A Belated B-day Party; Memories Unfold and Explanations are Given




~Finally! You are now back on the ground, cherishing the feel of Earth underneath you for the first time. 'Revenge', 'Dogboy', 'houshi', and yourself are going back to the cabin to fix up a surprise birthday party for 'naive' while she is on a date with 'wimpy wolf'. You have all agreed about what you were going to do and who is setting up what. One problem though. You will be doing something you haven't done in over 14 years and right in front of 'him'... How embarrassing... If your voice betrays you... No time to practice! On with the preparations!~

I decided to work with decorations and the cake. Sango, who complained continuously about having clean-up duty later, was nominated as the one to go shopping for what was needed- cake mix, frosting and decorations among other things. Miroku and Inuyasha settled for rearranging the family room and setting up a small stage.

When Sango left, Miroku and Inuyasha sat down to watch the TV and I tried to slip away in order to set up a little 'surprise' of my own... Inuyasha caught on though.

"Keh! Don't even think about it," he snorted, flipping the channel.

"Think about what? I was going to take a shower," I lied.

"You had one this morning," he said.

"Sugoi... You pay more attention than I thought!"

"Keh!" I tried to walk away again, only to be stopped. "Get in here and sit down, fangirl."

"Ah! Arigatou, Dogboy! I forgot to call Sesshomaru," I replied smiling. "Miroku, do you know the number?"

"H-" Miroku began, getting elbowed by Inuyasha, "IIE!"

"That's okay. I'll get it from Aya-chan later," I said, walking toward the bathroom.

"Get back in here!" he yelled, bounding off the couch.

"Iie!"

"Hai!"

"IIE! I am GOING to take a SHOWER!"

"I don't believe you," he stated, now standing in front of me, blocking the bathroom entrance. 'Perfect...'

"Ah! I owe you a kick, don't I- iie, wait! I owe you two," I said, smirking. "Don't think I won't... You are in a perfect position right there."

He thought about that awhile, before he moved away. But instead of getting out of my way, he walked up to me, and pulled me back to the family room by my wrists.

"Kya! What are you doing?" I asked, pulling back as hard as I could. "LET GO!"

"Iie," he said, pushing me to the couch next to Miroku. "I don't trust you."

"Inuyasha, that is not very kind of you," Miroku said, setting his hand on my shoulder. I didn't even think about it as I glared at the singer. "You should be more respectful. Let her go."

"Iie." He sat down next to me, taking control of the remote. That's when I realized who it was that had his hand on my shoulder... Well, it wasn't on my shoulder anymore.

"Kya!" I jumped straight into Inuyasha, snuggling as close as possible, trying to get as far away from the drummer as I could. "Get away, get away, GET AWAY!!!!"

"Houshi," he growled, hugging me close to his side for protection. "Keep your hands off her!"

Miroku snickered. "Only her?"

Though I couldn't see his face, I know it had a thoughtful look. Next thing I knew, he was shoving at me. "Get off!" I didn't move and I wasn't going to either. "Get off, now!" I still didn't move. He sighed, "You are troublesome, ne?"

"Hai," I whispered, my grip easing slightly. "Gomen... Miroku," I growled menacingly as I stood up, dusting myself off to hide embarrassment. "I think you need to be taught a lesson or two..." He gulped, searching for an escape route which did not exist. "And I have the perfect idea," I cackled. "Let me go get some of my clothes... Iie, I'll get some of Sango- chan and Aya-chan's... This will be entertainment enough. Maybe I won't have to..."

"Hai, you will," Inuyasha ended with a smirk. "Just like everyone else. Sango already has it planned out." I sighed, walking to the bedrooms.

First off was Ayame's clothes. I found a light green and turquoise tie-dye shirt and a purple hair tie. For fun, I added a set of HIGH-heeled black shoes. I hope they fit him... Sango had a nice, half-length, bright pink skirt... That would do nicely. Hmm... Since no one was looking...

I slipped into the room Inuyasha had claimed as his own and set up a nice good-night trap. If he overstepped it, it would be a true 'good night' trap as his head would hit the window sill... I prayed silently that no such thing would occur.

Back to the family room it was!

"Took you long enough," Inuyasha said, suspiciously eyeing what I held.

"They have an awful lot of clothes," I said. It wasn't a lie, after all. I just 'forgot' to mention that I found the close in a matter of minutes.

"So, what's it going to be?" Miroku asked with a pitiful pout.

