HELLO! This is the THIRD CHAPTER! Finally eh? Alright. Instead of making personalized responses, I will simply list the names of who reviewed. BUT, if your review is especially funny or nice, I will make a comment! SO STRIVE TO MAKE IT SO! Lol. OK! The names are: (from the first to last) Nomadgirl66(thanks for reviewing both times the story was up), The Lonely Bird, Zoderella, Completely Innocent Tora-Chan, full-metal-alchemist287, Weeping Wolf (Akuma, look for your name in a future story, not to be expected in near future), Riona-Heartilly17

Ok some explanatory: I was sick when I was writing the second chappie. So I decided to make Kagome suffer. MUHAHAHAHA… (Cough) no worries, she gets better. Ok here we go! Oh, oopss. I forgoted the disclaimer…but first, this chappie I will make comments the normal way! I.e. (AN:…) kk there. Now you know!

Disclaimer: ok, I don't em. Any of em. Including Inuyasha. Though- (sees lawyer nearby) Never mind. (whispers) I'll meet you at the secret base!

Chapter 3: The Dinner

Kagome's POV

I opened my eyes to see I was in bed. (AN: where else would you be? On a train? For god's sake…) I lifted my head slightly to see out my window. It was twilight. Hmm… I wonder if the guests left yet? Looking at my clock I sat up in bed to see the tray of food next to me. Its only 6:30! I thought I got some good sleep time. Crud. Hmmm…. They might have finished… Scratch that. Their probably still gorging themselves with mums ramen. It is really good. I eyed the bowl next to me, and my stomach grumbled. I put a hand on the stomach in question and looked down at it. FOOD TIME! I grabbed for the bowl but thought better and grabbed the whole tray. Ew. Cough syrup. Buckley's. That's gross. Better take it first so I can wash it down. I dug through the mountain of stuff to get the spoon. I grimaced as I put it in my mouth. Why can't their slogan be: "it tastes wonderful and it works"? Yuck. I swallowed it anyways and popped a couple Rolaids in my mouth, chewed and swallowed. After that I blew my nose and started devouring the ramen. It was gone in a matter of minutes.

Inuyasha's POV

I could barely think as to how good the ramen was. It was so good. Steph's is good, but this ramen was, there wasn't a word to describe it. I was heaven in noodle form! I paused in my devouring to ponder on this Kagome girl. She was pretty, well beautiful. Ok lets face it, she was gorgeous! Just not so hot with the mussed up hair and red nose. I figured she was pretty good looking when she wasn't sick. Then I started into my ramen again.

"Ok calm down Inuyasha! Slow down all ready! Do you WANT to choke on ramen and die?" Steph paused and stared disgustedly at me.

"Hmmm… Death by ramen. If you're gonna go, you might as well have something tasty in your mouth!" I laughed. Steph shot me the Death Glare©. I cringed visibly. Something about her Death Glares©, they really hurt. Especially if you're looking at her. But really, they do inflict pain. That's how harsh it is. It's like having little pins prick at your skin over and over and over all over your body. It's really quite painful. That's why I cringed. "Ok, ok! I'll slow down! Just please no more of the Death Glare©!" Also, it hurts more the longer she does it.

"You have been spared." she looked back at Mrs. Higurashi. "I'm terribly sorry, but that's the only thing that can control him."

"Oh no its perfectly all right. In fact, you might have to show me that! That would be helpful with a certain SOMEONE." She glared pretty effectively at Souta. He cringed then shuddered.

"I'd say yours is pretty efficient, although it's always scary to have your mom glare at you." Steph giggled slightly then picked her chopsticks back up. "I had better finish up so Inuyasha doesn't eat you out of house and home. Trust me. He will." her voice was pure seriousness. She looked over at me who was picking up speed steadily. "In-u-ya-sha." I slowed immediately. She used the super scary serious voice. All right enough beating around the bush. I'm afraid of my sister. HAPPY NOW? Yes? Good. Hey! Have YOU experienced the Death Glare©? I thought not. It's copyrighted because only Steph does it like that. She even does it better than Sesshomaru. Imagine Fluffy's Death Glare, the times it by ten. Then another ten. Then add forty. Then you're in the ballpark. You don't even want to be at home base. All right, back on track.

