Kagome fixed her hair into a glossy mane tied into a ponytail. She wore a red glitter halter top with big white letters on it that read “CAUTION” and she wore black glitter leggings that showed off her curves and butt. To top off her outfit, she wore black comfort heels and small black hoop earrings. Kagome rarely put makeup on, but she felt this was a special occasion and dashed on some mascara and lipgloss. Smacking her lips, she sashayed out of the bathroom and down the stairs. She posed at the kitchen doorway for her mom who clapped her hands with glee.

“Oh Kagome you look simply stunning! Hold on, let me take some pictures!”

Mrs. Higurashi snapped some shots with the family camera and Kagome posed willingly. They reviewed the plans for the evening and when finished, they couldn’t wipe the grins off their faces. Kagome checked herself in the mirror for the fifth and final time and decided it was time to go.

“Mom, you can come if you want.”

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Higurashi replied, waving her hands dismissively. “This is your night. Go have fun.”

Kagome kissed her mom on the cheek. “Thank you, Mama. I’ll call if anything happens.”

“See you later, sweetie.”

Kagome walked out of the house doors and while passing the Sacred Tree she stopped. She stood there wistfully staring at it. Am I looking forward to seeing that guy? She shook her head. No way.

“Well… I’m off to my party.” Kagome waited for a reply. “I would say you could come but you ran away remember? Hopefully next time you’ll stay.” She was silent for a moment. “I’ll… I’ll miss you.” She blushed when she realized what she had said. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to say that! Well, I did but… Never mind!” She ceased her rambling. Look at me, pouring out my feelings to a tree. She smiled goofily and skipped down the stairs. With a deep breath, she started her walk to the inn where the hot spring was located.

Ayumi poked her head out from her hiding spot. “She’s coming!”

All of Kagome’s 10 friends whom she had invited—5 boys and 5 girls—ducked into their hiding places and whispered anxiously. Eri shushed them.

“In 3… 2… 1…”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Kagome stood gaping at them. “Oh, you guys!” Tears started welling in her eyes.

“Don’t cry, birthday girl,” Taichi walked up. “You’ll ruin your mascara.” And with that, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. He pulled away grinning.

Kagome was blushing furiously. “Uh, w-what? I-I didn’t know y-you were gonna d-do that,” she stuttered. “D-did you guys know?”

“Of course we did,” Yuka beamed. “Happy Birthday, Kag.”

Hojo fumed. He hadn’t been told about this! Eri noticed that Hojo was mad and smirked. Everything was going according to plan…

Taichi, Yoshi, Hojo, Sho, and Ryou each shared a dance with Kagome. Even with no music it was still a fun time. They held a dance contest and watched Sho and Ryou have a rap battle. Ryou beat Sho by a long shot and loser had to shave his head.

“No way! You know how long it took me to get these wavy locks?” he joked and the group laughed.

Emi complained, “Can we go in the hot spring now? My back’s aching!”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Aiko agreed, grabbing a towel sitting on a rack.

“If only Saki-chan was here. She would’ve been in the spring already,” Kagome laughed.

“That’s true,” Aiko giggled. “Or she’d be trying to peek at the boys on the other side.”

The girls and guys went their separate ways and once inside the spring Yuka let out a loud sigh of content.

“This is heaven! Wish I could come here everyday!”

Kagome nodded and soon the girls developed a conversation full of gossip about the boys at their school. “Who do you like, Mizuki-chan?”

Aiko instantly blushed and looked down at the water. “Hayate-kun…”

The girls screamed with disbelief and shock. They immediately started arguing and saying that Hayate was not right for Aiko.

“He’s cute okay?! And he has great grades. He’s very athletic and look at his body! He’s the total package,” Aiko defended herself hotly.

“Mizuki-chan! He’s a player! He went out with Yuzuki-chan and after a month he dumped her for Mayu-chan.”

“None of his relationships last long,” Ayumi added.

“I believe that we’ll get together and we’ll stay together,” Aiko replied stubbornly. “Stop meddling.”

The group remained silent until they heard some splashing.

“What’s up with the guys?” Eri got up to look.

“Eri!” Kagome whispered, a blush already staining her cheeks. “Get back down they might see you!”

Eri shrugged. “Let them enjoy the view. Besides, if they see me I see them,” she finished with a mischievious grin.

The girls started sharing unreadable looks with a fire in their eyes. Kagome stared at them dumbfoundly. All the girls rose.

“Where are you going?” Kagome asked, but she already knew the answer and she dreaded it.

“To show the boys what we’ve got.”