"You will be playing a little dress-up again. A nice pink skirt, tie-dyed shirt, pigtails, and high heels," I said, then added, "While singing 'Ice, Ice baby' in a high pitched voice."

"Iie! I most certainly will not!" He stated indignantly.

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad... It's Sango's skirt, by the way and I'll put in a few good words to my friends," I bribed. He looked at me curiously.

"Like what?"

"What do you want me to tell them?"

"This is supposed to be his punishment," Inuyasha interrupted nonchalantly as he searched for a movie.

"Hush, Dogboy," I snapped. "So?"

"Tell them... I'm a great kisser," Miroku beamed with a heavenly look.

"Then they'll ask how I know and I can't tell them that you kissed me. They'll think that you're a pervert... Which you are... And I can't tell them I kissed you. They'd think I've lost my mind and went over the deep end," I explained, watching the drummer's smile vanish the moment I said 'can't'.

"Then tell them that I behaved myself and... I took your side against 'Dogboy' in a fight," he suggested.

"What was the fight about?"

"Huh?"

"They will want to know what the fight was about," I told him, sitting on the empty couch. I think I saw Inuyasha's eye twitch...

"Oh... What should it be about?" Miroku asked, looking to me in confusion. He still didn't understand, obviously.

"Well... It can't be about my looks, because we'd be back to the pervert problem. It can't be about girls of any kind for that matter... How about you agreed about red not suiting him and helped me out when he wouldn't let me take a shower... Which I still need to do," I said, standing to take my shower, finally.

"That's good enough for me," he cheered.

I left, mumbling too low for him to hear, "but it won't be for Sango-chan."

******


I left the bathroom with a deep, relaxing sigh. That shower was just what I needed. Sango had returned while I was in the shower and the boys had finished arranging the family room and setting a stage. Sango was busy contemplating the colors to use and where to use them for the decorations. I took my spot in the kitchen, preparing the cake. After putting it in the oven to bake, I made my way to the family room to set up the final touches and send houshi to a room to change.

I found them lounging on a couch, admiring their handy work. They had done a great job actually. The stage was square and made of wood with a colorful background, which Sango had done to pass the time. I finished my work in a few minutes with help from Inuyasha and Sango as Miroku changed.

Moments later, the lights were off and the sound of an engine could be heard. Soon, Ayame and Kouga stood in the doorway.

"Surprise!" We shouted as Inuyasha flipped the switch. Miroku had yet to enter the room. He'd be the first up.

"Ah! Arigatou, minna," Ayame squealed in delight. I slipped over to the hallway entrance and signaled Miroku.

"Aya-chan," I called, walking over to the stereo the others had set up. "We have a little surprise for you... Not just you either," I giggled, looking pointedly at Sango. She seemed to understand and scanned the room for houshi.

"We set up a stage for some karaoke and play acting," Inuyasha said. I nodded, standing on center stage as the introducer.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you will kindly take your seats, the show will begin." I waited for them to sit, which took a while. Sango had tried to find Miroku and Inuyasha had to drag her to a couch to stop her from ruining the surprise. I turned on the music, grinning as I announce the first act. "Our first volunteer is none other than our own houshi drummer, Miroku, singing 'Ice, Ice Baby'."

I sat down between Inuyasha and Sango, whispering to her as the music began. "I know you love this song, Sango-chan... Trust me, you won't forget the lyrics anymore."

I watched Sango's face flush as Miroku took his place on stage. His outfit was truly a mess; nothing matched. I felt sorry for a brief moment, then remembered why he was doing this. Maybe he'd think twice about it from now on. At least, that was what I thought before I saw him grin... I'll never understand the way a guy's mind works.

"Miroku helped me out a lot while you were gone... Strange, ne?" I asked Sango, quietly, giving Miroku a thumbs-up. She looked at me suspiciously.

"Hai..."

"Inuyasha here," I elbowed him in the stomach for the effect, "wouldn't let me take a shower. 'I don't trust you'," I mocked. "Miroku pinned him down... And helped me insult him, since I have trouble doing it without looking a person dead in the eyes... He's quite clever. Maybe I should take a shot at him. Mama would like him, ne, Sango-chan?"

Sango's features had darkened and her brow was twitching violently. "Don't you DARE!" She shouted. It took her a moment to realize what she had said, then hastely added, "forget the cake..."

"Kya! I forgot-" I yelped, then looked to the clock... I still had five minutes... "Nice try," I smirked.

She sighed. "Well, it was worth a try... Don't tell him, Kagome-chan."

