Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: Sorry for taking forever to update everyone but school was crazy and then something else happened…BRUCE! Stupid shark stole my story files from my computer and was holding them hostage! (All because of a little prank…)

So anyway, the twerp was demanding I clean his entire house (what self respecting girl cleans a house inhabited by five guys?) AND let him ride my motorcycle (HA! As if!) before he'd give me the disc containing my story. Luckily, the brat has roommates that are easily bribed with brownies and they let me into the house while he was gone so I could coughpickthelockcough get into his room and steal it back.

I am happy to say that even now he is unwittingly suffering my retribution in the form of a little present left on his rear license plate which he has yet to discover. Just a few words of advice my friends: Never Cross an Anderson. We're quite wicked when necessary.

Okay, now that you are all aware of the reason for the delay, and have hopefully forgiven me for it…on with the show!

CHAPTER 15 – Kagome 4, Sesshoumaru 3

The next evening, Sunday, was a family dinner at the Taisho mansion, where plans for the wedding/mating ceremony for the following week were to be finalized. At first, the plan was for Sesshoumaru's staff to provide the meal as per usual, but Kikyou had persuaded him to let Kagome make the desserts. Among other things he had learned, one was that the young woman was an exceptional cook, especially when it came to all things sweet.

She arrived carrying a large tray of pastries while Shippou was laden down by a bowl whose top was covered with whipped cream and sprinkled with what looked like cinnamon.

When Sesshoumaru greeted his guests, Kagome showed no indication whatsoever that she thought him responsible for the ad and the other thing, but he didn't believe her act for one second. What was more, he noticed her eyes were lighter than normal, and her aura was still strange. He couldn't think of a single word that would describe it, but it made him think of the feeling of a trembling muscle that has just been worked extremely hard. Her scent, too, was different; instead of the normal strawberry mint, she carried the smell of a wet forest about her. 'She's up to something,' he thought. 'I can tell.'

He wondered if it had anything to do with Kouga. Unbidden images suddenly flooded his mind. Kagome and Kouga dancing, Kagome letting Kouga kiss her in greeting, Kagome giggling and laughing in Kouga's arms, Kagome riding behind Kouga as the wind lifted her long glossy hair behind her… He forced himself to stop when he caught his reflection in a mirror in the hallway and noticed his eyes had begun to go red. To distract himself, he smugly thought of how the empty space in Kagome's apartment would remain just that, empty.

Dinner was a fabulous affair; the chefs living up to their master's demands by preparing a sumptuous feast that even he could not find fault with. As everyone ate, they rehearsed how next weekend would go. Miroku would perform the ceremony that would serve to legally marry the couple, and then Sesshoumaru would perform the one that would acknowledge Kikyou as being part of the Western family.

This latter part was sure to rock the whole of demonic society. A human soon to be an acknowledged member of the clan was shocking enough, as Inuyasha's mother was the first to be so and it was still questioned. However, the fact that the taiyoukai was welcoming a miko into his line was unfathomable. True, everyone would have to just deal with it because Sesshoumaru was not one to be crossed, but it would be an added burden to the couple. Even though much progress had been made between the two races, most believed there was a world of difference between living peacefully together and actually mixing blood.

Another hardship would be the fact that Kikyou's lifespan would be nothing to her mate's. Inuyasha was already over two hundred, and would live till violence or sickness took him.

Kikyou, being a strong and powerful miko, would most likely live into her early one-hundreds, but she would age, die, and leave her love behind. The knowledge of this had long kept Kikyou from entering into a relationship with Inuyasha, but he had convinced her that to be together for whatever time they were allowed was better than to remain apart. Not only that, but their children would have close to, if not the same, life span as him and he would have them as a part of her he could keep close to always.

These burdens were an ever present cloud lingering on their horizon, but the couple and their families chose instead to focus on the here and now and not worry so much about the future. Kagome had asked her older sister about her feelings on the subject once, worried about their effects on Kikyou, but the elder's answer had allayed some of her fears.

