Tales From the Goshinboku Tree by Taiyoukai_SessKag

Part I: The Beginning and the Injury

The sun opened its eyes to the world. It washed over the earth, illuminating the dark. Kagome looked up at the flowing branches of the Goshinboku tree. Even in her era, it still retained the mystery and wonder it held back in the feudal era, back when she first met InuYasha. She felt a slight dive of her heart at the thought of the rugged, handsome hanyou.

"Forget it, Kagome. He's gone." She muttered, her eyes moving about the tree restlessly, and finally coming to rest on the spot where InuYasha had been pinned. The bark had never grown back, leaving the scar as a memory. On an impulse, Kagome grabbed one of the lower branches and, with minor difficulties, pulled herself up, perching herself on the branch that InuYasha himself had favored.

"Hey, Kagome!" Eri called from the top of the shrine steps. "What are you doing?"

Puzzled, she walked over, followed by Yuka and Ayumi.

"Oh, nothing." Kagome replied vaguely. "Just thinking. You guys want to hear a story? It's something that I...I read recently."

She paused, wondering fleetingly if this was a good idea.

"Sure." Yuka replied. "Lay it on us, Kagome."

"All right, then." Kagome paused, taking a deep breath. "Our story begins in a time long ago..."

'There once was a very powerful, as well as quite feared, priestess. She was said to be the best at purifying youkai souls and making them harmless, among other things. Her name was Midoriko, and she is the source of our legend. During a particularly difficult battle involving several fused youkai, Midoriko was forced to seal her soul, and the souls of the youkai, into a jewel and shoot it out of her heart. Thus was born the Shikon no Tama, or the Jewel of Four Souls. It fell into the hands of the local taijiya, who kept it well-protected in the hidden village. For years, that was where it was kept, until it was decided that it needed to be protected by a priestess who could protect it. That's where our struggle begins. The priestess, named Kikyou, protected the jewel flawlessly for years, until she met InuYasha, and hanyou with the desire to become a full youkai. Their love gave birth to betrayal, but we're not there yet. There was another man, a thief by the name of Onigumo, who wished Kikyou to be his own. He grew full of hatred and darkness, and soon fed his body and soul to hundreds of evil youkai. Thus was born the evil hanyou, Naraku, and now we get to the betrayal of InuYasha and Kikyou...'

Kagome broke off, unable (and unwilling) to continue.

"I'll...I'll finish it later...Sorry..." She mumbled.

"It's okay, Kagome. We'll gladly wait for the rest. It sounds like an interesting tale." Ayumi said.

"Well, Kagome, we'd better hurry if we want to be at school on time." Yuka glanced at her watch. Kagome climbed out of the tree, gathered her school supplies, and walked to school with her friends. When they passed a café, a man smiled - well, more like smirked - and returned to reading his book.

"So...she is divulging the tale to her friends..." He paused to take a sip of his cappucino. "It will be healthy for her."

"Master, your car is ready." A short man bowed.

"Coming." The stranger stood and took his leave of the coffee shop.

"So, Kagome, are you going to accept Hojou's offer or not?" Yuki asked, knocking Kagome out of her reverie.

"Huh?" She replied. "What offer?"

Hojou smiled apologetically.

"I guess your mind is elsewhere. See you later!" He rode off on his bicycle.

"So, Kagome, what were you thinking about?" Ayumi inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Or whom were you thinking about?" Yuka giggled.

Kagome thought for a moment, and the name came to her, however sluggishly it seemed.

Sesshoumaru

Where was he now? What was he doing? How is he? Is he still alive?

"Kagome, look out!" Her friends were still on the sidewalk, meaning that she, Kagome, was wandering into traffic. She spotted the car, though a moment too late, and screamed the first name that had come to her mind.

"MARUKO!"

The car threw Kagome up and over its hood and trunk like a bull, leaving her bruised and mangled on the street. The car skidded to a stop, and a man with shoulder-length brown hair stepped out.

"Takafune Maruko..." The three conscious s gasped.

-End Part I-

Bet you expected her to say 'Sesshoumaru', didn't you? ^___^ Sorry this chapter is so short...The others are a LOT longer!