"I won't," I promised. 'One friend down, one creep to go!' I shuddered. How I was going to get Kouga to express his feelings for Ayame to me... I don't want to even think about it.

******


We had just finished eating the cake, which I am proud to say was very appetizing, when Sango stood on the stage and made an announcement.

"Alright, so far we have had Miroku, the band, Aya-chan, and myself sing. The next song will be done by Aya-chan, Kagome-chan, and myself. It is a parody to the song 'A Feudal Fairytale' that I wrote a while back and it is sung a bit slower than the original," she said, beckoning us to the stage.

"Do I have to do this, Sango-chan?" I asked as she turned on the music. Where she found an instrumental version, I will never- nor do I care to- know.

"Hai."

"Oh, come on, Kagome-chan," Ayame pleeded. "This will be fun!"

"Maybe for you," I grumbled. Sango handed both of us a piece of paper with the replaced lyrics. I didn't have time to read it through before Ayame began.

"My character plays,a very small part
That of a wolf-girl,
With a simple heart

Promised love from a man,
Underneath the rainbow moon
To have him stolen from me,
He'll be mine again soon,"

'Great job Sango-chan!' I thought. The lyrics seemed to be going by really well. It fit Ayame and her thought's. I was impressed to say the least. And, like she said, it was sung a bit slower, but still turned out fine. Sango's part was next.

"A little more important,
Though I care about it not
I was a slayer of demons,
My job required no thought

A small brother I have lost,
Killed by a demon's attack
I'll hunt him down with vengeance,
With my friends to guard my back,"

It was going great. Sango's part was unique, though. She mentioned both her last name and her brother. I thought it was quite clever of her... I was next. 'Oh, yippee...'

"The one that starts the journey,
Just so happens to be me
To gather the sh-"

I choked back my words as I saw what was written. I was not going to say it. There was no way in hell I would. A slight pause was followed by one of Sango's questioning looks.

"I am not singing this," I told her, making sure not to make any eyes contact with Inuyasha. I couldn't look at him right now...

"Why not?" Ayame whined. "You were doing great."

"BECAUSE!" I snapped harshly. I just wasn't able to, no matter how I tried... That next line... 'To gather the shards of a shattered jewel.' It made the song, 'A Shattered Jewel', come to mind and I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

"You lied," Inuyasha whispered, his voice hoarse for the first time.

"Nani?" I asked, looking at the singer in shock. He was radiating sorrow. It wasn't only his eyes anymore... I had a gut feeling that I knew exactly what he meant.

"Why did you lie?" he asked, looking at his hands as they shook slightly.

"Lie? About what?"

"Today... you said you had thought about it..." his voice trailed off. I knew now that my suspision was true. He remembered.

"I never lied to you... I had thought about it."

"You never said you tried out, though!" He yelled, looking up with glazed eyes... He was still in flashback mode. It threw me off; his voice held anger. Why should he be mad at me? I should be the angry one, and so I became angry.

"You never asked! You are the one who lied! 'That's what I don't remember'. Seems like you remember just fine to me!" I shouted. I knew he hadn't lied, but... What else was I supposed to say?

"I didn't remember! Now, I do... I didn't lie," he said, looking back to his hands.

"I didn't either," I said, sitting on the stage. My feet had become jelly, suddenly.

"How long have you known?"

"Since you first came on stage... Your eyes told me," I stated with a heart-felt sigh.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I... I'm not sure anymore..."

I was surprised to know that I didn't have any reason, really... I couldn't think of the reason I had in the beginning... I faded off, stuck in my own little world, searching for a reason, which I never found.

"Earth to Kagome!" Sango shouted, waving her hands in front of me.

"Eh?"

"Would you mind telling us what is going on? This whole thing has been a bit one-sided from our point of view," Ayame said, sitting next to Kouga again.

"I... I think that Inuyasha should be the one to tell it... There are a few gaps in my version," I said, looking to the named man. He frowned, then stood.

"I'm so sorry..." With that he left, walking to his bedroom with his head hung. As soon as he closed the door, I remembered the reason for my shower...

"Kya! Inuyasha, don't-"

Too late.

***Bang***

***Splash***

***Thud***

***Growl***


"KA-GO-ME!!!"

He stomped out of the room, dripping wet- a red liquid flowing to the floor- , and a piece of paper stuck to his forehead. I don't think he noticed it though. But he had the worst glare I had ever seen. I couldn't move, though it wasn't from fear... Maybe I had heard wrong.

