Alrighty. I'm back! For a while I was having a minor writers block. I got through it, though. I'd like to thank my reviewers for chapter five: loozer-09, Sweet Sad Jess, koinu-no-ai, and lil-demon-nightmare (glad to see you're alive Cyclops ^_^). If I didn't mention your name and you did review chapter 5 I'm sorry. Please let me know so I can add your name to the "thanks" list above.

            Well, enough of my ramblings… On to the fic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the anime "Inuyasha"; Rumiko Takeshi does. Lucky woman!

While we don't even notice the color of the blue, blue sky,
the days that pass constantly change…

We live on while wandering to the ends of the earth;
We close the path behind us and walk on into eternity.
We're petrified, without even voices.
We live on into eternity.

-Fukai Mori (English), Do As Infinity

            Kagome sighed contently to herself as she closed the heavy wooden door of her barrack, and leaned against it. She raised a shaky hand to her heart and was surprised with how fast it thumped in her chest. She smiled to herself with the recollection of the early morning hours she had spent with Inuyasha.

            If she compared the morning with any other she had shared with Sango or Horaku, talking in the cool morning air under millions of stars, it would seem like nothing. But to her, that is completely beside the point. For once, Kagome felt the part of a giddy schoolgirl with a crush on some cute boy she just met.

            "You're back now?" Kikyo's sneering voice echoed across the wooden walled room.

            "Yes," Kagome giggled despite the fact she was caught in an awkward position.

            "Where were you?" Kikyo inquired and rose from her bed directly across from the door.

Kagome could just barely make out the rigid form of her roommate strike a match and light a tiny lantern with it. As soon as the tiny wick in the lantern sprung to life, Kagome blinked her eyes somewhat painfully at the new addition of light.

Kikyo narrowed her eyes at Kagome and slowly sat down on her bed. "Answer my question, wench."

Kagome was taken aback at Kikyo's little name for her –not that she minded the name, but the malice behind it rubbed her the wrong way. At first, Kagome thought she would tell Kikyo the truth, then realized how much of a lie the event would sound. She opened her mouth many times to form words, but none ever came forth.

"Well?" Kikyo growled.

"Oh," Kagome smiled as joyfully as she could manage, "what does it matter? I'm sure you had fun and just got back your-"

Kikyo snarled and hardened her glare even more, "I have been here since eleven o'clock last night. It is well into the morning Kagome. Coming in at this ungodly hour is not behavior acceptable for someone of your rank. I suppose I could let it go by this time, but not next time. So whatever sleazy man you have been with, you better tell him he'll have to get his later."

With Kikyo's last statement, Kagome's jaw nearly hit the ground and plummeted through the floor. If she knew who she was talking about, I think she'd be banging her head against the wall.

"Yeah," Kagome managed to choke out without laughing hysterically, "I'll have to tell him to screw me about ten o'clock each night. Does that sound fine to you?"

Huffing in a very disturbed manner, Kikyo nearly threw the lantern on her bedside table and pulled the covers around her form and lay down, diligently making sure she faced away from Kagome. Across the room, Kagome had her hands covering her mouth to stifle the giggles that emerged in strangled snorts. Feeling the urge to further upset Kikyo, she crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the other girl's mattress.

"You know Kikyo," Kagome began and laid a hand on Kikyo's shoulder. She grinned with she felt Kikyo tense at her touch, "the guy I was with is going to come by and watch the archery drills later this morning," Kagome sighed melodramatically for effect. "He's coming to watch me. I'm going to give him a big ol' kiss when he arrives."

And with that, Kagome stood up and plunked down on her bed; she didn't bother taking off her uniform. Nearly as soon as her head hit the fluffy beige pillow, she was out roaming dreamland.

To Kagome it seemed like minutes later, but was truly three hours later, the drill bugle spat out the five minute call for the Archery Divisions. Kagome shot out of bed and sent a cursory glance over her clothing. The uniform will have to do, she thought as she soared out of the door and ran to the practice green behind the barrack lots. Just as she sprinted to the green, General Loki gave the signal for the bugle boy to play the horn, signifying that the archery drills are now starting. Kagome continued running until she came to the front of both Archery Divisions where the General and Kikyo stood. Both gave her equally critical looks, but the type of displeasure was different for both. General Loki seemed mildly surprised, though somewhat disappointed, while Kikyo looked as if she wished Kagome would have slept in.