-Flashback-

"Yes, I wish there was a way for me to live the same life as Inuyasha," Kikyou explained, the hints of tears lingering in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, I wish our children could have the same strength as their father. Yes, I wish I could provide heirs to the Taisho line that would never be ridiculed or thought less of because they were not full-blooded youkai. I wish for all these things, and if there was a sacrifice I could perform to make it happen, I would. However, what I wish for most is to be with Inuyasha; to love him, and be loved by him." She gave Kagome a watery but nevertheless confident smile. "I have that chance, and for that I am grateful."

-End Flashback-

This conversation had taken place about two weeks before Kagome's birthday, consequently right after she quit Taisho Command. Afterwards, she had been reassured, and yet thoughtful at the same time. Reassured, thoughtful, but more importantly, determined.

After dinner the group walked through the parts of the house that would be occupied by the celebrations, while Rin gushed about the lovely flowers they would have. It was Kagome's first time at the mansion and she loved every place she saw; the garden and terrace, the large dining room which could seat nearly a hundred, and finally the ornate ballroom where everyone could mingle and dance to the orchestra which had been hired for the event.

After the tour they returned to where they had been for dinner in order to eat Kagome's desserts. "These," she said pointing to the pastries, "are cannolis, an Italian desert filled with sweet ricotta in a crisp shell that's lined with a hazelnut glaze. That," she pointed to the bowl, "is a strawberry trifle with whip cream and brandied red currant syrup."

"Holy crap, Kagome! Where'd you learn to make stuff like this?" Inuyasha asked as he began heaping servings of both onto his plate.

Sesshoumaru had to admit that he was impressed. The girl did seem to have a wide range of talents. His appreciation of said talents had definitely increased over the past few weeks. In his mind, the fact that she was not as polished in fighting as Kikyou had begun to be balanced out by the fact that she could do so many different things. He knew no other person who was so well rounded, other than himself, that is.

"Oh well, you know, here and there…" Kagome responded in a non committal tone. At the continued curious expression of both brothers she decided to be truthful. "Micah Peters has a cousin who is very talented in the kitchen. I met her at his family's home on Christmas one year and we started talking about food. I mentioned how I was unfamiliar with cooking American cuisine, and she said how she had always wanted to learn about Japanese. So, the two of us started getting together and sharing techniques."

"What did Peters think of this?" Sesshoumaru asked, startled that the commander had involved her in his personal life to that degree. He again wondered about the nature of their relationship. Could it be that it was not Kouga he had to contend with but Peters? 'No!' he assured himself. 'And what I am doing thinking about this? As if I, the taiyoukai of the western lands, would ever stoop so low as to actually contend for something.'

"He was fine with it as long as he got some of whatever we made," Kagome laughed in reply, pulling him back from his thoughts.

"These are indeed pleasing," remarked Sesshoumaru as he picked up his fourth cannoli, casually making it seem as if his attention had never wandered. "It must have taken you quite a while to prepare all this."

"Well, it's not as if I have anything else to do with my time," she remarked easily, although the mischievous look she shot at him did not escape his notice.

The thinly veiled reference to how she had set him up with false jobs reminded him that he had his own card up his sleeve, and he wanted to lay it on the table to see her reaction. "Rin," he said to his adoptive daughter. "Perhaps you would like to play for us tonight?"

"On the new piano?" she asked excitedly, completely missing the way all the mirth had just left Kagome's features. When he nodded she squealed in delight. "Hai, I would like very much for our Higurashi family to hear what I have been practicing!"

"You can play the piano?" Shippou asked the young girl. She smiled and nodded, a modest blush gracing her features. "That's so cool! You know my Mom…"

"Loves the piano!" Kagome cut him off. "I am excited to hear you play! Tell me about your new instrument," she asked the little girl as the group made their way to what Sesshoumaru called the 'music room.'