"You bitch! You'll regret th- Oi..." He paused, cocking his head to the side and looking at me as if he had never seen me in his life. "W-why are you looking at me like that?"

"You-you've never s-said my name b-before," I stammered.

"So?" He murmured as his anger dissipated in an instant. He studied my face even more intently as if searching for an answer. It was overwhelming. I blushed, not entirely certain why, but I did. "Are you feeling okay? You're all red..."

'DUH!'

"H-hai... It's nothing..." I dismissed it nonchalantly with a false smile.

"Hellllooooooooo!" Miroku shouted, waving his hands to break an invisible barrier that separated our worlds. "You still haven't told us the story..."

"Keh!" Inuyasha snorted. "And I don't plan to either."

"But you will," I told him. "There are a few things that I don't understand," I mumbled, looking at my feet.

"Like what?"

"Like why you did it and what happened. I didn't exactly see it, ne?" I said.

Inuyasha shifted his weight to the other foot uneasily. "You know why I did it, baka." He was trying to start an argument to stall the story, but I wasn't falling for it.

"Hai, but I wanna hear you say it."

"Yo, we're still in the dark here people," Ayame yelled, irritated. 'Yo...? She doesn't say that,' thought my subconscious.

"Inuyasha... I am not telling the story, so that leaves you," I sighed, sitting on the couch next to Miroku. Right now, I didn't care or even notice. However, Sango did and let me know with a glare, slapping Miroku as she looked me point-blank in the eyes.

"Ite! What was that for?" he whined innocently, clutching his abused scalp.

"It was a warning," she answered, sitting beside Ayame- who was sitting by Kouga- on the other couch. Ayame seemed a bit cross about that.

"I thought you were going to get me on her good side?" Miroku whispered in confusion.

"I did. She was jealous because I sat beside you. The hit was to stop you from noticing her glare and to keep you from touching me- because she likes you," I explained. I knew that we were as confusing to them as they were to us. Guys and girls in general, I mean.

Pointedly ignoring the whole scene, Inuyasha stood on the make-shift stage and cleared his throat. "Actually," Inuyasha sighed, looking me in the eyes, dead serious, "that leaves me... And Sesshomaru."

"Na-nani?" I sputtered as a coughing fit strangled me.

"Stop interrupting and let me tell the story," he said in mock irritation. I tried to stop coughing and successeded after a few minutes. They almost came back after I noticed the concern written on Inuyasha's face. Seeing that I was fine, he continued. "As you all know, I tried out for a children's band when I was 6. During the first audition, we all tried out in the same room with everyone watching. I came in late, so I was the last to sing. I didn't hear many people sing and I hardly saw anyone. Sesshomaru was with me and really pissed that he hadn't been there in time to see if any really threatening opponents were there.

"The second audition had us split up into groups - five in each. I was stuck in a group with a bunch of girls. Only one of them posed any treat whatsoever. The rest were..." He just couldn't think of how put it, so I intervened.

"Embarrassing to the name of singers all around," I giggled, remembering the girls. They had even tried to dance to raise the score, which only made them worse.

"You interrupted again," Inuyasha scolded, wagging a finger.

"SO?" I asked with a huff, defensively. "You weren't saying anything."

"True... You said it better than I'd be able to, that's for sure... Well," he continued. "The girl and I were chosen, naturally. We advanced to the next round.

"The third audition was held in the same room as the first with everyone watching. Sesshomaru watched and listened to the judges, too. Afterwards, he came up to me, saying that we had a problem. He handed me a Coke and told me to be a gentleman and give it to the threat. He slipped a sleeping pill into it and pushed me away.

"During the last audition, which only five people reached, her dad left..." He paused, his eyes widening. "Oh Kami-sama, iie... He died that day... I remember seeing it on the news now. I-I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. Plus, that is a whole different story," I told him, joining him on stage with a small smile in place. "He is happy were he is and his smile won't leave again... I am happy for him. I'm not mad about it anymore."

He nodded once in understanding before continuing. "After her dad left, I walked over to her and handed her the soda, say 'You did a great job with the last audition.'"

"'Arigato. You too,' she responded, smiling," I said. He looked at me for a moment, one of his brows quirked. "Good luck with the next audition."

"'Keh. Save it for someone who needs it,'" he re-quoted himself. "Then I walked away. Well, before she went to her final tryout, the bottle was half-empty. 'Good luck,' one of the girls called. Sesshomaru elbowed me, 'Say it!'. 'Yeah, you'll need it'...." He grew silent, thinking. "I should have remembered earlier, but after my mother died, I forgot it all..."

