Life was never easy for Kikyou. It was necessary for her to begin training at a young age to become a strong priestess. While other girls could play with dolls, Kikyou had to learn spells. Other girls could pick the wildflowers they thought were beautiful, but Kikyou learned to pick those plants with medicinal purposes. They had freedom, but she had responsibility.

Her life had its advantages. She liked to help people and the people of the village were grateful for her protection. She had a home in the village--something she will later have to live without. Her younger sister was always by her side, learning from her and admiring Kikyou as a beautiful and wise big sister. Unlike the people who relied on her for protection, her strength was great enough to protect her during the turbulent and dangerous times in which she lived.

In fact, her power was so great that she was entrusted by a clan of youkai exterminators to protect a sacred jewel called the Shikon no Tama. A crystal made up of the Four Souls, the Shikon no Tama contained both good and evil. It would make any demon (or human) who possessed it stronger, and even humans sought to use the Shikon no Tama for evil. The exterminators could protect the jewel, but not surpress the evil within it. A strong priestess like Kikyou was required to keep it pure.

This was a great honor for Kikyou. Another priestess named Tsubaki wished to be the jewel's protector, but Kikyou was the stronger and more pure of the two so Tsubaki's master gave it to her instead of his trainee. In a rage, she attacked Kikyou, but she repealed the attack and badly injured the angered priestess. She appears in the story when she is given Naraku's portion of the Shikon no Tama so that she can interfere with Inuyasha's group.

Kikyou's power and position made her special, but it also made her different. She had to hide her emotions--her fear, her loneliness, her sadness--from both her enemies and the people she was trying to protect. For Kikyou, any weakness was potentially deadly. The other girls became women and she became a priestess. They could give her respect and adoration, but her position meant they could never give her friendship.

She sees the woman of her village doing their "normal" things like chatting and wearing make up and wishes she could be normal. She knows she cannot abandon the Shikon no Tama or her position as a priestess but she longs for her freedom. Her sister is a constant companion, but she is too young to understand Kikyou's loneliness. Her future offers her little besides duty and responsibility.

When Inuyasha enters her life, she finds a kindred spirit. With his love, she finds a chance for freedom. Unfortunately Naraku's evil and her own insecurity destroys her hopes for a life with the one she loves. Instead she dies, taking her sorrow and the Shikon no Tama with her.

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