"It's the most beautiful piano ever! Otou-san just surprised me with it this week, I didn't even know he was going to buy a new one, let alone one so nice. I've only been learning for a couple years now, I started when I was five see, so I'm not all that great, but I practice a lot!" She continued to babble excitedly until they reached the room.

When Kagome saw the piano, she was hard-pressed not to gasp. A small part of her had secretly hoped that she wouldn't find it here at Sesshoumaru's home, but there it was; a Petrof P I Mistral grand. It boasted a nine foot three inch 1200 lb. body, hand made by the company's head master craftsman Yuri Netolika himself. The piano consisted of a solid white spruce sounding board that had been aged ten years before construction, and a gorgeous beech wood exterior. The keys gleamed, and the top-board was set aloft, revealing what Kagome knew to be the Magnetic Balanced Action.

On the floor rested the traditional una corda, a sostenuto, and a sustain pedals. Each key and string was hand placed and weighted, giving it superior tension and playing capacity. It was more glorious in real life than even the picture of it online had been.

Netolika only made a piano like this once a year. That was how long a masterpiece like this took to complete, and since he was getting old, Kagome knew she would be lucky if even one or two more were ever made, giving her another chance to buy the piano she had always dreamed of. She had seen it advertised for a while, and had actually stopped over in Europe to play it on her way to Japan from America. Its sound was perfection to her ears, the clear ringing of the upper register, and the dark mellowness of the lower. She wondered how he had gotten it here so quickly when only a week ago it had been in Europe, specifically the Czech Republic.

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A/N: We interrupt this program to being you this special announcement. Many of you might have by this point noted a definite improvement in technical aspects such as grammar and paragraph length. I am happy to reveal that this is due to the fact that DarkCrystalis, also known as Angel, has most graciously agreed to be my new beta, and has taken up the arduous task of trying to keep my writing in line. And now, back to our regularly scheduled program. (Sorry, but I couldn't resist ;-) ).

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Sesshoumaru had watched her carefully as she entered, and he inwardly smirked in satisfaction at the longing in her eyes. Oh sure she had kept her face perfectly impassive, but as always her eyes had given her away. 'Point to me,' he thought with calloused pleasure. 'And it was the perfect gift for Rin. I should really thank Mia for putting me onto this; time to rub it in.'

"I had been looking for a gift for Rin, and when I saw it advertised, I just had to have it," he said. "I sent my private jet to retrieve it, and Mr. Netolika himself was kind enough to assemble a team to bring it along and set it up here." It took a great amount of control to keep from smiling at how Kagome's face paled slightly and her pulse slowed. "Of course, it will have to be tuned again in two months after it has had time to settle, but I still think it sounds incredible. You really can't match the sound of a Petrof piano."

"So shut up already and let Rin play!" Inuyasha barked. Sesshoumaru was usually so silent and he couldn't figure out why he had suddenly become so damn chatty. Perhaps it had something to do with being proud of Rin, but other than that the hanyou could come up with nothing.

"But, I'll need someone to turn the pages for me," Rin said innocently, looking at her uncle.

"Well, don't look at me, kid; you're the musical one in the family. I'm no good," he responded, though in a much gentler tone.

"That's for sure," Sesshoumaru said smoothly.

"I'll do it," Kagome volunteered before Inuyasha could retort and start an argument. She didn't want the tension to ruin Rin's confidence. "When do you want me to turn, two measures before?" she asked.

"Yes please," Rin said sweetly. They sat on the bench that had been adjusted to Rin's height and she played a simplified version of Rachmoninov's 'Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.' This arrangement wasn't a technically difficult piece in general, but, such as it was, Kagome was very impressed that an eight year old could play it, and Rin actually did it justice.

Her form was correct, if a bit stiff due to the fact that her small hands meant less fluidity as they had to travel around more to reach the correct keys, but the beauty of the piano's tone helped. Overall, Kagome knew that if Rin kept on going as she was, she could easily be a concert pianist when she was older.