'Just like me with my father,' I thought as he rattled off the last part.

"The girl passed out half-way through and was rushed to the hospital. I was up next, then some other boy. I won; the audition was done. That's the whole story," he sighed.

"So... The girl was... Kagome-chan?" Ayame asked, confused.

"Hai," we said in unison.

"You drugged her?"

"Hai."

"And you're here now as if nothing happened..?"

"Hai."

"Her father died?"

"Hai."

"And Sesshomaru knows, too?" Inuyasha was trying desperately to suppress a growl of annoyance and I know that a few of my veins had proceeded to pop out on my forehead by now.

"HAI, AYA-CHAN!" I yelled snappishly. Ayame winced. "Gomen... You understand it." I told her.

"Okay," Ayame sighed. "But... Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I didn't want to ruin your time."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Inuyasha asked, frowning. "Everything makes a hell of a lot more sense now."

"Hai, but I wanted you to remember yourself or not remember at all," I answered, realizing for the first time what my true intentions had been... Why I wanted that... surprised me.

I didn't want him to know the truth from me because it would seem like I wanted him to suffer- which, in the beginning, I did- and that I wanted everyone's pity. If he didn't remember that way, and since I wouldn't be the one to tell him, he would have no reason to truly dislike me... I liked him from the beginning... He was good looking- no, scratch that- he was GREAT looking... Um, sexy is a better word (Oooh, leather pants *drool*). He also had a nice voice and his arrogance was cute, in its own way. There wasn't a girl in this world, I am sure, that wouldn't envy me- being as close (physically) to him as I was at that moment.

I coughed to cover up the blush that spread across my face after I noticed that I had been staring at him for longer than I should, but it only sent me into another coughing fit. After getting the coughs under control, I looked at Inuyasha once more. It gave me a chance to change the mood in the room from its thoughtful, depressing one to one that was more appealing as I realized something.

"Umm... Inuyasha, you might want to take a bath. That color might not come out of your hair," I said, trying to hold back a grin. He was going to be more than pissed when he noticed the paper. Well, more pissed than he was now that is. He growled, before leaving to clean up.

"Kagome-chan... That was just one of the 'play acts'... Right?" Sango asked uncertainly.

"Iie," I said, shaking my head.

"My dear Kagome, you are the bravest woman I know to live through something like that all by yourself." The fact that it wasn't Miroku that spoke startled me. Obviously Ayame hadn't gotten fully through Kouga's skull, only partially.

He stood from the couch and made his way to me, brimming with pride. He took both my hands in one of his as his other wrapped itself around my waist. I just leaned back in surprise, completely frozen. I didn't know what to think. "I always knew you were brave. I'm here for you now, though," he said, smiling- grinning, they were both the same with him- as if the stars had come to carry him away in a golden carriage to become the ruler of the universe.

"Eh?"

"I'd never let my woman go through such an ordeal," he replied, receiving a glare courtesy of me, that he didn't notice. 'The light bulb's on, but no one's home... Iie, the light bulb's OFF AND no ones home,' I thought, smirking inwardly.

"Let go of her!" That caused us both to jump slightly. Inuyasha stood behind Kouga... By the looks of it, he found the paper. "Bitch! Where'd you find this?"

"When I was walking back to the car after the handcuffs were off," I stated simply. "Just so you don't forget your name, Dogboy. Oh, and by the way, my name is Kagome, not bitch. You should really mind your language, especially when in the presence of a lady."

"I don't see any lady," he sneered. "Remember, 'I never said I was a lady'?"

"Hai," I said, yawning. "I'm getting tired."

"You're on the couch tonight. Boys get the bedrooms," Inuyasha smirked, walking to 'his' room again.

"Oh no you don't," I growled, snatching a handful of hair. "You are taking a bath and THEN sleeping on the couch. You've had you're turns for the bedrooms."

"So have they!" he whined, pointing an accusing finger to my friends, which I promptly slapped."It's rude to point. Plus, they share a room. It won't make much of a difference and no one will have to sleep on the floor," I explained. "They can sleep out here tomorrow."

He glared before stomping off to the bathroom. "Keh! Whatever..."

'Now that Kouga has forgotten Ayame and Inuyasha and I are fighting, it's only a matter of time before-'

'And we're back to square one,' I thought dryly as I heard the dull thud of Miroku and Sango reuniting... 'Miroku, you'll never learn.'