Steph set down her chopsticks in her empty bowl. "I think I'll let you finish THAT bowl, then we'll have to go." she checked her watch, which was a delicate silver chain with a small gold digital timepiece. "It's already 6:40. I have to get home to finish off some things. Inuyasha just needs to go to bed soon, he gets crabby if he's not in bed by 9:00. But HE has some chores to finish first." She shot a less forceful Death Glare© at me. "Isn't that right?" she said to me.

At the time I had been slowly finishing off my ramen, making sure I didn't go so fast as to get a glare.

"Yes Steph. I'm almost done this one. When is Sesshomaru coming home?" I queried quietly, finishing off my noodles, at a slow pace mind you.

"I am pretty sure he comes home at 8:00, 8:30 if he works late, which he most likely will." She looked over at me, who had just set down my bowl and chopsticks. "We had best be going now."

"Oh, no! You must stay and have desert first before you leave!" Mrs. H said gathering our bowls and placing them in the sink. "We couldn't possibly finish it all. Are you positive you can not stay?"

"I guess we could, Sesshomaru-sama does not come home for a while… But I'm not sure, I do have some chores to finish." Stephanie looked uncertainly over at me. "Well I don't need Inuyasha's opinion to be said out loud, I already know if there's food involved, he's in. I guess we can stay for a slice." She said smiling at Mrs H. "Which in Inuyasha's case that means about three." She giggled thoughtfully.

"Healthy appetite this one! Very healthy." Mrs H smiled warmly at me while opening the cake box.

I smiled sheepishly. "I normally don't eat that much, but your ramen was really good." she handed me a plate with a pretty big piece of cake on it. (AN: ok I'm really tired right now so I might just post it here but I won't! so HA! Ok I'm done now. Note: its almost 2 AM where I live so the rest of this chappie might be weird unless I'm smart and I go to bed now and write this when I wake up. So… tired… ((Snore)) ((wakes up)) I wasn't sleeping… ok so I'm tired. Ill sleep now then finish this tomorrow! I promise! Well, I have homework first… right after that, I swear to finish this chapter for all that is good in fan fiction! So ha. Ok. Sleep needed right now. ok I'm rested and ready to go! Well, until I have to leave for a choir concert! Haha! (um, this is like a week later that I'm awake! Haha my bad!))

"Arigatou." I promptly started scarfing down the cake before my stomach realised I was eating again when I was already full.

"Ahem. Inu?" Steph coughed in my direction.

"Nani?" I paused in my scarfing to look at her. What I saw was I disgusted look that normally comes before the Death Glare©. "Eeep!" I cowered.

"Can you please refrain from making us all lose our meal and appetite?" she said in her stern voice. I had officially adopted table manners, very proper ones indeed. "Thank you kindly" she went back to her conversation about ramen flavourings with Mrs H. I pretty much tuned out because it was taking a lot of self-control to keep my manners. A LOT.

All of a sudden, I heard someone walking upstairs, softly, like they didn't want anyone to notice. I knew that Steph could hear it too, because her eyes twitched ever so slightly, so I knew that she was trying to hone in on their location. It was harder because of our ears being pinned down. Then it was really obvious that someone was upstairs because you could hear water running, like a sink. (AN: his ears are really that sensitive. Well, they are in my story. So there. I RULE! Well I rule the story anyways.)

"Hmm. Kagome must be awake. I hope she is feeling better than before her little nap. I had best go check on her. Please stay and enjoy the cake. I'll be right back." Mrs. H said.

I watched her go then looked to see who was left. There was me, Steph, an old man, and a little kid who had been staring at me in awe. Steph and the old man were in their own world talking about sutras and legends and other junk I didn't feel like listing to. The kid was still staring at me like he was nerving himself up to talk to me. I sighed. Might as well talk to him he's the only one left. I thought.

"Yo. What's your name?" I took a bite of cake after answering. The kid looked like he was going to pass out. "Hey you ok?" I asked looking more carefully.

"I-I-I'm Souta." he said looking down, like he dared not look me in the eye.

"Right! You're the one who answered the door right?" I said, remembering.

