Disclaimer: I get sick of writing that I don't own Inu-Yasha after awhile. If only I did…

Cooking Session 7 Pre-Food Competition

The next day, Kikyo seemed excited about something. When Shippo asked why she was so energized, all she responded with was a snotty, "Oh, of course you wouldn't know yet. Naroku only told his best student: me." Then she strutted off. Shippo stuck out his tongue.

"Feh. One of these days I'm gonna…" Inu-Yasha was glaring at Kikyo as he pulled his apron tightly around his waist. He seemed a lot more willing to wear an apron now, and nobody called him "pink apron boy" anymore.

"Class," Naroku announced as he got up from his seat. "Big news."

Everyone waited with anticipation. Kikyo smirked.

"Tomorrow there is going to be a food competition. Sorry for the short notice, but we are going to be going to Charin Centers for the contest instead of having our regular Home Ec classes tomorrow. You and your partner must chose something to make there, and the judges will pick the winner."

Murmurs spread throughout the classroom. Some people seemed excited, others bored. Inu-Yasha was one of the bored ones.

"Sounds stupid," he muttered.

"And," Naroku went on, "prizes will be awarded. You and your partner will receive a trophy if you win, and also" –he paused and looked in Inu-Yasha's direction—"a free pass to end these Home Ec lessons with an A+. But that's only if you win, and I highly doubt most of you have any chance of winning at all.

"Anyway, today I want all of you to practice by making anything you want, perhaps what you will make tomorrow at the competition. And NO bologna whatsoever."

At the mention of bologna, several people glanced in Kagome and Inu-Yasha's direction.

Kagome was determined to win the competition now that she knew what the prize was. She could be free from her horrid Home Ec classes! From Naroku! From Kikyo! But then she realized that the odds were against her—especially with Inu-Yasha as a partner.

"So…" she said awkwardly to Inu-Yasha. "What do you wanna make today?"

Inu-Yasha shrugged and walked to their cooking space, space 18. Kagome noticed that she had been feeling pretty strange about him since the day off. She had never felt such an odd way before, and she wasn't sure what to think of it. She was glad that Inu-Yasha remained oblivious of those feelings—really glad.

"Hmmm…" As Kagome was deep in thought about Inu-Yasha, somehow an idea sparked in her mind. "Macaroni and Cheese!"

"Huh?" Inu-Yasha said.

"Y'know! The tastiest, easiest noodles to make in the whole world! We can make it! It's easy!" Kagome was completely enthused. She knew that nothing could go wrong with macaroni and cheese! (A/N: Ahem…-blush, blush-…okay, I'll admit it. Stuff CAN go wrong with mac 'n cheese…TERRIBLY wrong. The first three times I made instant macaroni, I screwed it up so badly that not even my dog would eat it!)

"Hmph. Fine," Inu-Yasha responded plainly.

Kagome wondered how Inu-Yasha could be so emotionless all the time. It drove her batty. He had only displayed his feelings once or twice before, and Kagome wanted to see it again. She didn't know why, but she wanted to see his smile again.

"Let's get started then…Inu-Yasha? Can you get the instant mac box?"

"Instant mac? Isn't that cheating?" Inu-Yasha raised an eyebrow.

"Ye—well, not exactly. Just…please get the box." Kagome didn't want to think of it as cheating, although she knew that it probably was. Still, food was food, prepackaged or not.

Kagome put the water on to boil as she waited for Inu-Yasha to get the box. As he was returning, some of the hot water in the pot splattered her, making her cry out. "Oww! Crap!"

Then, as Inu-Yasha hobbled to the bathroom, she realized what she had done. She felt embarrassed.

"Sorry!" she told him apologetically.

Still, he was grouchy when he returned from the bathroom seven minutes later. Besides that incident, though, nothing too terrible occurred while they were making the easy mac. It was surprisingly uneventful, and to Kagome, that was the biggest relief she could ever receive.

As the groups set out their food for Naroku to, as usual, taste test, Kikyo approached Inu-Yasha and Kagome with her nose raised. She walked as if she was one of the most important people in existence. After she saw what they had made for the day, she laughed hysterically.

"You made macaroni and cheese!" she laughed. "How pathetic! I didn't think you two could lower yourselves anymore, but this—this proves me wrong! At least I made something worthwhile: apple pie! Hahaha!"

Inu-Yasha and Kagome both scowled. They scowled even more when, before Naroku tried their pot of macaroni, he sniffed it and eyed it cautiously. They had obviously earned a reputation as terrible, disastrous cooks in that class.

"I'll give you a D for effort," Naroku cracked an evil half smile.

Kagome had had it. She was sick of Home Ec class, Naroku, and Kikyo. She wanted out! She snatched the pot and began to carry it back to her cooking space as Kikyo followed behind her, still laughing.

"A D!" she howled. "How suiting! A D for DUNCE!"

Kagome spun around, her face red with anger and embarrassment. Kikyo looked startled for a moment. As Kagome allowed her rage to flood freely through her, she clutched the pot of macaroni tightly, knowing what she had to do with it.

She leaned the pot forward, and a bunch of cheesy noodles flew out. They hit Kikyo directly in the face. SPLAT! Kikyo stopped laughing promptly.

"It's in my hair!" she wailed. "You! Look what you have done, you idiot!"

Kagome smiled. She was satisfied. She stomped the rest of the way to her cooking space, only to find Inu-Yasha there. Her smile vanished and turned into astonishment.

Inu-Yasha was laughing!

"That was a good one," he snickered. "You got Kikyo good."

As the two of them laughed even more, Naroku stormed up to them. Evidently, he didn't find what they had done amusing or as good revenge.

"Scrub every table tonight," he stated coldly. "Next time, it will be the toilets."

Kagome grinned after Naroku left. "I think ol' Naroku's going soft on us. I'm surprised he's only making us clean the tables."

Inu-Yasha half-smiled in agreeance. It had been a very good day.

Author's Note: So, what'd you think? Please review! I hope this chapter was pretty good! I had sooooo much fun writing it, after all. Imagining Kikyo's horror at finding macaroni in her hair is really funny to visualize!