"Thank you Kagome-chan for turning the pages," the young girl said when she had finished and everyone applauded. Then a realization suddenly struck her. "Ano, Kagome-chan?"

"Yes Rin?"

"You knew when to turn the pages at two measures, and even how to follow the codas and repeats," she stated, blinking at the older girl. "So you must be able to read music."

All eyes turned to Kagome. Mia, Kikyou, Shippou, and now Sesshoumaru knew the answer to the question already.

"Hai, I can read music," Kagome replied, he cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Then can you play the piano too?" Rin asked, her eyes gleaming now.

"Hai," Kagome replied softly. "A little."

"Don' let her fool you Rin," Shippou pronounced proudly. "Mom is totally awesome at the piano. She could be a professional if she wanted!"

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows. He wondered if that were true, or if the kit was merely bragging about his mother. When Mia had revealed her intention to buy this piano, he had asked if Kagome played well. Her answer had been an enigmatic, "Oh, well enough, I should say." He did notice though that as soon as she sat on the bench with Rin, her aura calmed, her eyes darkened somewhat, and she held herself with a practiced, graceful posture.

"Jeez Kags, is there anything you can't do?" Inuyasha snorted just as Rin begged Kagome to play something. Kikyou, Shippou, and Mia seconded the idea.

"Yes Inuyasha, there are tons of things I can't do, such as wire a lamp, arrange flowers, take good pictures, fix a toaster, or get my VCR to stop blinking '12:00'," she stated randomly. Then, turning to the other ladies and her kit she said, "Another is playing in front of people because unlike Rin here, I am a coward, so no, I won't play. I don't even have any of my music with me."

Sesshoumaru openly raised both eyebrows. The fact that Kagome had just backed away from a request, or even a challenge one might say, and called herself a coward caught him completely off guard. He had expected her to perform and dazzle everyone with her savoir faire, not shy away.

"Oh come now dear," her mother chided. "I know you have some pieces memorized, why don't you play one of those?"

"Because, Mother," Kagome replied, her tone getting dangerous, "The first few days a musician has with a new instrument are critical for their mutual bonding and I would not wish to risk Rin's future relationship with this fine piano by infringing upon her rights." The room blinked, not knowing what to make of such an obviously diversionary statement. "Perhaps another time," she said firmly as her sister's and son's mouths opened to protest.

Sesshoumaru wondered what her issue was, but wouldn't ask. He had, after all, just scored a major victory in the personal war he waged against the young miko, and he didn't want to ruin the moment by giving into curiosity.

Although, if he was going to be one hundred percent honest with himself, then he'd have to admit she was a curious complexity he puzzled over.

This, in his mind, was another reason why she didn't belong with the likes of Kouga; it was the equivalent of giving a Ferrari to a five year old. She was simply beyond the wolf's capabilities and understanding.

Soon after, people began to leave as it was a 'school night' for the kids and a 'work night' for the adults, aside from Kagome. On top of which, Sesshoumaru had been feeling increasingly ill since they'd reached the music room. His insides were in knots and he felt flushed with a slight fever. But before she left, Kagome pulled him aside on the pretense of asking a question about the school Rin and Shippou would be starting at in the morning. "Sesshoumaru, may I have a brief word with you? I've got a quick question about parent's night this Wednesday." She smiled winningly, and batted her eyelashes.

He wasn't fooled. He waved her into a room that turned out to be his personal study.

Glancing around, she quickly took in the lovely wood-paneled walls, the elegant antique desk and book lined shelves, and the ornate display case which contained a long, white fluffy looking thing. 'That must be the pelt Inuyasha told me about,' she thought, 'the one that's part of the tail from the first taiyoukai in their line to rule the western lands. Interesting.' When he snapped the door shut behind them and cleared his throat, she turned to face him.