“The hot spring is divided,” Kagome whined. She still didn’t now how the girls could walk around buck naked. She wrapped her towel tighter around her.

“Relax, Kagome,” Emi assured her. “We’re just going to flash our butts. They’re definitely not seeing my boobs.”

At least Kagome wasn’t the only reluctant one. Ayumi was hesitant. “What if they catch a glimpse?”

Eri answered, “Same as I said before. Let them enjoy the view.” As she noticed Kagome giving her a doubtful look, she sighed. “Kagome, lighten up! It’s your 15th birthday. There are 12 years old who’ve gotten farther than you.”(1)

Kagome fumed at that but she kept her mouth shut. She kept walking but she heard a faint snap. Like a stick. Was someone following them? She turned around to look. Her eyes widened. The dog boy!

He was still dressed in his haori and hakama. He showed no signs of being tied to the tree. His eyes widened as well. He took a step toward her.

Kagome was careful not to blink. She didn’t want him to leave again. She reached out her hand. He looked at it then he looked at her. His hand extended to touch hers.

“Kagome, are you coming?”

She glanced at her friends who were waiting and when she looked back to see the man, he wasn’t there. Again, he had disappeared. Kagome shook her head in frustration. “Coming,” she replied, trotting to them.

Aiko tugged at Kagome’s towel. “This has to go.”

Kagome sighed. “I guess your right.” She smiled. “After all, I’ll only get this chance once.”

“That’s my girl!” Yuka and Eri pumped their fists. Emi beamed at Kagome. Ayumi didn’t want to be left out so she stripped out of her towel as well.

“Let’s go,” Aiko whispered. “Only for a second okay? We don’t want them getting erections.”

“And remember,” Emi said, “No boobs, just butts.”

Eri rolled her eyes. “Aye aye, Cap’n.”

“Let’s go!” Kagome shrieked and the girls skinny dipped into the boy’s hot spring. She heard gasps of surprise and astonishment.

“What the?!” She heard Yoshi exclaim as she came up for air. “Kagome-chan?” He blushed as he realized Emi was there too. “Hey, Haruko-chan…”

Emi ignored him. Kagome glanced at Yoshi apologetically and the girls swam around the boys teasingly. By their faces, Kagome could tell they were starting to get excited.

Kagome noticed Hojo glance down and she warned, “Look below the water and I’ll kill you.”

Hojo gulped and nodded. He could feel his body reacting. But Kagome wasn’t interested in stuff like that. He squirmed as he imagined Kagome’s naked body dripping with water and her body waiting for him…

He stopped fantasizing when he realized he might just lose himself right there and make a fool out of himself. Hojo sighed with frustration.

The girls suddenly leaped out and flashed their fronts. Emi didn’t of course she just wagged her butt. The girls strode out quickly, giggling wildly and talking about the boys’ reactions.

Aiko coughed. “I looked down.”

Everyone stared at her and stopped moving.

“What’d you see?” They all blurted out.

“They were all turned on.”

The girls shrieked with laughter. By the time they were done, tears were streaming down their cheeks and their cheeks a deep red from laughing so much.

“That’s golden,” Yuka chuckled, wiping a tear.

The boys stared at each other.

“What just happened?” Sho said slowly.

“We just got the opportunity to look at fine girls and we missed it,” Ryou answered.

Yoshi hid his face behind his hands. “Haruko-chan didn’t even acknowledge me.”

Taichi patted his back. “She’ll come around.”

“I hope so.”

After 10 more minutes, the boys decided to get out and change before their skin started getting wrinkly.

They had come out before the girls and they knew why.

“We just embarrassed ourselves,” Taichi chuckled.

“How is this funny?!” Ryou exclaimed. “The girls must think we’re cowards now.”
“Haruko-chan didn’t even acknowledge me,” Yoshi repeated, drying his hair.

Sho cleaned out his ears. “Next time we’ll get them.”

Taichi grinned widely. “I know what you mean. Shall we go check on them now?”

Sho grinned back. “We shall. You guys coming?” he added to the rest of the group.

“I’ll pass,” Yoshi said immediately. “I can’t bring myself to look at a goddess such as Haruko-chan.”

“I’ll pass too,” Ryou said. “I’ve been embarrassed enough.”

All eyes turned to Hojo who had quietly been observing. “You know you want too,” Taichi coaxed.

Hojo shook his head. “I-I can’t handle it.”

Sho frowned with disappointment. “Maybe another day.”

“Did you see Kagome though? She’s beautiful.”

“Did you see that body that Yuka has? Made me wanna melt.”

“Forget Yuka and Kagome. What about Eri and Ayumi? Now that was a view.”

