that she has no intention of interfering with whatever she does to Kagome but if she ever harms Inuyasha she will personally kill her. Outraged and indignant at Kikyō's attempt to intimidate her, Tsubaki jerks free and tries to hit the miko with an arrow she pulls from the doorway, Kikyō jumps nimbly away. Tsubaki says to Kikyō as if she would fear her. Kikyō tells Tsubaki to heed her warnings as it is no idle threat before she fades away into nothing.

Outside, Miroku and Sango arrive on the ground with Kirara to see Inuyasha and Kagome, glad to see Kagome is better, but still worried for her. Kagome announces that the Shikon shards are in the shrine. The shrine doors then open and Tsubaki steps out with her snake shikigami draped comfortably around her shoulders. Inuyasha asks Tsubaki if she was the dark priestess. Tsubaki confirms it and asks Inuyasha if he's "Kikyō's lover". Inuyasha becomes surprised. Having earlier seen her enter Tsubaki's barrier, Miroku and Sango demand to know where Kikyō is, confusing Inuyasha. Tsubaki laughs and says that Kikyō was only there to beg for Inuyasha's life to be spared, interesting Inuyasha. Kagome realizes Kikyō still has feelings for Inuyasha. Tsubaki says to Inuyasha that Kikyō borrows her body from dead souls and she cannot come to terms with death because of her love for a man. Inuyasha tells Miroku and Sango to look after Kagome as he places her down. Inuyasha steps forward and says he can tell just by the way Tsubaki made Kagome try to kill him that Naraku is behind everything. Tsubaki casually admits that Naraku is working with her.

When Inuyasha charges her and takes hold of Tessaiga, but then Tsubaki renews the curse on Kagome and says that Inuyasha is not allowed to draw his sword because she then kill Kagome instantly, who is already lying on the floor in pain again. Frightened, he backs down, much to Tsubaki's amusement. Tsubaki says that the jewel could only be purified because Tsubaki was distracted and then she lets a large demon come out of her eye, which Inuyasha is not allowed to fight with Tessaiga. However, Kagome encourages Inuyasha, only that his Tessaiga is far too weak for the demon, but he does not want to let his guard down. Inwardly, she reflects on how Kikyō told her she was no match for her reincarnation, but after considering how pathetic a priestess Kagome is, she attributes her weakening hold on Kagome to Kikyō's distractions rather than the girl's own power. After reassuring herself that she is the best miko ever, Tsubaki unleashes an enormous wolf/fox demon from her eye to slay Inuyasha, who — for the life of Kagome — would sooner be slaughtered than ever draw his sword.