Disclaimer: I would love to own Inuyasha and gang… but it seems there's no way I can ever…

Chapter 6: The Goshinboku

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Inuyasha slumped down onto his seat next to his brother. Man, this banquet was sure getting very irritating. He glanced across the hall. The Kagome girl had limped back to her place and sat down. Inuyasha mentally smacked himself. What was with him anyway?

"Where did you go?" Miroku asked from behind, giving Inuyasha a shock.

"BWAH! Miroku! Don't scare people like that!" Inuyasha shouted.

"I didn't scare you, unless… you were thinking of something that you didn't want anyone to know…" Miroku said, shooting Inuyasha a suspicious looking.

"Wh- What! Of course not!" Inuyasha snapped back.

Miroku that idiot! How could he guess what I was thinking!

"Hmmm… This is suspicious. Inuyasha, confess! What were you thinking?" Miroku asked, rubbing his chin.

"I told you, nothing!" Inuyasha barked and turned away.

Miroku sighed, "Inuyasha, you should stop keeping things to yourself. Anyway, didn't Shippou come with you guys?"

"That brat! Keh! Sesshoumaru made him play with Rin because Jaken was coming with us." Inuyasha said, pointing to a little dwarfish looking green figure standing next to Sesshoumaru.

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"What a tiring day!" Kagome sighed as she fell onto her futon. She pulled the covers over her and lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. She closed her eyes. A familiar image of him appeared again.

What is wrong with me? That guy… Inuyasha. My 'future brother in law' huh? He's rather good although, a little rude and snobbish. Seems like the perfect one for Kikyou.

She almost drifted to sleep, until the swinging of doors banged against her room.

She shot up, in front of her was Kikyou, dressed in her night gowns her hair still neat and tidy.

Kagome looked curiously at Kikyou as she stomped into her room and sat down near a wall.

"What's with you?" Kagome asked, looking concerned. She had never seen Kikyou so angry, not to mention she had never seen Kikyou invading into her room in the middle of the night.

"Father! Hewants me to marry, marry that guy!" Kikyou shouted, almost in tears.

"Guy? Inuyasha? What's wrong with that?" Kagome asked.

"He's a demon! Alright, Half a demon! Don't you think I deserve someone better? After the marriage, I'll be sent to the west to live alone!" Kikyou exclaimed.

"What's wrong with that? The west seems fun. Lots of nature and wonderful sceneries. Inuyasha seems like a nice guy." Kagome replied.

"You marry him then!" Kikyou hissed, turning away.

"WH-WHAT? Why me? He… He's your future husband!" Kagome stuttered. This was getting out of hand. Kagome could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"I'm not going to marry him! His ears are… weird! And he's one rude guy!" Kikyou said, a little exaggerating.

"Ears? I think their cute." Kagome replied without thinking.

"Are you in love with him?" Kikyou asked, looking suspiciously at her.

"WHAT? NO! Of course not! He's your future husband! What do you think I am? So desperate?" Kagome exclaimed, her cheeks were now red as a tomato.

"So you are in love with him." Kikyou said dryly.

"Whatever. I'm going to sleep." Kagome said, falling onto her futon and pulling the covers over her head.

Kikyou glanced at her step sister. So, my step sister is in love with him right? Should I just tell Father? Or should I…

Kikyou stood up and left the room, swinging the door shut. Kagome peeped out from her covers. What was with Kikyou anyway! She mentally scolded herself for leaking out such an embarrassing comment about Inuyasha. She was even calling him by his name! Urgh! She shook her head and pulled the covers over her head again. It was going to be a long night.

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Inuyasha tossed and turned in his futon. It was indeed a very long night. No matter how much he tried to sleep, the moment he closed his eyes, the image of her surfaced immediately. Her chocolate brown eyes and ebony long hair. Not to mention the sweet smell of cherry blossoms that he could not forget.

He shot up, and shook his head. What was wrong with him? Nobody would like a Hanyou like him. Brother of Sesshoumaru or not, he was still half demon, half human. Forever in the middle, forever stuck in between. His childhood was not a good one, after his mother died, he had been shunned by humans and demons alike until Sesshoumaru came and brought him to the west. Humans would cower at his weird appearance, whispering about his inhuman like dog ears and funny eye colour. But not this girl, Kagome. She talked to him like a normal human, like a real person. She didn't hide or run away, she didn't insult him or say things about his appearance. Maybe…she was different?

Inuyasha looked outside, the moon was shining brightly, and soon it will be the moonless night. The night Inuyasha would stay away from humans and demons.

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Kagome tried to keep her eyes open as here father ranted away on how good the west was to her sister Kikyou. Last night was not a very peaceful night. As least not for her. She couldn't sleep a wink. She managed to steal a yawn, only to get a cold glance from her nanny, Kaede. She smiled awkwardly at her, turning back only to try and keep her eyes open again.