"Well," General Loki coughed at Kagome's appearance. "Rough night?"

Kagome looked down at her clothing and started mentally beating herself for not carefully eyeing up her outfit. The skirt was completely wrinkled and had brown dirt patches spackled the bottom hem. Her boots were scuffed up and both jet black sets of shoe laces frayed and no longer bright black. Abruptly, Kagome raised her gaze; she dared not to look at the condition of her forest green button-up blouse and brown vest.

"Uh… Yes, sir," Kagome bowed slightly at the waist. "I really partied last night."

General Loki nodded and let a small smile penetrate his usually stony visage, "That's good. The ball was for the enjoyment of the Division Officials. And by the way…" General Loki lightly gripped her arm and pulled her out of earshot of the Divisions and Kikyo. "His Royal Highness, King Dion, wishes to speak with you tonight. I am to give you this," he said and pulled a gold token out of his pocket. Kagome hesitantly took the token from his hand and put it into a pocket on her vest without so much as glancing at it. The General nodded and continued, "If you have that and make sure the palace guards see it, they will guide to His Majesty's chambers."

In response, Kagome nodded, truly not sure how to respond. General Loki took the nod as a sign she understood and let his "crowd voice" address the Divisions. Kagome tried her hardest to pay attention to what the General was instructing the Divisions to do during the drills. Her mind drifted as the General rambled on and on, but was abruptly brought back to reality when she saw Inuyasha approach from the direction of the palace. He wore a smug expression on his handsome face that grew even more pompous when he spotted the surprised appearance of Kagome. Inuyasha waved childishly at Kagome and chuckled lightly at how red her face got when she returned the gesture. Looking around for a place to sit, Inuyasha decided to rest in a tree and jumped into one as inconspicuously as possible.

Kagome's eyes widened as Inuyasha comfortably relaxed on a branch. She tried her hardest to ignore his presence and act like nothing was flustering her, but every few moments she would shoot hesitant glances at the inu hanyou. Eventually, he smirked and stuck his tongue out at her, causing Kagome to laugh.

"Is there something funny I said," General Loki turned to the Second Division Leader.

Blanching, Kagome cringed and shook her head to indicate nothing was comical. "I was clearing my throat," she lied.

General Loki blinked at her a few times before blabbing to the Divisions. As soon General Loki had his full attention on the large group in front of him, Kagome fixed her annoyed gaze on Inuyasha who was no longer in the tree, but Kagome could swear she heard him chortling somewhere.  

For eight, grueling hours, Kagome slaved under the blazing sun, working diligently with her division; they were now done. Around noon, Inuyasha made his appearance known. Immediately, the Lady Kikyo had flocked to his side and fawned over him. Inuyasha tried desperately to free himself of the clingy miko, all the while Kagome laughed at his misfortune. Now, three o'clock in the afternoon, Kagome still giggled about the horrified and desperate look upon the hanyou's face.

"Will you come by and visit me?" Kikyo batted her eyelashes at Inuyasha.

"Uh…" Inuyasha eyed Kagome timidly who shrugged in response, "No, Lady Kikyo. I don't think so."

With that last statement, Inuyasha managed to detach his arm from Kikyo's vise-like grip, and scampered over to Kagome. She rolled her eyes when Inuyasha mouthed "Save me" to her. Kagome snorted and started walking away from Inuyasha who trotted to her side easily seconds later.

They walked together in comfortable silence for many minutes and eventually Kagome broke the quiet, "You didn't embarrass me at all. In fact, it seemed Kikyo was embarrassing you."

Inuyasha growled lowly with the mention of Kikyo, "Yeah, sorry I disappointed you."

"Not at all," Kagome smiled. "You almost got me in trouble with Loki back there this morning."

"Feh," he huffed and crossed his arms in agitation.

"Are you still worked up about Kikyo?"

"She's disturbing."

Kagome laughed, "I agree with you on that one," abruptly she stopped and gripped Inuyasha's forearms. "I should tell you what she said to me when I got back to the barracks this morning. Let's sit down under that tree there, "she pointed to behind him.

Once Inuyasha looked comfortable in the large willow tree's shade, Kagome continued with her tale. "I walked in the door and she started yelling at me for coming in late, saying someone of my position should not come in at the hour I did. Then she accused me of sleeping with some sordid man and said I'd have to be with him earlier. I couldn't help but be shocked at that. If only she knew I was with you… I don't think she would have said those things."