Yoshi cut in, “Haruko-chan was the best looking.”

That caused a disruption between the guys and they heard a soft coughing sound.

“If you guys are done,” Aiko said with disgust, “we’d like to leave now.”

The boys blushed. “Y-you heard all of that?” Ryou stammered.

“Every. Single. Word.” Kagome walked past them smiling.

“What about me?” Aiko asked as she passed the boys.

Sho was the one who blushed this time. “Uhh…”

Aiko’s eyes widened in surprise and she beamed. “Thanks, Sho.”

Sho scratched his head and looked away. Aiko was smiling the rest of the day.

“Okay,” Kagome explained as the group of 11 walked to her house. “My Okaa-san has arranged a scavenger hunt.”
Ayumi clapped her hands. “I love scavenger hunts!”

Everyone else agreed with excitement. Kagome said, “There’s a prize at the end. My mom didn’t tell me what it was though.”

“Whatever it is, I’m winning first place,” Emi interrupted.

“No I am!” Aiko retaliated, hands on her hips. The two bickered for a while but stopped when they reached the shrine. On the door a note said:

A moment of silence. “I’m a captain,” Aiko demanded.

“Kagome should be the captain,” Hojo argued. “It’s her party.”

“No, it’s alright, Hojo,” Kagome smiled.

“It’s not alright, Kagome,” Ayumi scolded. “It’s your time to shine.”

Aiko said, “Its okay, Kagome. I don’t mind.”

“Thanks, guys.”

“Okay,” Ryou said. “Who’s the captain on the guy team?”

“You, man,” Sho laughed. “You’re the most organized one of our messy group here.”

The rest of the guys agreed.

“Okay, we’re team 1,” Emi ordered. “Let’s go people!”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Kagome joked.

Emi grinned. “Sorry, I’ll try to stay quiet.”

The girls set off to the well house. Kagome led the way since she knew the direction like the back of her hand. She took off the note plastered on the door.

Kagome showed the note to her friends.

“Do you know what it is Kagome?” Ayumi asked.

Kagome shook her head. “No idea.”

The group started walking, counting as they went.

“And… 40,” Kagome said. Sure enough, there was a small wooden chest in Kagome’s room. She bent down and pried it open. “Aw, so cute!” She pulled out a stuffed teddy bear.

Aiko and Emi, who were not girly at all, just shrugged and said, “Its okay.”

Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka melted over it.

“Look at its eyes!” Yuka cooed happily.

“So fluffy!” Eri and Ayumi brushed it.

Kagome realized there was a note on the chest. It read…

InuYasha grunted. If only that kid left the village once in a while. What was her name? Kaeba? He frowned. No, it was Kaede!

“KAEDE!!” He roared at the top of his lungs. Silence. “KAEDE!!”

-At the village-

The villagers whispered with anxiety and fear.

“Was that InuYasha?”

“He has awakened! Will he kill us?”

“You know how disturbed that youngster was—he won’t even bat an eye before sending us to the afterlife.”

Kaede limped out into the clearing. “What is going on?”

“InuYasha is no longer affected by the seal!” a mother cried out, hugging her children closer to her body.

“InuYasha?” Kaede rasped in amazement, gazing out into InuYasha’s Forest. “So soon?” She walked toward the forest.

“Lady Kaede, you must not go!” a man pleaded.

“Please stay, Lady Kaede!”

“Lend us your assistance!”

“Only you can protect us!”

Kaede sighed. “I will stay. But tomorrow morning I shall go.”

The villagers’ eyes were filled with doubt. But they could not question the village priestess’s decisions.

“Yes, Lady Kaede,” they agreed, bowing to her.

-In InuYasha’s forest-

“KAEDE!! That kid can’t be dead already right?! How long has it been?” InuYasha wondered aloud. His breathing stopped. “You again…”

She was here again. Kikyo’s double. She was talking to him but she couldn’t make out her words.

“Can you help me?” he asked. “I want to leave this damn tree and fucking confront that Kikyo!”

The girl stopped talking. She reached forward to touch him, but then she turned and left.

“No, wait!” he protested. “Come back!” It was no use. InuYasha knew he was alone. “Damn that girl,” he growled. He sobered. “What’s with her…? Does she not want to be seen with me? Is she just like the others…?” His ears drooped and soon InuYasha fell into a rough, forced sleep.

Kagome giggled. “I already know what this is.”

“What is it?” Eri asked eagerly.

“A birthday present from Souta.”

“What do you suppose it is?” Aiko thought.

“A type of jewelry?” Ayumi suggested.

“Let’s search the house!” Kagome instructed.

“Yeah!”