Now that they were alone and away from prying eyes, her demeanor changed. For a moment, Sesshoumaru thought she was going to attack him for the ad and the piano, but he was wrong.

"I think it's pretty obvious what is going on," she began in steely tones. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to give in anytime soon, but before we go any further I want to set one rule."

Sesshoumaru considered playing innocent to get a rise out of her, but her frank manner prompted him to act likewise. "Which would be what, Hando?" he asked coldly, his face not betraying the fact that his stomach was trying to collapse in on itself. As soon as she was out the door he was going to call Jaken to get him some medicine, anything to get this feeling to go away.

"No matter what," she said stonily, "we keep Rin and Shippou out of this."

"Deal," he said. It was reasonable after all and he'd had much the same thought himself.

"Great," she said bestowing him with a dazzling smile, her icy demeanor vanishing. "Then I guess I will see you at parent's night this week. That is, if you're feeling up to it." The sly look on her face let him know that she knew he was in pain, and the triumph in her eyes gave away that she was somehow the cause of it, but she had already made it out the door into the hallway where everyone was standing and wondering what the two had been talking of.

Kikyou and her mother knew that if it was a simple question about the school then Kagome would not have needed a private audience with Sesshoumaru. The worry on her sister's face and the interest on her mother's made Kagome grin. "I'm glad you liked the cannolis Sesshoumaru, would you like me to leave the leftovers so you could enjoy them later?"

Realization hit Sesshoumaru like a bus. Kikyou and Mia caught on too, though in a less painful manner.

"Kagome dear," Kikyou began in a supplicating tone, "what was it you put in those again?"

"Oh you know, the usual," she smirked. "Sweat cream, ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and the hazelnut paste, or should I say, chocolate-hazelnut paste." She paused for a moment and then continued. "You know the trick for any kind of cooking is to use the right ingredients. The chocolate I used in the glaze for example, was 95 coco solids, the most potent available on the market. Well, enough rambling; goodnight everybody, I had a wonderful evening!" she called as she picked up Shippou and left.

Suddenly a light bulb in Inuyasha's head came on. "Hey Sesshoumaru, didn't you eat, like, half a dozen of those things? That much chocolate to a full inu youkai has gotta do something, right? Doesn't it hurt like hell?" The darkened expression of Sesshoumaru's face was enough to make the hanyou grin like a Cheshire cat. "Oh man, she got you again! Looks like you might have finally met your match bro!"

"You find the poisoning of this Sesshoumaru entertaining, half-breed?" the enraged youkai asked.

"Hell yes!" the younger brother hooted back.

"I do not see why you find the situation so funny, she could of just as easily have been targeting you," he growled as his stomach gurgled and cramped even more.

"You wish," Inuyasha sneered. "Kagome's seen me eat chocolate before so she knew I'd be safe. She even asked if it made me sick and I told her I was immune to it, but that it'd still do a number on a full inu. Guess she remembered, huh?"

Kikyou, worried about what her sister was getting into, immediately sought to sooth the taiyoukai. So, smacking Inuyasha upside the head for being frivolous when his brother was in pain, she led the elder brother back to the kitchen where she prepared a drink to help get the stuff out of his system.

As she worked gathering herbs and such, she tried to divert his attention. "Don't let Inuyasha make you think Kagome is unfailingly nice to him, Sesshoumaru-sama. They may get along most of the time, but Kagome dyed his hair pink and green just last week, and it took four bleaching treatments to get it white again."

"So that is why the mutt smelled like a swimming pool," he muttered, trying to not sound pitiful from the pain of what felt like his intestines tying themselves in knots.

"Precisely."

"What did he do in return?"

"He stuffed fish in her favorite running shoes. They have a kind of prank war going on between them, and I know for a fact that she is planning on gluing his nostrils shut tomorrow."

