It's been a full year since I last updated this. Shame on me for putting it off for so long! But after a few requests to continue it, I have!

This maybe about 20 chapters, give or take. I plan on continuing it, I swear. And a The Moon & Star update maybe in the future as well. I'm just not sure when!

I have a new poll up! Don't forget to vote before next Saturday! Also, Aquamarine has been nominated by the Feudal Association as a Best AU/AR story! Wish me luck!

For the reviewers of last chapter:

manga-animelove - Thanks so much! I'm sorry for the long wait but I hope you enjoy this!

kittychic0985 - I agree! Thank you for the kind words and please enjoy this future updates!

inuyashalover2244 - There should plenty more in the next few chapters! I hope you look forward to it!

DiscipleOfAnime - Here it is! I hope you read and enjoy this! Rin has come into the picture now!

Disclaimer: I'll never own Inuyasha or Kagome and co. All belong to Rumiko Takahashi! Only the story idea and Yoshiro are mine!

Chapter 9

Two weeks later, as the weather turned bitter and the leaves so brittle they fell from the solemn looking trees outside the window, the fifteen year old aspiring artist looked at the blank canvas in front of her, many thoughts and images racing around in her mind. After sitting in this room for the past hour, holding an appilcation and rules for the R.A.O.J competition, she still had yet to figure out if she should enter. Her boyfriend seemed enthusiastic about it when he first told her over the phone. When he handed her the entry form, it was like being handed a choice. To take a chance and letting people see her artwork, or remaning anonymous for the rest of her life. She's never even thought about it before. Painting was something she did for fun, a hobby that carried away from her daily troubles. Eveyone who knew about Lavender said she was amazing, talented, a great potential.

Her brown eyes scanned the woods beyond the home of her hanyou boyfriend. Fall had set in. The trees were bare, the sky was gray and the wind howled viscously behind the glass pane. A few leaves were plastered to the window and many more were desperately hanging on to the branches. It was a scene, a lansdcape transforming from a colorful and peaceful paradise to a naked wilderness soon to be covered and frosted with snow, icicles soon to be forming in place of the leaves.

Winter was gorgeous, if not extremely brutal. She loved the holiday season. Looking down again, her heart lept at the thought of painting something new so other people could see it. But her stomache twisted at the same notion. This was her thing. Her secret passion and dream. If she entered this country wide competition, her artwork would be made public. But if she loved being an artist, would it be helpful if she did enter and get recognized? If she won, she'd get a scholarship to an art school of her choice.

When InuYasha brought it up earlier, he said it'd be in her best interest to do it. He'd support her no matter what her final decision. Her friends and little brother said her paintings were always fresh and full of memories. Her handsome hanyou always admired the works she did for him privately. Always said that it would be worth the most to him. That even if she did go famous, those paintings he would never sell. Those were his and his alone.

But what of her mother and step-father? Surely they'd be furious. Well, her mother would no doubt lecture her but Yoshiro would do far worse. He'd degrade her and say nothing but cruel things to her face about her passion and how it wouldn't bring her shit in the world.

Comparing her boyfriend and other supporters to her parents, Kagome knew that taking a chance was ultimately better than thinking what could have been. She'd love the chance to go to an exclusive art academy. She wouldn't care for the money or if she did become famous, all that would matter was the people that stood behind her.

With her smile and eyes set in determination, the artist grabbed a pen and filled out the two part application, hoping Lavender had what it took to enter and have a shot at a life that would be her own.

Two days after that life-changing decision, her cousin finally arrived. Rin Tama, the college bound freshman, with her signature side ponytail and sparkling oakwood eyes greeted Kagome at the front of the Higurashi house. After greeting her aunt, her step-uncle, and her adorable little nine year old cousin, the girls set up in Rin's room, the guest room across the hall from Kagome's.

"I'm so glad to be here!" The nineteen year old opened one of her two suitcases to begin unpacking.

"It's nice to finally see you too, Rin!" Kagome sat on the bed and let her hand roam the blue comforter. "How you holding up after your father's funeral?"

Rin froze for a moment before hanging up the shirt in her hand. "It's been hard. Mom and I appreciated your calls and coming to the wake and the funeral." She sighed in thought before grabbing a couple more outfits. "These last six months was like living another life. Without my father we weren't the same happy family anymore."

"I know what you mean." Kagome held a purple hoodie, her cousin's favorite one she believed. "When mine died, it was like the end of the world."

Smoothing out a lacy white blouse in the closet, Rin agreed. "Yeah. Anyway…" She turned around and was handed the hoodie, deciding to wear it tonight she tossed it on the chair by the desk. "Mom thought it would be a good idea to spend a couple months here. She's already planning a trip to spend the next few months with grandma and grandpa in Kyoto. To get away from it all."

It was silent the next few minutes, with the only sounds of the metal clangs of hangers and the low wooden sounds of the drawers. Then the elder cousin looked up and went over to peel away the sheer white curtains to the dismal gray sky and the the colorless neighborhood, gray smoke curling up from fires burning in the few chimneys visible. Now hating the silence, the normally cheerful woman smiled. "So, what are the plans tonight? I can't wait to see everyone again!"

Chuckling, Kagome handed her a beautiful light orange winter coat for Rin to take. "We all agreed to go bowling tonight, then out to the arcade down the road. Everyone is meeting us there. Mom agreed to let you take her car for the night."

"Sweet! I haven't driven in months!" Taking out a pair of glossy black heels, Rin set the down in the closet before grinning. "It's time I owe that pervert. I want to kick his ass tonight for groping me!"

"I'm sure he knows that. You'll probably see him hiding behind either Sango or Inuyasha tonight."

