As expected InuYasha and Sesshomaru got everything they wanted and more from their parents on Christmas day. Kagome got a lot of her things that were on her list but her most special gift was from InuYasha. New year's eve seemed to pass by pretty quickly. The Higurashi's and the Taisho's got together to watch fireworks. A new year... So many things could happen scary and wonderful. Terrifyingly beautiful some say. To kick off the New year there was a festival being held tonight. Kagome would actually rather spend the day at home and play with her new toys but her mom told her...

" There is going to be a talent show there and we have to support Kikyo."

Kagome sighed trying to open up the accessories for her Sweet magic kitchen. " But Mama, Kikyo doesn't like me."

" Oh sure she does or else she wouldn't have invited us."

" Mama, that's just it, she knows that if I go, InuYasha most likely will go too."

" So she is using you to get to InuYasha...?"

" uh huh!"

" That's absurd Kagome."

" It's the truth! The whole time at the Christmas party all she did was stare at him!"

" It's called love Kagome, get with the program." Gramps said drinking his morning coffee. " find yourself a nice boy and get a big house so I can retire and move in with you."

" Dad! I want Kagome to stay little as possible! Don't talk that nonsense around her."

" Is that why you haven't found a new man because all this talk about love is how you say... rubbish?"

Mrs. Higurashi stabbed her carving knife into the head of lettuce she was chopping and stomped up the stairs. Eh, you couldn't really blame her for being upset. Or maybe you could if it was her time of the month but no one is certainly going to ask her that. Losing her husband was a terrible experience for her. She thought that if she was to re-marry it would be disrespecting her dead husband.

" Does that mean we get to stay home?" Kagome asked hopefully.

" NO." Mrs. Higurashi called from her bedroom.

" Way to go Gramps..."

" Are you saying I cant move in with you and your hubby when you buy that big house?"

Kagome nodded slowly with a blank face. After much procrastinating Kagome slipped into her baby blue and green kimono. Finally getting the obi around her waist she ran to her mom's room for assistance hoping she still wasn't upset.

~ With Sesshomaru~

" nine hundred and ninety eight... nine hundred and ninety nine... one thousand..." Sesshomaru counted each stroke as he brushed his long hair. InuYasha barged in wearing his kimono loosely jumping on his brothers bed.

" Fluffy!"

" What do you want InuYasha..." Sesshomaru said sighing putting down his brush and looked at himself in the mirror making sure his 'demon' approved.

Ignoring his question InuYasha lied on his back looking at Sesshomaru upside down.

" You count how many times you comb your hair?" 'what a girl...'

" Yes, you see little brother..." Sesshomaru turned back around satisfied with how he looked and put his hands linked behind him ready to teach InuYasha something fascinating to him. " It is important to do something one thousand times or it isn't possibly perfect. Now why do you think people bite their nails?"

" Uh..." InuYasha said for the longest time randomly wiggling his little toes. " Because they taste good?"

" It's not that they taste good necessarily, god didn't create our nails with salt or sugar. It's because we may have bit our nails once and once became ten times, then one hundred times until you reach one thousand you cant stop. That's why people have such a hard time breaking horrid habits."

InuYasha just twitched his ears out of boredom.

" It can take one thousand days to master piano, one thousand seconds to get killed, or even one thousand minutes to fall in love.."

" Your point..?" InuYasha said then making a bubble with his saliva. ( A/n: I used to get in trouble for doing that in second grade and it was so fun :'( )

" I thought I made my point." ' What could I have missed that he still doesn't understand.'

" Oh Sesshomaru stop trying to bore your brother to death." Inutaisho said coming in to check on them with a maid by his side holding up an obi. " InuYasha please let Nozomi finish getting you ready...:"

" You have to catch me first!" InuYasha laughed dashed right under both their legs.

InuYasha's plans didn't go out well when he bumped into Sesshomaru's biological mother who held a cold stare. InuYasha was frightened once he saw her face quickly getting up nearly sliding back on the floor trying to find the quickest escape. Sesshomaru's mother did not like hanyous and she certainly wasn't afraid to say so in his face. There had been one time she came over for Easter to give Sesshomaru his Easter basket and made InuYasha cry telling him that ' filthy hanyous deserve nothing but to be eaten up by youkai that'll actually make 'em good use.' It didn't end well, she got a well deserved slap from Izayoi and was kicked out of the house for a very long time. InuYasha was only four at the time and the frustration of it all made him scratch his face with his claws while he cried. Izayoi always gave her son the most support and cuddled with him that night so he wasn't alone. She dabbed a wet cloth on his face to make the scratches go away.