"You should have told her the truth," Inuyasha piped up, concerned that Kikyo threatened Kagome's integrity.

"Inuyasha," Kagome sighed, "it's too unbelievable that someone of my station would be with someone of your station, even if it was friendly conversation."

"That's how my parents met, you know, "friendly conversation". She was a personal servant of some princess of another country who was visiting and my dad somehow got introduced to her. They talked, spent time together and eventually fell in love. Dad asked her to be his mate which, by youkai tradition, is a marriage proposal. She said yes, they "got married" by both demon and ningen traditions," Inuyasha explained which he hoped would lighten the dark mood that settled over Kagome.

"What does you parent's marriage have anything to do with us talking?" Kagome inquired.

"Basically," Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck, "that I don't care about our station differences," Kagome looked uncertainly at him. "I don't. I told you I'm an inu hanyou, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, that means I'm half human, half demon. And what you may not realize is not everyone accepts me. Lot's of people shoot me glares that almost say 'You're not worthy of being in public'. I get from nearly everyone. Very few respect me and that's basically the reason, I think, my father has me be his stand in, so people and demons alike can learn I'm not some disease. Or maybe I'm reading too far into his motives, I don't know. But, I think he's having me be his successor. So, maybe I'll be king someday. King of Yogo, and to tell you the truth, I'll probably be the last of my line. No one wants a hanyou as a mate, so my older brother's children will probably take over after I die. But-"

"Inuyasha," Kagome interrupted, "I had no idea. I can tell it pains you to talk about yourself like that so you don't have to continue."

"Thanks," Inuyasha inhaled deeply. He was really surprised he spilled all that to Kagome. Not even Sesshoumaru, he had confided in so thoroughly. It was just something about her, Inuyasha decided, that made her seem so trustworthy and made him want to speak about lots of things.  

"Tonight," Kagome changed the subject, "I have to meet with King Dion. As a person, how is he?"

"Dion?" Inuyasha scratched at his chin. "He's a good guy, if I've ever met one. You'll get along with him fine, but what are you meeting with him for?"

"Oh! I don't know," Kagome whispered. "Just before the archery drills started, General Loki pulled me aside and told me the King requested my presence," she paused and pulled the gold token out of her vest pocket. "He gave me this, saying it would let the guards know my business and show me to his chambers."

Inuyasha took the token from Kagome's hands and carefully looked it over a couple times. It had a sun engraved on the front with tiny doodles framing the outside edge. The gold, he could tell, was paint and by the feel of the metal, it was iron. Nonchalantly, he handed the token back to Kagome who pocketed it quickly.

"I have no idea what he would meet you about," Inuyasha said.

"Me neither. I've never met the man, but I've seen him. At the ball yesterday, while I was waiting for you inside, I saw him looking at me. It wasn't a bad look. He looked surprised and almost fearful when he first laid eyes on me; almost as if I was some ghost."

"Hm," was all Inuyasha grunted back and leaned against the willow trunk, closing his eyes.

"Tired?" Kagome asked, playfully jabbing him with an index finger.

"Very," he yawned. "When I got back to the palace after dropping you off at the barracks, Miroku –according to him you've met- was in my room and asked where I had been. I told him I was with you and the hentai thought the worst-"

"Would it be so bad? "The worst", that is?" Kagome pouted.

"Uh…" Inuyasha froze and stared blankly at Kagome. But when she started snickering, he knew she was joking. "Anyways, I explained everything to him and he took it all like some gossip loving girl. I think your friend Sango has been making him into a girl."

"You know Sango?" Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"Miroku introduced her to me the other day. For what reason, I don't know. He never comes to me for approval of women, not that I'd want him to. He's got bad taste in women."

"Excuse me, but Sango isn't a bad person," Kagome growled.

"No!" Inuyasha shrunk back from the murderous expression Kagome's face had quickly acquired. "I actually like her. You see, the type Miroku usually goes for are easy, brothel girls. Sango's probably the cleanest girl he's ever been with, and I've never seen him this giddy with other women, so he must like her a lot."

"Oh," Kagome whispered and calmed her fury. "I see. And you?"

"What about me?" Inuyasha questioned cautiously.

"What kind of women do you go for?"
            "Um… I don't know," he spat out. Suddenly Kagome seemed very close to him and the temperature felt like it went up five degrees. "I guess I'm not much for browsing. I really don't go out looking."

"Would you consider me?" Kagome blushed. "I mean, not me per se, but someone like me?"