The two laughed for a bit before Rin closed the second empty suitcase and storing the set beside the dresser. "That won't save him though." Sitting down behind Kagome with a brush, she started brushing her cousins' hair, something they've done since elementary school days. "How's life with that hot boyfriend of yours? Still sexy enough to drool over?"

"Rin!" Feeling her cheeks flushing, Kagome reached behind to smack her cousin's leg, casuing the older girl to laugh.

A couple hours later the two pulled up at the local bowling alley's parking lot, sliding in next to Ayame's prized green convertible which sat right next to InuYasha's sweet ride. Bundled up in hats and coats, the two walked through the late afternoon's chill into the warm atmosophere full of music, shouts, and smells one could drown in.

They walked down the long stretch of orange carpet before spotting the four near the end.

"Hey you guys!" Rin called out, making the quad look up.

"Rin!" Sango and Ayame waved at before rushing up to give the girl a much needed hug.

After a huge bear hug from the hanyou and receiving a slap because of a "midget" comment and a cautious wave from Miroku, the six ordered the bowling shoes and sat down at the table in front of their lanes.

"Since there's an even amount of people now, we can fairly divide up into two teams." Ayame said after tying the standard issued bowling shoes.

"That's right! I'm sick and tired of loosing to you two-" Kagome glared at Sango and Miroku, who both gave knowing smiles. "And having to pay for your dinners!"

"You guys are still doing that? Okay, I'm game!" The nineteen year old bounced up, clapping her hands in excitement.

"I know what team I'll be on." The hanyou got up and snaked his arms around his girlfirend's waist. "If only to hug you when I'm teaching you how to throw."

Kagome giggled, feeling the kisses on her neck. "You're one slick bastard, you know that?" She whispered affectionately.

"You know you love it." He whispered back before giving a final kiss behind her ear, which made the woman tremble in anticipation.

"Okay lovebirds, I hope you don't mind but I'd like to be with my cousin if only to watch you two's face's when we win." Rin glided up to the couple, all smiles and nothing but revenge cooking in her eyes.

Ayame sighed and walked over to the other side with Miroku and Sango, ready to play for dinner.

The six battled ferociously through the evening. It turned out Rin was a force to be reckoned with when it came to the pins. It turned she was an exceptional bowler. With the help and coaching of her teammates, Kagome was able to score better than she thought possible. InuYasha, the least sporty of the party, didn't do too badly. He was rewarded with a kiss whenever he got a strike, which strengthened his motivation. Sango was the most athletic, having been a member of many sports teams, knew the rules of the alley and was able to score strike after strike. Miroku, wanting to show off to his fiery brown-headed teammate, wasn't able to score as hotly as Sango but was able to hear encouragement from his team, and gain a few pointers from the hot headed woman. Ayame, with her firey red locks and summer green eyes focused, was a sight to behold as she too did a fairly good job on the alley. She was even noticed by a few of the demon guys.

After two rounds and many points later, Sango, Miroku and Ayame wallked away with lighter wallets as they paid for the victory teams' meals as well as their own. It was all in good fun as they ate, getting to know Rin and what she was up to this past year. She was starting college in the spring term, due to her family crisis and financial woes. She was aiming to be a investigator, one who specialized in homicides. She was able to get a scholarship which helped her mother substantially, who was in no condition to spend more money, even if it was for her only daughter's education.

The arcade across the street was when things got intense. Rin challenged the pervert for revenge on DDR. Miroku declined, saying he wasn't much of a dancer. The girls weren't having it as all four girls pushed him up to the remaining pad.

Miroku was creamed after the first five seconds.

While Sango challenged the winning Rin, Kagome and InuYasha went elsewhere. They challenged each other in hockey and spent some time in the love booth, dishing out a dollar for six photos of them together. They met up with the others to get some drinks later on and relaxed. The girls then separated from the guys, who wanted to whip ass in the shooting games, went to the vending machines where cute stuffed animals were up for grabs. Each girl walked away with a signal prize.

All in all, it was a wonderful night.

Walking out after many hours of fun, Kagome pulled Rin aside to talk as they neared the cars.

"I'm going with InuYasha tonight, okay? I have something important coming."

"Don't worry Kaggie. I won't tell." She hugged the younger girl. "You want me to pick you up tomorrow morning and have a day at the mall? You know, just us?"

"Sure, that sounds fun. Come over for breakfast, Yash makes killer scrambled eggs and miso."

"As long I'm not interrupting anything." Rin wiggeld her eyebrows, which caused Kagome to blush and gave each other another hug. The groups all bid farewell before Ayame took Miroku and Sango home one away, with Rin by herself and Inuyasha carrying Kagome away in the other direction of the two.

When the car's headlights lit up the cabin and the bare naked trees behind it, Kagome rushed out and unlocked the door, wanting to see what Inuyasha told her was tour.

"I got in the mail this morning." The hanyou shut and locked his door before moving to stand beside her. "I couldn't wait to tell you."

The woman looked at the return address. It was from the R.A.O.J association. She sent out the application and a sample of her work only two days before. "They're fast in responding." Pulling off her coat and moving to the living room where both sat huddled together on the couch, Kagome slowly opened the letter. Many negative thoughts started filling her head, causing a short delay in opening it.

"I don't know, Inu. What if they said no?"

His lips on her temple and higgling her waist from behind was her answer. "I'm sure it's not, Kags. But whatever it says, I'm right here with you all the way. Besides if they rejected you, well fuck them."

Relaxing at his postive words and his heartbeat and breath brushing her face, her fingers pried apart the folds and pulled out a lone sheet of paper. She carefully unfolded it and took a deep breath before unfolding it completely to read it.

"The greatest healing therapy is-friendship and love." - Hubert Humphrey

Well, how was it? Short I know but it'll get better, I promise! Let me know!

Until next time...

Ja Ne!