InuYasha went to his mother's room who was found in her closet having her kimono adjusted and hemmed by some servants. Stepping out of the young master's way the maids bowed. Izayoi turned around wondering why they had stopped and was shocked when she felt two small arms wrapped around her legs.

" InuYasha... What's wrong dear?"

" Seira..." (A.n: I really don't want to call her Sesshomaru's mom all the time so let's name her Seira shall we! :D )

Izaiyoi ran her hands through her sons hair rubbing his ears. InuYasha didn't let a living soul touch his ears besides the woman that conceived him.

" What is she doing here?" InuYasha asked.

" I heard your father mention that she was one of the judges for the talent show. She decided she would wait here before the event starts. It's okay baby just stay by me and you'll be fine. She really ticks me off when she speaks her mind." InuYasha just nodded against her stomach finally letting go and stepping back so the maids could finish their work making his mother beautiful. " Is everyone almost ready to go?"

" I think Sesshomaru just got done combing his hair about a billion, trillion,ka-zillion times, and applying his makeup, so yes."

Izayoi giggled.

" Is Kagome going to be at the festival?"

" Yes. We will meet her and her family at the talent show which gives us a half hour to do whatever we want until then."

" Which is to stay away from Seira."

Izayoi frowned looking at the ground. " No matter how much she hurts you InuYasha... violence is never the answer. Just remember that when your older."

" What does that mean?"

" All that matters is you keep that thought in your head."

" Okay I'll try."

" That's all I ask."

The festival was colored in the most brightest of colors lighting up the gloomy town square. InuYasha was nibbling on a Churro mostly licking the cinnamon off of it holding his mothers hand.

" Izayoi?" Sesshomaru asked lightly tapping her arm. He never called Izayoi mom in front of his biological mom because it was disrespectful.

" Yes?"

" Can I have some money to play a few games?"

" Sure."

" Oooh! Can I come!" InuYasha asked almost neglecting his churro to the ground being entertained with something else.

" InuYasha..." Sesshomaru whined.

" Come on InuYasha let's go see if we can find your friend."

" Okay! Bye Fluffy!" InuYasha waved going in a different direction with his mother. InuTaisho wasn't with them at the moment, he had been helping out with the stage for the talent show. No one really understood why the talent show was such a huge deal but it was.

Sesshomaru wandered not really knowing a certain destination, kicking a few pebbled around.

" But Momozy... What do you mean you cant play for my performance tonight!" A little girl whined Sesshomaru looked at. The older woman was a teenager a little older him looking like she was definitely shooting something up her arm everyday...

" I've had a lot a spasms in my hands the pass few days and sometimes they just start shaking. I wouldn't want to ruin your performance."

' Gee I wonder why.' Sesshomaru thought, he was a D.A.R.E graduate and he pledged to always and forever avoid drugs.

" How am I going to find a pianist to play Moonlight Sonata in 15 minutes! I'm toast. I'm going to have to cross out my name on the sign up sheet."

" I'm really sorry kiddo."

" I know what's wrong with your hands. You failed me Momo! You said you were going to stop!" The little girl took off running. Sesshomaru used his demonic speed to catch up to the girl.

" Hey you."

" Who me?" She asked wiping up her tears.

" I couldn't help but hear your conversation."

" Being a youkai that's a bit impossible so I don't blame you." The girl smiled offering her hand. " My name's Rin."

" Sesshomaru." He bowed.

" So what grade are you in?"

" 6th. What about you? First? Third?"

" no! I'm in 5th grade. I'm a little short but I should be able to survive next year in middle school."

' That's shocking...' Sesshomaru thought for a second mentally smacking himself. He was trying to offer her a hand and here he was sharing small talk with her. Oh why doesn't she just go get the tea and cookies for crying out loud! " Hey, um... if you need assistance... I play piano."

" Really!"

" Yeah."

" But it would take forever for you to master and well I only gots five minutes." Rin said shoving her hand in his eye sight like it was unbelievable.

" Trust me, I've done a lot harder songs than Moonlight Sonata, like Turkish March, Fur Elise, and Flight of the Bumblebee it wouldn't be a problem at all."

" will you join the talent show with me! You'll get half of the prize if I win! I promise!"

" Meh, okay."

" Thanks!" Rin said tackling him to the ground.