"You do not mind their treatment of each other?" he asked. He would have thought the cool and dignified Kikyou would frown on such uncivilized behavior. HE was definitely wishing Kagome was not so childish at the moment.

"Well it is definitely not something I myself would indulge in, but it is just in Kagome's nature to be playful, and Inu gets a kick out of having someone to treat like a younger sibling." She stood there, stirring the herbal remedy and thinking for a moment.

"Besides," she began thoughtfully, "Kagome only acts like this towards people she has affection for. I mean, she'll definitely go after somebody if it's revenge like the case with that field operative Mother told you about, but to draw someone into one of her games is a mark of her respect and interest. If she didn't like Inu as much as she did, she would just be friendly or civil to him, for my sake."

"He must be flattered," Sesshoumaru muttered sarcastically.

She smiled as she poured the contents from the pot she'd been boiling them in into a mug, added some ice to cool the concoction, and handed it to the taiyoukai. "This will stop the cramps and the fever, but you're going to be constipated for a few days," she said mildly. Seeing the anger and pain in his features made her hope that her sister hadn't just signed her own death warrant with that little stunt. "And in the future I would not consume anything my sister gives you."

The demon groaned. 'She'll pay,' he thought.

-----

A couple miles away Kagome was smiling as she drove herself and a now sleeping Shippou back to their home. She tallied the respective victories of her and Sesshoumaru's war in her head.

She had caught him off guard and zapped him off the shrine grounds, fooled him into thinking she wanted those jobs, set him up with Erri, and just gave him one hell of an intestinal nightmare. He had stolen Jakotsu's company from her, placed that ridiculous personal add, and bought her piano.

"I believe that brings us to Kagome four and Sesshoumaru three," she mumbled. Now that she had his promise Shippou wouldn't get caught in the crossfire, she was eager for their little game to continue.

"Come and get me if you dare, youkai."

That was Sunday evening.

Monday morning Kagome led a bright-faced and bushy tailed Shippou into the elevator, hitting the button for the underground level her car was parked in. "Ready for your first day of school, love?"

"Yeah!" he beamed. Then a look of mischief sparked to life in his eyes. "I bet I know way more magic than any of the other kids there…and much better uses for it too." He rubbed his little hands together in front of him in a gesture of wicked expectation.

"Now Shippou," Kagome said sternly. "What are the rules?"

"Don't hurt anybody, don't reveal what you are, don't do anything that will take a lot of money to fix, and no terrorizing innocents like teachers or younger children," he replied in a bored voice. He'd had to repeat these rules a million gajillion times already.

"And the last, most important two rules?"

"Make it good and don't get caught!"

"That's my boy!" she laughed as they stepped out of the elevator and began walking to her car.

Ten paces from their destination something caught Kagome's attention. Or rather, the absence of something that was supposed to be there coupled with the presence of another that most definitely was not.

'Oh crap!' the kitsune thought, and then cringed a second later as his mother howled.

"SESSHOUMARU, YOU'RE GONNA GET IT FOR THIS!"

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A/N: First off, THANK YOU REVIEWERS! Nearly half of my reviewers sent me one for the last chapter and I am deeply greatful. (bows repeatedly while chanting "I'm not worthy!")

Secondly, these last couple of sections weren't in the original chapter, but I was in the middle of taking an exam this morningwhen I had a sudden idea, (generally having ADHD and being a college student can be a bit of a pain but it has definite payoffs as well!). This chapter has become quite lengthy because of it but I couldn't bear to break it up, so just don't get used to this. Anyway, I'm going to add a couple of chapters into the story that weren't originally in my outline. You all seemed to like the pranks so I thought I'd have some fun by putting in a bit more. Hope you like it. Here's some spoilers for what's coming up next in Chapter 16: The Battle Rages…

-"Will Rin still have a Daddy at the end of the day?" Shippou asked, feigning innocence.-

- It was an invitation, a call to come out and play. "What a deranged way of going about things," he said aloud.-