"Sure I guess," Inuyasha shrugged. "But, I'm hanyou so I don't get too many women."

"Mm," Kagome nodded while thinking, Score! He's unattached.

"Well," Inuyasha spoke and looked down, so as not to meet Kagome's eyes (he could feel a blush coming on), "would someone like you or you consider me? That is, looking past my title and just focusing on Inuyasha."

"I suppose," Kagome said slowly. "But that would depend if that man or you showed interest and was willing to pursue the lady he might fancy. You see, the female like me is kind of old fashioned, and won't take the initiative. So, the guy will have to stick his neck out, whether he's comfortable doing so or not."

"One thing I know for sure, Kagome," Inuyasha chuckled, "is that in higher society, it isn't proper for a woman to be forward. If I was to take interest in a woman and want to court her, I would have to put my butt on the line. It's just a matter of time, though…"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows and tried to get Inuyasha to look at her, "A matter of time 'til what? Until you find the right one?"

"Yes," Inuyasha murmured, still not meeting Kagome's gaze.

"Inuyasha," she stood up and brushed off her long skirt to get any dirt off, "it's been great talking to you, but I have to go. I really need to clean up before tonight and get something to eat. So, maybe I'll see you later?"

Inuyasha finally looked up, "Yeah, I guess so."

And with a small wave and grin, Kagome ambled down the rugged dirt path that would lead to the barrack lots. Inuyasha smiled to himself, glad he found someone to talk reasonably with. But it wasn't just speaking with her that he enjoyed. He knew he was starting to develop some type of feelings for her and it was a new rush he didn't know how to deal with. Right now, his mind is yelling "You'll see her tomorrow. That good-bye was enough" while his heart was taking a thick bat to his conscious and telling him "Say some more that you suppose. Actually go and say 'Farewell, I'll come by tomorrow'".

Finally Inuyasha went with his heart and called after Kagome, who turned around leisurely and looked at him apprehensively. At the sight of her face, Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat and he jogged to her side.

"Um… How's the outlook for tomorrow? Any archery drills I have to compete with?"

"No, we're off tomorrow because the Second and Third Calvary Divisions get the green," Kagome answered simply.

"Then I'll come by your barrack tomorrow –how about eleven o'clock? - and we'll go into town, and do something. Does that sound okay with you?" Inuyasha asked, praying to some higher power that she wouldn't turn him down and think him a fool for asking her.

"Like a date or friendly outing?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Whatever you like," he breathed, relieved she was not appearing to turn him down.

"Sounds good, especially if it gets me away from Kikyo," Kagome giggled.

"Eleven it, then" Inuyasha confirmed and Kagome nodded.

For a few moments, they stood there, looking lost at each other. Both really did not want to part, but they had things to do, and once again Inuyasha's heart and mind were wrestling for dominance. The heart won, again. This time, the argument was over Inuyasha giving Kagome a kiss. Slowly, Inuyasha bent his head towards hers, and she closed her eyes in waiting. He could hear Kagome's heart beat at a rapid pace which his equally met. He closed his eyes, too, and felt skin contact his lips. It was soft skin that smelled of lavender and vanilla. Nervously, Inuyasha opened his eyes to discover he had kissed Kagome on the cheek instead of the lips like he intended. Next time keep your eyes open, genius, and your aim won't be off, he chided himself.

"See you tomorrow then?" Kagome breathlessly spoke, though somewhat disappointed where the kiss had landed. She was hoping he would have kissed her on the lips.

"Yes," Inuyasha responded.

Kagome griped his arm in a friendly manner and commenced her walk back to the barracks. Inuyasha watched her retreating figure and desperately wished she would turn around and demand he give her a real kiss. When Kagome had disappeared among the simple, wooden barracks, Inuyasha growled at himself before marching towards the castle.

"If Miroku finds out about this, he'll have a field day. I can't believe I missed. I'm such an idiot!"

Well that's all for chapter… uh… 6? Yeah, I think that's right. Anyway, Kagome meets with King Dion in the next chapter. So far, only one person has pointed out in a review their connected, but I'm sure you all know ^_^. Let's see, next chapter… Maybe Inuyasha will finally find out about his daddy. The next chapter will be a little fluffier than this chappie and perhaps Inuyasha will have another go at giving her a kiss on the lips. A big ol' smooch!

Well, thanks for reading (I hoped you enjoyed it) and please review!

Buh-bye peoples!