Her concentration wavered as sleep seemed to overtake her. The only words she could hear were… "Inuyasha… Husband… West… Treasures…" her father's words droned as finally her head fell forward and knocked onto the small table in front. She immediately shot up, only to get annoying glances from her father and sister. She immediately apologised and tried to concentrate on the fruit bowl in front of her.

Her father coughed and said, "As I was saying, Kikyou will soon be married to Inuyasha. He would make a good husband! The west is such a nice place! Of course its treasures make it even nicer."

Kagome sighed. Was treasures all her father was interested in? She glanced at Kikyou. She had been scowling for the whole time. Finally, she gave up.

"Father, why don't you let Kagome marry that guy?" Kikyou said, dryly.

Their father paused for a while, trying to catch what Kikyou said.

"No! Kikyou, only you will be able to uphold the Higurashi name properly." He said, not considering Kagome's feelings.

"So you mean I am a disgrace to the family then?" Kagome hissed, looking heart broken by her father's comment.

"You should learn from your sister more before you talk like that, Kagome. Inuyasha holds a powerful position in the west, Kikyou would be able to bring glory to our family! She at the very least behaves more lady like than you do." Lord Higurashi snapped back.

"Don't compare me with her. I am who I am, and I like it." Kagome said, getting up and running out of the hall. She didn't even bother to wear any slippers, only limping with her sore ankle.

All the pain seemed numb now, tears flowed out of her eyes, and she heard her father and Kaede calling after her. Nothing mattered now, all she wanted was to go away. All her life, she had been compared to Kikyou, it was enough!

Kagome ran from her mansion, limping away. She finally stopped at a shrine. The long steps seemed that it would take forever to get to the top. Biting her lip, Kagome made her way up.

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Inuyasha muttered a simple 'Keh' and walked out of his brother's room. Again, his brother had tried to persuade him to go to the Higurashi's mansion to visit his future wife. Sesshoumaru was forcing him to marry that flower vase. He would have preferred to be alone. Even if it was to be for the rest of his life.

He wandered out of inn and towards the busy streets. Everyone was giving him weird stares. He brushed it off. He was already used to it. His feet unknowingly brought him to a shrine. There was something familiar here. He couldn't touch on what it was…

He made his way up to the top of the long stairway. Suddenly, he felt something.

This scent… Is it her!

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Kagome heaved a sigh of relief as she finally made it up. The red frame stood high above her. She walked towards a small forest, slowly limping to a small parting. There, stood a tall tree that reached above all the others.

Goshinboku…

Before her mother had died when she was 4, Kagome remembered coming here to pray every week. Her mother always sat below this tree, telling Kagome fairy tales and little stories. Kagome's memory didn't last very long, the only memory was the last time her mother brought her here. The last time… Her mother told her something.

"Kagome, my dear child… I didn't know my days with you would be so short… Don't blame me please, for if time allowed, I would like to stay with you forever"

Kagome looked at her mother with innocent eyes. "Mama? Are you going away?"

"Yes, my child. To somewhere that you cannot follow. But don't forget, that I will always be with you."

Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes, "I don't want you to go away Mama! Mama!"

"I wouldn't want to leave you too, Kagome. How about this, whenever you are feeling sad or down, come to this place. Don't you feel peaceful here? It seems like everything is so quiet."

Kagome stared at her mother, as if telling her she didn't understand what her mother meant.

Her mother let out a giggle. "When you grow up, Kagome you will understand. I must remind you though, Kagome. You are who you are, like yourself as yourself. When you set your mind on something, don't regret it… Don't ever let go of the one you truly love, Kagome…Don't be like me…"

That was the first time, Kagome ever saw her mother's eyes in such a sad manner. The sadness in her mother's eyes was like something inside her had died away. Kagome never truly understood fully what her mother meant, although she listened to her mother's words and learned to be who she is. She was Kagome not some Kikyou replica. Yet, now the stress was killing her. Without someone there to protect her, to comfort her, even how strong her front was, her heart was breaking.

The rustling of bushes made Kagome wipe away her remaining tears as she turned to see who was there. She caught a glimpse of red and sliver, as she watched the figure emerge from the bushes. His gold eyes met hers.

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Inuyasha followed the scent of cherry blossoms. It was getting stronger and yet, getting… saltier. He was certain that it meant she was crying. He sniffed around, rushing into a small forest, pushing away bushes that were blocking his way. Her scent was getting stronger and the smell of salt was getting heavier.

He finally pushed away the last bush, taking a step out onto a clearing. There, he saw her staring straight at him. Her brown eyes with tears, and tear stains trailing down her cheeks.

He opened his mouth to say something… But nothing came out… A gust of wind blew thru the forest, rustling the leaves.

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This is a long chapter! Thanks to all that have been reading the story up till now, and leaving your reviews!