((A/N: Yes! I updated! It's true! So true! It's been two bleeding months of torture but I DID IT!
Anyway, far too busy to actually do review responses, so I'll just say THANK YOU for the lovely reviews, much appreciated, and sorry for those who wanted it, there will be no Sess/Kag. I'm not a supporter of that, actually more of a loather, to tell the truth. Anyway, this will be done in a different format from 'Rose', by the way. I decided to steal Bram Stoker's format in his novel Dracula- this will be done almost totally in diary format. Strangely enough, credit for the outline/plot goes mostly to Mel Brooks...I was inspired by Dracula: Dead And Loving It (So yes, TsukiOhkami, it's fine if you're laughing, I was inspired by a comedy). After you're done with this chapter, read my end A/N, please!))

From the diary of Higurashi Kagome:

"Oh my dear, did you hear?"

A snatch of overheard conversation reached my ears, and I turned to hear the gossip better. After all, it had to be better than Kouga's endless prattle.

Ignoring him, I leaned further back to hear what the others were saying.

"That dreadful boat accident at Osaka Bay- only one survivor, and he was stark raving mad!"

I frowned. This was indeed news, especially seeing as Nagita Hojo-san was the manager of the most prestigious asylum in the area.

Poor Hojo-kun. It made me depressed just to think of him. Certainly, Miroku-san, pervert he might be, was indeed deeply in love with Sango-chan, and I would not have anything come between them.

But Hojo-kun, like it or not, had been in that position for some time.

Dear, dear, Hojo-kun. The three of us used to play together when we were younger. Of course, once I were ten, Sir Kajishi began to insist on us wearing fine kimonos and yutakas all the time, although since Sango was two years older than me, she'd been wearing them for some time. I got her hand-me-downs.

Not that I was bitter or anything. Oh, no. Just a bit depressed.

Really, Hojo-kun and I were perfect companions. We were both depressed, although Hojo-kun for far more substantial reasons. In case you haven't already grasped it, Hojo-kun loves Sango-chan.

A pity, really. Hojo-kun really is a brilliant young man, I mean splendidly brilliant. He's cured far more men than the Nagoya asylum, despite the fact that they get more press than his asylum. He treats his patients civilly, and sometimes even talks to them as if they were on the same mental level as he was. And for all this, he's only sixteen!

I'm afraid I can't bring myself to love him like that, however. Hojo-kun is a dear friend to me, and that's all. For some strange reason, I almost feel like it would be a betrayal to love him.

Why on earth would it be a betrayal to love sweet, miserable Hojo-kun?

It could not possibly be because of Kouga-kun, I don't think. After all, Kouga-kun may see me as a prospective wife, but I certainly don't return his affections. Kouga-kun is a bit of a friend I suppose, but not like Hojo-kun.

After all, I have keen memories of Kouga-kun teasing me when I was little, and making me cry. It was only when I was thirteen, just two years ago! that he began declaring that I was to be his wife.

Ha. Over my dead body- which is all he seems to be interested in, at any rate. Although I suspect he'd prefer my living body.

Kouga-kun always brings me flowers, although never my favorites, as it happens, they're usually quite ugly. Sango-chan talks me into putting them in a vase- the same one always- but honestly, they're either all dying, or some weird completely tasteless combination.

And right now, he's trying to impress me by talking about his adventures in Hokkaido, although the man is so thick-headed that he doesn't even notice I'm writing in my diary as he speaks.

"Well, those Hakodata people were so superstitious, they just insisted that I would have to take garlic with me, up to visit that castle- fancy that! Don't they have the quaintest customs, Kagome?"

I shrugged. "More or less, Kouga-kun. But what happened when you reached the castle?'

He looked thoughtful. "Actually…I don't recall! But I must have eaten the garlic, because on my way out, I remember not noticing any on me."

Typical Kouga-kun. Can't remember anything to save his life.

I wonder if Hojo-kun would lock me up if I told him what had been happening lately? I visit him at his asylum frequently, and we usually tell each other of what has passed since we last saw each other.

But is it truly wise to tell the keeper of a sanitarium that you keep hearing…voices, in your head?

Well, now I've put it down. It's a relief that Kouga-kun is too stupid to read what I'm reading- not that he can decipher my handwriting, at any rate. I'm sure he'd have me sent off to the "loony bin" before I could say 'help'.

But truly…is there something wrong with me? Am I ill? Could I be imagining things out of jealousy of Miroku-kun and Sango-chan?

Perhaps it would help for me to recall the time this started. I was in the garden, night before last, and I pricked my finger on a rose. I was just called into the house, when a very clear, strong male voice said "Why bother? Oh, I suppose you need a bed to sleep in, and all, but really, if you hate him all that much and can't stand his company, why not find another place to stay?"

I turned around, and looked in all directions, but there was no one there! I asked out loud if anyone had said anything. The only one who replied was Sir Kajishi, who responded in his own voice, very different from the other one, "Yes, I told you to come in. You'll freeze, Kagome-chan."