He seemed heartened that I actually remembered that was him. "Yeah! That's me! You're Inuyasha! You're really cool!" he boldly went where pretty much no one had gone before. He called me cool.

I frankly had no idea how to respond to that. "Uhhh, thanks I guess. What grade are you in?" I made a stab at conversation to veer away from the cool comment.

"I'm in grade 3! You're in grade 9 with Kagome right? That's what mom said." He was practically jumping up and down with excitement from talking to me. It wasn't natural.

"Yeah. I am. I don't know if she's in my class but I'm in grade nine." I said relaxing to the fact he was always like this, well, that was what I figured, since the old man barely noticed.

"That is so cool! I wish I was in grade nine with you guys! That would be so cool! Do you like video games?" The kid asked out of the blue.

"Yeah… why? Do you?" I asked tentatively, kind of afraid of how this kid could keep talking without taking a breath. I just noticed that Steph was attempting to suppress some giggles that had been going on since she heard Souta call me cool. I growled lightly so only she could hear, and I was punished by getting a Death Glare©, frankly I stopped. I just noticed the kid saw I wasn't paying attention while he rambled on about all the video games he has.

"Inuyasha, did you hear me?" Souta asked me.

"Um. Sorry. No. I got distracted." I looked over to him in apology.

"S'ok. Mom, Jii-chan and Kagome all tune me out from time to time. They say that I talk way to much for such a little kid but I'm not little!" He puffed out his chest to prove his point.

I laughed inwardly at this last comment, because the kid was pretty small but I figured he was about eight so he was gonna be pretty big. I decided to humour him since he idolised me and I ignored him before.

"Of course your not little, your practically a man!" I flashed a smile. Steph looked over at me and looked surprised. I shrugged and looked back at Souta who was beaming at me, like I had just figured out the meaning of life and it suited him well.

His eyes shined. " Do you really think so? Everyone seems to think I'm still a little kid!" he furrowed his eyebrows at that.

"I think I'm starting to like you kid." I said smiling at him.

Again he looked like I had just answered all his questions in life. It was funny to see how many times in a row I could make him do that. Frankly I was enjoying myself, and I wasn't eating! It was very good, but strange, day indeed.

Kagome's POV

I was feeling much better so I decided to get up and brush my teeth since my mouth tasted horrible. I walked to my bathroom and dug around in the little drawers on the counter for my toothbrush and toothpaste.

"AH HA! I have found it! I'm so pro." I told my self as I whipped out my brush and the tube, as if I had dug out the treasure from the chest. I wet down the toothbrush while humming a tune I had just thought of, feeling amazing. (AN: don't ask what the tune is I don't even know what to put it as…) I squeezed out some paste on the bristles and brushed away. I decided to make myself look normal instead of Frankenstein's bride, so I finished up then brushed my hair, hating the way my ends curved. I let it go and walked out of the bathroom to change clothes and head downstairs for some of the remaining ramen, I was still pretty hungry even after my huge bowl earlier. I walked up to my closet and started talking to myself about what to wear. Pretty much anything is better than the pink piglet P.J.s I was wearing while in the company of not family people. So I chose what I was wearing earlier that day, my silver and forest green belt, blue jeans and the green t-shirt. It was slightly chillier now that my fever had gone down so I put on a knitted poncho (AN: ok so I don't know what its called. Leave it alone. Its one of those cloth poncho thingys, and hers is blue. Sorry but I really don't know, if someone does then review and tell me.) but it was fleecy and soft, but knitted with fleece strips, which was really soft and cozy.

I admired my work in the mirror making sure I looked acceptable. "Alrighty, now off for moms yummy food!" I skipped down the hall to the stairs, and took up a respectable look for the stairs, stepping lightly down.

Inuyasha's POV

I heard this slight stepping, which was loud but not right sounding for walking, and they were going down the hall to fast, so I decided they were skipping. It was weird. Then I hear this noise at the top of the stairs and turn to see that girl Kagome stepping slowly down the steps.

Then Souta called "Hey sis! You feeling better? You're looking way better than before." He magically stopped there, when I thought he was going to go on and on. I discovered why when I looked at Kagome's eyes. She had that scary look in her eyes like Steph's right before she either Glares© or pummels me. The scary look disappeared, and she continued down the stairs. The old man and Mrs. Higurashi finally noticed her presence and the old man stood to look at her.