" Rin? There you are! Rin! What did I say about tackling random people!" A man came up to the kids holding a plate with a funnel Cake on it topped with powdery sugary goodness.

" That they think it's annoying and creepy and they'll call the cops..." Rin frowned. " But this kind boy is going to play the piano in my performance."

" hm..."

~ With Kagome~

The Higurashi's found seats in the front row chatting while Kagome looked around for InuYasha saving a seat next to her with her foot. When someone even looked at her foot she would growl. Apparently someone didn't listen and sat right on her foot.

" Hey! Punk this seat is for-"

" Me?" InuYasha asked twitching his ears and poking out his fangs from his mouth. InuYasha got off of her foot and smiled.

" Ow, my foot. You need to go on a diet Inu." Kagome said moving her foot and allowing him to sit down.

" What! I only way 48 pounds! Well at least I think I do... my nurse had an accent so I couldn't really tell what she was even saying at my last check-up. What I heard was: oooh you'll be just fine. But that could've meant: you're going to need a brain scan."

" hm. Man.. I wanted to join the talent show but I can't really do anything amazing... or talented."

" can you do the splits?" InuYasha asked hoping to find her a talent that she never even knew she had.

" no."

" Can you tumble and do backflips?"

"no."

" Can you sing?"

" Kinda but my voice cracks a lot."

" can you... play an instrument?"

" The recorder.."

" Everyone knows how to play that, we all learn how to in music class."

" oh... then no."

" hm... can you juggle?"

" one ball!"

InuYasha smacked his hand to his face and sighed.

" Attention ladies and gentlemen." a man in an amber kimono said into the microphone getting everyone's attention. " As you all finish finding your seats and settling in I'd like to welcome you all to our first annual Talent show at our New Year's Festival. Now if you were here a few days ago you probably saw our wonderful fireworks! We have a total of ten entries we could fit in tonight and we have with us three judges in the back. As you can see." As if on cue everyone immediately turned their heads to see the judges like they were royal. Not InuYasha though, he really didn't want to look at Seira's face. " They will decide who gets the big prize for tonight which is a brand new Ipod shuffley puff!" InuYasha rolled his eyes, he already had one, and a touch screen. Everyone in the audience cheered. " So let's not waste any time and I now present contestant number one!" A little boy stepped on stage with a microphone waving to all the people.

" Hi my name is Kouga... and I rap."

Music in the background went on for him as he started beat boxing.

" Kouga's the name. And I've won the game. With my long black hair. You'll be sure to stare. I run so fast. For sure I wont be last. Hanging with my friends are what I like to do. So don't mess with me unless you a foo. I like to rap. Even though I'm jap. Sitting in my room never going to sleep. Somebody else better count those sheep. Word." Kouga bowed and stepped off the stage.

InuYasha tried to cover his laugh. " What kind of rap song was that!"

" InuYasha! It wasn't bad for a 10 year old. It was okay." Kagome said glaring at him.

" Now, contestant number 2!"

Three teenagers in cheer leading outfits came out with ponytails on their heads. They danced all over the stage to the song ' Caramelldansen ' along with many ' woohoo!'s and flips. InuYasha couldn't figure out how they could do all that and avoid any panty flashing. What idiot would flip in the air with a skirt. This made no sense. After the song all the girls took a bow and waved at the cheering crowd.

" Contestant number 3!"

An old man came on the stage silencing the audience.

" Um sir?" Seria said into her microphone.

" yep?"

" This is a youth talent show for the age between 5-17. How old are you.

" Well I looked at it wrong and thought that said fifty one to seven! Bye peoples!"

" Moving on to contestant number 5!"

Kikyo came on sage wearing much to grown makeup for her and a pink short dress.

" Hello! I'm Kikyo and tonight I'm going to be singing a song for you all!"

