The Backdrop
Long Ago there was a powerful priestess named Midoriko, she vanquished many youkai. Kirara, Sango’s faithful neko-youkai, was a friend and loyal to Midoriko when she was alive. Inside a cave near the Taji-ya village, it is possible to visit the site in which this battle had occurred. In those days, the youkai had devoured the dead or near dead to gain more power and energy, but this one priestess had the ability to reach deep inside the youkai and purify their soul that would render these fierce youkai into being harmless. It was in that cave that she had fought the giant beast that now holds her in its jaws. The giant youkai was really just a combination of smaller youkai that had united together into one in hopes of destroying Midoriko. Their battle raged on for seven days and seven nights, when finally the youkai had her in its jaws. She had to reach deep within herself this time and grab the youkai’s soul as well. In this instance, she too also had her soul taken out which can be see in the hole in her chest. She cannot purify the youkai, but only capture and imprison it. Their battle is not over and their souls are together fighting one another inside the jewel known as the Shikon no Tama.The Shikon no Tama is neither good nor evil on its own, but it is good or evil by its possessor. If someone with a pure, golden heart filled with love and a will to do good possesses the jewel, the jewel is good. But if a dark heart that is filled with malice and hate possesses it, the jewel is evil. The jewel was passed from demon to demon and many sought out the jewel. Youkai have sought after the jewel for its power. Not only could it enhance their demonic power, but also it can keep them alive. If you were to come across a youkai with the Shikon no Tama embedded in its flesh, you would have to remove the jewel before the youkai’s body would reassemble itself due to the power of the Shikon no Tama. While the Shikon no Tama was passed around, the Taji-ya happened to slay one demon that possessed it.
The jewel glowed with malice and the blood of the innocent that the youkai and the youkai before it had slain. The Taji-ya needed to get the jewel purified as they could not have this jewel. There was only one that they trusted to guard and protect the jewel from the evildoers, a powerful miko with immense spiritual powers. She could sense demons coming to her within a few feet and strike them down without them even touching her. Her name was Kikyou.
The History of a Tragic Love Tale
While nothing of her childhood or family is known, it is known that she did have one younger sister that looked up to her and was an apprentice to her. Her name was Kaede and she was but a young child while Kikyou looked after the village and the Shikon no Tama. It is unknown how long she has been in that village and watched over it, but what is known for sure is that she was highly respected. (It is extremly obvious when the villagers pray to Kagome and give her offerings when they learn of the suspicions of her being Kikyou's reincarnation.) Numerous attacks were played against the village as the Shikon no Tama resided there, but Kikyou continued to slay the youkai before they could get close. There was one half-demon though that continued persistantly to try and attain the jewel, but failed every time. Kikyou would always hold her bow, ready to fire the last blow and end his continous attacks, but would never fire."Bitch! Why do you always leave without finishing me off!"
"Don't hang around any more - it's a waste of my arrows."
Instead she would turn and walk away from the hanyou, leaving him alone. She would never fully explain why she did this until later when she was out in a field and he spied on her. She simply told him that they were alike, fighting their humanity. "Inu-Yasha, you and I look alike. since you're half-youkai...that is why...I haven't killed you..." Inu-Yasha quickly disagreed and she sadly smiled and agreed with his viewpoint. Looking at her sad expression, he couldn't help himself. From that day forth, he couldn't get Kikyou out of his mind. They fell in love before they knew it, Kikyou and Inu-Yasha found solace within one another. Kikyou from the lonliness that was forced upon her by protecting the Shikon no Tama and Inu-Yasha from the rejection that he had felt all his life. Kikyou felt that there would only be one way for them to be together, to be rid of the jewel. The only way to destroy the jewel would be to completely purify it. She knew the perfect wish and approached Inu-Yasha with the idea. They were to meet in the field the next day, Kikyou would be bringing the jewel and Inu-Yasha was to use it to become human. They didn't know that they were to be decieved and found each other betrayed. Using the last ounce of her strength after "Inu-Yasha"'s attack, she pinned him to the Goshinboku and died shortly after. Before she died, she ordered Kaede to burn the Shikon no Tama with her remains. This would not be the last of the tragic priestess
Love Cannot Be Forgotten
After 50 years had passed, an ogress by the name of Urasue attacks the village and steals Kikyou's ashes and some grave soil. Kaede informs Inu-Yasha & Kagome of what Urasue did and they all follow after the ogress. Meanwhile, Urasue uses the ashes, grave soil, and the mold that suddenly cracks and bursts open to reveal Kikyou. Urasue orders the new body to get her the jewel shards, but the body merely falls over and does nothing. Urasue figures that the soul has been reincarnated into a body so she quickly takes action when the body will not release the herb-like leaf in its hand. Finding Kagome, she kidnaps her and leaves the others to fall to their deaths. Once the others caught up with Urasue, they found Kagome in a bath full of smelly herbs and the body of Kikyou, waiting for its soul. As Inu-Yasha sees the clay body he hesitates and in Kagome's head she hears Kikyou plead voicelessly with Inu-Yasha not to speak her name, but Inu-Yasha could not hear her and it was too late. The soul shot out of Kagome's body and into Kikyou's clay body, making the priestess alive once more. Kikyou, enraged still from the betrayal she thought Inu-Yasha played upon her 50 years ago, she attacks Inu-Yasha, looking to kill him. Just before Inu-Yasha was nearly killed, Kagome's body summoned the soul back to her. Kikyou escaped away from her before her entire soul was stolen and Inu-Yasha followed after.Trying to coax her to go back inside Kagome's body, Kikyou fell over the cliff and what Inu-Yasha thought was her death. Later on Kikyou learned that the betrayal played upon them was not each other that instead, a wicked demon named Naraku had done this act. Naraku had been born from Onigumo's body, a bandit that Kikyou had cared for while he was burned severely. He was a wicked man with a black heart and lustings for the beautiful miko. During that time when she cared for him, her spiritual powers diminished and thus allowed the youkai in the cave. In exchange for a new body, Onigumo allowed the demons to feast on his flesh and therefore creating Naraku. Kikyou has a new mission, to destroy Naraku and the Shikon no Tama once more and to take Inu-Yasha with her to Nirvana.