"Kagome! Are you sure you're well enough to walk around? Not woozy? Nothing?" The old man looked up to her face considering she was taller than him.

"GRAMPS!" She nearly yelled, "I'm fine! Chill out ok? Look, I'm fine!" She twirled slowly to show her grandfather she was fine. "See? Nothing wrong. Mom's soup worked like a charm. All I needed was some sleep, soup and, as much as I hate the stuff, some Buckley's." She grimaced at the word. I didn't like it much either, the stuff tasted nasty…

"Oh!" Kagome looked over at me and Steph, "I'm sorry! I totally ignored you!" She bowed in greeting, he hair cascading down her shoulders. "My name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm very sorry I wasn't paying attention to you." She pulled up from her bow as she said this.

Steph stood to greet her. "Hello! My name is Stephanie Takahashi." She bowed at her name. "And my brother," She motioned to me "Inuyasha Takahashi," I nodded "our eldest brother, Sesshomaru, couldn't come tonight. The workaholic wouldn't leave the office…." she said in a less serious tone. At that she giggled "OK, so really he is… its really bad but he's one of the most successful business men like ever, so we don't bug him about it, less we're bored or something! Haha" Kagome started laughing with her and I smiled, remembering all the stuff we've said to good ol' Sesshy. We know better than to battle him, though we're really strong, he's scary. Though Steph can beat him, he says she cheats. I thought she was glaring at him, but she'd never glare during a fight, she loves a good fight, but don't even TRY to fight dirty, she'll pummel you….

Kagome's POV

I was laughing it up with Stephanie, thinking that this could really be a good friendship when Mom interrupted, saying:

"Hello honey. You look much better than before. Would you like more soup now or is or is your stomach still bothering you a bit?"

I looked over to her with glee "There's still some left? If there is I'd love some! I'm feeling much better now. Oh! I just remembered" I turned to Inuyasha. "You helped Mom bring up the medicine and food! Thank you very much!" I bowed in gratitude for his help, "That tray was heavy! And I practice archery…. I guess I haven't been practicing enough…" I had straightened up and walked to the cupboard to get a dish, for the ramen noodles still in the pot "I'm amazed you guys didn't eat it all! Mom makes the best ramen around!" I looked over to see Steph trying and failing to muffle giggles "What? Did I miss something?" I look at Inuyasha and he's beet red. "Ohhhhh, I get it now…. Stephanie? How far apart are you and Inuyasha in age?" I turned back to the cupboard, getting a bowl from the top shelf, on my tip toes, then turning to the stove.

"Please call me Steph. Actually, we're only 10 minutes apart, but he likes it when I call him my 'older' brother." She looked at Inuyasha and giggled.

"Oh so you guys are twins? That's so cool! I would love to have a twin, weather or not they was identical to me or not." I spooned the noodles into the bowl and got some chopsticks, then heading for the table. "I have a cousin born on my birthday, so I always thought as her as my mini-twin. But to have a real one would be so cool. Oops, I'm rambling again. Careful, Souta starts to rub off on you…" I smiled sweetly and innocently at the little brother in question. (AN: pffft. Innocent my butt….)

"Yes we're twins. Sesshomaru is about five years older than us." Steph said as I sat down, ready to devour my noodles.

"Hey Gramps, why don't you tell Steph and Inuyasha about the Shikon No Tama. I wanna eat this." I said picking up my chopsticks.

Inuyasha's POV

As soon as those words escaped her mouth, the old man took a big breath and I knew my doom was impending. He went into a speech about a magical jewel that existed 2000 years in the past. (AN: I really can't remember if its 200 or 2000 but review and ill fix it.) It was guarded by a priestess, to keep the jewel pure of hate and malice, otherwise tainting the jewel. It was said to have magical properties, granting your truest wish (AN:I can't remember the exact wording but it sounds good) and if you possessed it, your strength and power increased drastically. I was amazed that this was actual interesting me, and even more so that Kagome was eating her noodles about as fast as me and still taking in the old man's story. But the story continued, because the priestess fell in love with a half demon, but wished for him to become human to live with her. I scoffed internally that she would want that. If she really loved him, she would love him as a half demon, in the form he was in. Kagome then finished her noodles, wiped her face and said this:

"Sorry to interrupt Gramps, but why would the priestess want that? If she really loved him, she'd love him as he was, in the form she fell in love with. Why waste a perfectly good wish by stripping the poor guy of all the powers, and the form he had lived with all his life? Greedy little bugger isn't she? Sorry Gramps, keep going." Kagome propped her head in her hands, looking at her grandfather with the utmost attention.

