The Beginning of an Old Life --Open--

[syeira]

...

...

Where... where am I?

...

What happened?

I feel as though I've lost a part of myself...

I feel older then I did before.

...

What's this feeling? It... it feels like being static-shocked all over my body...

The black haired priestess's eyes opened slowly, the tingling in her veins slowly edging away. She blinked groggily, her honey-brown eyes tired, and unregistering. After a moment, her eyelids fluttered, before she examined her surroundings, not moving, the side of her face planted against the cold stone floor of a cave. She trembled, before using a hand as a support to let herself be pushed up. Sitting with her legs tucked underneath her, she placed a fair skinned hand against her forehead, a few ebony strands falling into her face, partially covering the four marks on her forehead.

Someone gasped, causing her to look up quickly. Before her stood a young boy, looking no older than thirteen. His own brown eyes were wide in surprise, his short black hair scruffy-looking and dirty. He bolted, yelling at the top of his lungs for his parents. Not long after, a large gathering of people were huddled around the priestess, who now looked around, befuddled.

Who are these people? They are not the villagers I remember...

She thought silently, and soon, someone spoke up.

"Are... are you M-midoriko?"

[/i]

The woman blinked, then nodded quietly.

"I am, however, I wonder how you know my name, yet I know none of you."

She replied sullenly. The boy who had first seen her stepped forward.

"I am Zen, and these are the people of the demon slayers' village. It's been a long time since you've been alive, Midoriko-sama."[/i]

... Alive? What does this child mean by 'alive'?

Midoriko pondered. Before she could ask, however, a few village women offered their assistance in getting her to the healer's hut, and before she knew what was happening, the people had put in front of her some tea and promised food if she ever would need some. She sipped the bamboo cup thoughtfully.

The memories came back in a flood, and she then remembered what the child said. She made the connection, and found the true meaning behind his words. The last thing she remembered before this hour was all the demons, and she recalled how she had taken out a knife and sliced into her chest, and then removed her own heart, which had transformed into a sort of pinkish jewel, much like a giant pearl. She remembered the pain, then the ice that froze her blood, crystalizing it for what seemed like eternity.

After the stream stopped, her cup fell. The woman who was supposed to be the healer looked up, surprised, from her own tea.

"Midoriko-sama, are you alright?"

"... No, I am not. I am supposed to be dead, or frozen, or something, but then... How am I here?"

The healer stared for a moment before giving a small shrug.

"No one here knows, Priestess, we merely found you. It is very untimely for you to have woken."[/color]

"Untimely?"

"Indeed, Midoriko-sama. While you laid dormant, encased in crystal, the Shikon jewel, the gem you ripped from your own chest, has been shattered by some foolish new priestess, some reincarnation of Kikyou. Anyways, since it's been shattered, some youkai named Naraku has gathered much of it. (He is pure evil, mind you.) Since then, he has had two sons from different brides. He has planned horrible things, Priestess. He even believes he can destroy the demon generals."

Midoriko was silent for a long moment. She stood up suddenly.

"Give me a bow. I will not allow such treachery with my own heart."

With that, she gave the woman a glare so cold it made shivers run down her spine. Quickly, a bow was brought to her. And although she felt weak, she left the hut. A horse was offered, but she declined. She knew not how to ride a horse. Her only knowledge of mounts was in that of the firecats, thus that would be her only choice.

But when a split-tailed feline rubbed at her ankles, she gave herself no other option to pick it up, stroke it, and carry it with her. It crawled up her shoulder and sat there, purring loudly in her ear. Her grandmother had always said she had a way with cats when she was a young girl, before she had discovered her priestess powers. She smiled faintly, and then gimped off down a forest path, her bow slung over her shoulder along with the quiver of arrows.[/blockquote]