I went back into the house, and several times called out in my mind to see if anyone was there. But there was again, no response.

Diary, am I losing my mind? Or perhaps it was just a trick of my subconscious, speaking my unacknowledged thoughts. After all, I used to dream of running away, before realizing that it was pointless. I'd never survive on my own, and besides, Sango-chan would be very unhappy.

Kouga-kun's story is over now. I'll write more when I am back in my room.

Later

Oh, these gala things are so very depressing! Well, perhaps I should explain that I have a slightly different feeling towards the adjective 'depressing' than others.

I don't mean that everyone slumped around the ballroom talking about death and so. Goodness, no. It's just that everyone is either happy, or pretending to be happy, and the near-absence of so much emotion makes me feel rather glum.

Hardly anyone is genuinely happy at these things. If someone is being honored, or has been recently engaged (such as Sango-chan), then they might be. Otherwise, these parties tend to be something of a masquerade.

I suppose I should summarize what Kouga-kun said, just in case I forget later, and need to remember. Something about his exploits in northern Hokkaido (he was continually joking about the stupidity of the peasants), and all the superstitious legends around there.

I don't see what Kouga-kun has against superstitious legends. I always found them to be particularly interesting- give the place a little color, you know? Well, anyway, apparently in whatever part of Hokkaido he went to, they believe that the castle deep in the forest is inhabited by vampires, who are continually thirsting for blood, and never go a night without taking at least one victim. Whenever someone dies of unusual causes, or at a young age, it is always put up to the work of these vampires.

Supposedly hardly anyone returns from the castle, and those who do will find large gaps in their memory.

Kouga-kun says that there's absolutely nothing to the legend, since he himself was at that castle and is just fine. I can't help thinking that, well, if he did find something, he wouldn't remember, would he? Of course, being somewhat idiotic, as always, that didn't occur to him.

After the gala was over, I obtained permission from Sir Kajishi to visit Hojo-kun.

Poor, poor Hojo-kun. He's still devastated at the thought of Sango-chan marrying another. I've long ago given up telling him that Miroku-san is perfect for her, and a truly admirable young man, all lecherous intentions aside.

I suppose I should dedicate a small paragraph or two here to explaining what my thoughts on Miroku-san are, as I have mostly talked about Hojo-kun up to this point. Indeed I am sympathetic to the poor boy, but by no means on his side.

Miroku-san is a Moriyama, of course, which means he is very wealthy indeed. On the other hand, he is not stingy. He gives his money to many charities, and as a matter of fact, gave Hojo-kun enough money to buy off the mortgage on the asylum, so he (Hojo-kun) now owns the asylum completely. Miroku-san is also the patron of a fine Buddhist shrine, and frequently attends services there.

I have also been informed by Sango-chan that Miroku-san is an accomplished fencer. On the occasions that I met him, he was exceedingly polite and charming to me, although one of the times he shook my hand, for some strange reason, Sango-chan slapped him. I suppose she knows his unholy intentions better than I do, for I thought it seemed an innocent gesture, but when I asked Sango-chan about it later, she blushed.

At any rate, I couldn't help asking Hojo-kun about his new patient, from the Osaka Bay incident.

"Oh, you mean Karikata Jaken!" He cried, then looked grim. "Certainly, he is one of the most curious characters I have encountered in three years."

"Even when you were an apprentice at Nagoya?" I asked, incredulous.

"Certainly. It is very curious, what Jaken-san does. He has the most bizarre obsession with lives. He insists that he cannot eat any other food but flies and other insects, and consistently refers to his "master". He is mostly docile, except when I question him of this master of his.

At that point he flings himself against the wall, screeching 'Bad Jaken! Bad Jaken! Should not have said that, no, no I should not have, the Lord will be very mad at Jaken, yes, yes, yes, he will….'. And from that point one, I can gain nothing else more from him until the next day."

"He is certainly a curious lunatic." I said.

"Yes, indeed. I would show him to you, only I am afraid of offending your maidenly sensibilities."

It sickens me even to recount those words! "Maidenly sensibilities?" I scoffed. "Hojo-kun, it's me! I don't care how disgusting something is, what do you think I'm going to do, faint on you?"

"Still…."

And he refused to let me see the patient until another day! Ha, fancy that! He thinks he'll offend me? I may well be insane myself, for all he knows, the silly turd!

Oh, well. At least I haven't heard the voice again. I'll write more at another date.

KAGOME

((A/N: Just one last note, if you want more of me after reading this, and don't feel like going to Gaia, check out KitsuneKagome411's 'A Twist of Fate'. I'm happy to say that fic is actually a conversion of a roleplay I took place in! So, after the line 'The raven-haired miko lay on a bed of hay' in the first chapter, from then on everything Inuyasha says does and thinks was actually written by me:D So I guess you can say I co-wrote it. Until I finish writing the next 5 or more page chapter...Ja ne! AND REVIEW!))