"Kagome, you ask those questions every time I tell this story, though it is a relief to us all that you vary the way you say them…" the old man said. "Now back to my story…"

He continued to tell us that, something tore them apart, but we never really knew what, just that the Sacred Jewel, another name for it, was taken, but recovered, when the priestess pinned the half demon to a tree with a sacred arrow, sealing him there, for all eternity. The priestess had been wounded badly, and did not survive. It was said that the jewel was burned with her remains. Just then, Kagome grabbed her side, as though in pain.

I spoke to her for the first time since she came downstairs. "What's wrong?" I said looking at her. Everyone looked at me then her, making her blush red.

"Its nothing really, I'm just a little sore right here, I must have hit something before without realising it." She smiled convincingly at us, but her mother still looked worried.

"Come dear, lets go upstairs and take a look." Mrs. Higurashi told Kagome. She stood and put a hand out to her. She took it willingly, standing next to her mother and turned to us.

"Sorry for the bother. I really don't know what it is. My bad!" She smiled at us and started to follow her mother up the stairs, wobbling slightly.

The old man scratched his chin, then stated "Did you know that the Sacred Tree is on the shrine property right here? The one the half demon was pinned to!" He looked out the window seeing that it was dusk. "There's enough light yet, would you like to see it?" He looked way to excited to be showing us a tree. I didn't say anything, so Steph answered for me.

"That would be wonderful! We'll go see it then we'll have to head home. Its already really late!" Steph said standing up from the table.

(AN: oops… I was going to put this in the next chapter. But I guess ill end it somewhere else. Near here)

I sighed and stood with them, sticking my hands in my pockets. I followed them out, looking at Steph while she smiled at the old man's happiness that someone cares about his precious tree. (AN: ((snicker)) precious tree, sorry, I'm kinda sleep deprived) We walked to the door when Mrs Higurashi came downstairs.

"Oh Father, your taking them to the tree?" She said.

"Yes, yes. Going to see the tree. Why?" he turned and asked

"Kagome's fine now, but she could use some fresh air, staying in the house all day, when she's sick, well she just needs fresh air." She smiled. Kagome came up behind her smiling brightly.

"Hiya!" Kagome did a little wave.

"Well come now Kagome! You're holding up production!" The old man said. "Come along!"

"OK, calm down Gramps, I'm coming!" She hurried up to stand next to me. We put on our shoes and headed out. I was the last one through the door, so I shut it.

"Oh thank you!" Kagome said turning. "I always forget to shut the door! Especially at this time of night, I just get caught up in the shrine… I've only been here a few days, but I really love the shrine. Not so much as my old farm but y'know, its home." She said smiling. I realised, I didn't mind her rambling as much as the kid. She went on about stuff that interested her or that she found funny, or weird. The kid just went on about anything at all. And her face just was wild… it was constantly changing into the mood she thought appropriate for the subject.

I looked away from her to see the grounds. And she was right, it was really beautiful. The sky behind the trees was pink and purple and blue, all melding together, yet separate. It looked really cool. I was awestruck when I saw the tree. It was huge, like enormous. But it looked so wicked, with the sky peaking through the leaves to make them shimmer. Kagome scared me when she popped up at my side.

"Gorgeous isn't it? I love it." she murmured, as not to ruin the magic by speaking normally.

I saw that Steph loved the view a lot. She had a content expression on.

It really was magical…

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WHOOOO! I finally finished it! The third chapter! And I think the longest so far! This is NINE pages! NINE! isn't that long? Well I think its long. Well I really hope you like it! And be happy! I UPDATED! WHOOOOOOOOOO! Now go review so I update again! Hopefully sooner! Haha lol. Well enjoy. R&R please!