Kikyo singing: ' popular from the play wicked.' " When ever I see someone less fortunate then I and let's face it, who isn't less fortunate than I! My tender heart tends to start to bleed... and when someone needs a makeover I simply have to take over I know! I know... exactly what they need. And even in your case." Kikyo said looking away but purposely pointing at Kagome making her gasp. " Though it's the toughest case i've yet to face. Don't worry I'm determine to succeed! Follow my lead and yes indeed. You. Will. be. Popular! Your gonna be popular! I'll teach you the proper ploys, when you talk to boys, little ways to flirt and flounce oh! I'll show you what shoes to wear how to fix your hair, everything that really counts to be popular. I'll help you be popular. You'll hang with the right cohorts you'll be good at sports, know the slang you got to know... so lets start cuz you've got an awfully long way to go... don't be offended by my frank analysis, think of it as think of it as personality dialysis. Now that i've chosen to become a pal, a sister, and adviser there's nobody wiser, not when it comes to popular. I know about popular! And with an assist from me, to be who'll you'll be. Instead of dreary who you were, well are. There's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular, lar. La la! We're gonna make you .lar. When I see depressing creatures with unprepossessing features. I remind them on their own behalf to think of celebrated heads of state or 'specially great communicator. Do they have brains or knowledge? Don't make me laugh! They were popular! Please, it's all about popular! It's not about aptitude, it's the way your viewed. So it's very shrewd to be very very popular like. Me! And though you protest your disinterest... I know clandestinely... Your gonna grin and bear it, your new found popularity! Ah! La,la,! la,la! You'll be popular! Just not quite as popular as me!" Kikyo shot her arms up in the air for applause. Kagome had her mouth wide open through the whole performance. She was popular! How dare Kikyo point to her! It didn't really matter what Kagome thought the crowd cheered loud until kikyo was lightly pushed off the stage. If she wasn't she would have stayed there all night!

" Ah wasn't she lovely." the host said speaking to the microphone.

' no..' Kagome said grumpily.

" Moving on... Our next contestant Rin will be dancing ballet to the beautifully classic song moonlight sonata played on the piano."

A women pulled out a black piano and seat followed by a little girl in a tutu and...was that Sesshomaru on stage! The Higurashi's and the Taisho's both shared a look but no one said anything. Sesshomaru took a seat at the piano glancing back at the crowd then placing his fingers over the correct keys. Rin got in rest position and looked at Sesshomaru nodding. Sesshomaru actually looked bored playing but got every sing note right. Somewhere in his head he kept wondering why he had helped this girl out. Was it her smile? Her tears that made him feel bad? He couldn't really tell he was just glad he did it because it made him feel more of a better person. He was now at a part that he had to repeat so he looked into the crowd trying to find his family. This wasn't a hard mission seeing as they were in the front row. Every single one of them had an eyebrow raised. Sesshomaru just mouthed a ' what? '

Rin twirled and leaped around the stage with her ribbon. She was graceful in her steps. At the end the two of them stood up and bowed. The host came up to them clapping his hands and patted sesshomaru on the shoulder.

" What is your name boy?"

" Sesshomaru. Sir."

" My you play piano beautifully. How long have you've been playing."

" for five years."

" Wow! Give it up for Rin and Sesshomaru!"

Rin smiled at Sesshomaru and gave him the thumbs up. Everyone cheered even InuYasha and Kagome although they were probably cheering more for Sesshomaru. InuYasha fell asleep on Kagome's shoulder until the host yelled.

" The judges have made their decision! The winner will now be chosen!"

" Finally!" InuYasha screamed but then covered his mouth. ' didn't mean to say that out loud.'

" Will Kikyo, Rin and Sesshomaru please step back on stage." As they found their way back on stage he kept speaking. " Now it was a hard decision to make but I think the judges have a answer!"

" And the winner is... Rin and Sesshomaruuuuuu!"

Sesshomaru didn't appreciate the host saying his name like that but he'd let it slide for now. Once again Rin tackled him to the ground. " Thank you thank you thank you!"

' Well at least the girl has manners.' " Can you please get off of me Rin?"

" Oh sorry! But really Sesshomaru I wouldn't have won if it weren't for you. Your my best friend now! You'll help me when I get to middle school right!"

" I...I guess."

" Bye Sesshy! Sorry but your names too long and I really like giving nicknames so yeah see ya later!"

Later that night Sesshomaru lied in his white satin sheets thinking about the day he had. " I had fun." He whispered in his sleep before drifting into a sweet dream.

InuYasha snuggled with his pillow while he slept quietly singing " Popular... your gonna be popular..." from the song kikyo had sang. He wasn't sure how it had gotten stuck in his head.

Kagome was having a nightmare shouting " I am popular! I am! Kikyo! No!"

Okay I know this chapter was more of SesshyXRin and not InuXKag but that was for Luvandia who requested a little Sesshoumaru and Rin. So I hoped you liked and Please leave a review to let me know what you guys think. I'll add a little Sesshomaru and Rin every now and then but 98% of my focus is on the hanyou you got that? ;D