okay, a few heads-ups... did I say that right? ...ok, whatever.

1) This chapter might cover how Silver just popped out of nowhere in this fic. or it may cause a little more confusion. whichever.

and 2) This is a seriously sweet IK chapter. bring your toothbrushes, ladies and gents.

don't own Inuyasha. (trying to think of funny disclaimer) ... ... ... nope. I got nothin.

chapter 5

"Remind me again where you're taking me?" said Kagome, her eyes closed.

"It's a surprise," Inuyasha responded.

Kagome sighed. "Okay."

After a minute or two, Inuyasha took Kagome to a small, grassy field overlooked by a small lake and the evening sun. He had his hand covering Kagome's eyes so she couldn't peek. "Okay," he finally said, "You ready?"

"Yes," Kagome smiled.

"Alright." He took his hand away, and Kagome opened her eyes. She saw the beautiful scenery and gasped. There wasn't a word in existence that could describe what she was feeling right now. Inuyasha smiled.

"Happy birthday," he said softly.

Kagome blushed. Then she smiled, and kissed Inuyasha on the cheek.

"You like it?" he asked.

Kagome shook her head. "I love it. Thank you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay," said Riko, "You guys ready?"

Ame, Kaori, and Miya nodded.

"Remember," Silver mentioned, "We'll be throwing a lot atcha. Think you can handle it?"

"Yeah!" said the younger ones, as if it were obvious.

"Okay then," Riko nodded, "But don't say we didn't warn you." All of a sudden, someone jumped out from the bushes behind Silver and Riko, and nearly gave the kids a heart attack. The thing then shot toward Ame, and she shielded herself with the Hiraikotsu.

However, the thing aimed at her head-first, so when she blocked it, its head slammed right into the boomerang. And you can only imagine how much that would hurt.

It was only when it landed face-down on the ground that Ame recognized it.

"K-... K-... Koga?"

"Nice seein' you, too," the wolf demon moaned. "By the way, Riko,"

"Yeah?" the hanyou answered.

"... You knew she was gonna do that, didn't you?"

Riko's eyes widened. "Of course not!" she exclaimed.

Her fingers were crossed behind her back.

Koga stood up and brushed himself off. "Whatever," he said, "I'm gone."

"Oh, come on, Koga, we need you for this!" cried Riko.

Silver smiled. "Watch this," he whispered to Riko. "Y'know, Dad, if you don't wanna do this, I guess Mom could always cover for ya."

Koga froze. "On second thought," he said, "I'll stay here."

Riko laughed quietly. "Told ya," Silver whispered.

"Nice," she complimented. Silver smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome sighed contently, her head leaning on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Did I mention how amazing this looks?" she asked.

Inuyasha nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I think you did."

"This is so beautiful, Inuyasha."

"Yeah. I know." He then looked at Kagome questioningly.

Kagome looked back at him. "What?" she said with a small laugh.

"... I was just wondering... uh... you remember what else today is, right?"

Kagome smiled. "How could I forget?" she said, "This was the day I met you."

Inuyasha smiled contently. "I was hoping you wouldn't forget."

Kagome was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "I never would."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ow!"

Silver turned to his side. "Riko, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Riko said, clutching her arm, "Nothing serious."

"Easy for you to say!" shouted Miya. The two looked to her, and saw the Shikon Jewel was stained with Riko's blood.

". . . Okay," said Ame, "That's just gross."

"How did you get cut anyway?" Silver asked.

Riko cleared her throat and noddded her head towards Silver's hand. He looked down, and saw his bloodstained claws.

". . . . Whoops."

"Yeah. Smooth move there, Mister 'New-Technique.'"

"Well I didn't try to hit you!"

"Did a pretty good job anyway!"

"Guys," Tai interrupted, not really giving a care. "It's getting dark, and there's a new moon tonight. We better get going."

Realization suddenly smacked Riko upside the head. "Oh, shoot! Guys, we need to get home!" she exclaimed. Not to mention this was the night she became human (takes after her father, what can I say?).

"Right!" said the twins.

Riko turned to her friends. "I'm sorry, guys, I'll come back as soon as I can."

Tai shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

"I was planning on coming back there to hang out with you anyway," Silver added. Riko smiled.

"Alright. See ya then, guys!" she called as she headed for the well.

"Later!" shouted Ame.

As Kaori and Miya said their goodbyes, Riko was only getting closer to not being found out. "Hey!" Kaori yelled.

Miya started running for her sister. "Wait for us!"

Kaori started runninng for both his sisters. "Wait for me!"

XXXXXXXX

"Oh yeah! Winner!" Riko cheered.

"Aw, come on," Miya panted.

"You got a (pant) head start," Kaori said, backing her up.

Riko shrugged, then jumped into the well. The twins hung their heads. "And to think, she's supposed to be the mature one," Miya sighed. Kaori just nodded in agreement, with a small "m-hm." Miya huffed. "Well," she said, "We better get home before Mom and Dad do." But as she put her hands on the well, Kaori stopped her.

"Woah! When did you get those?'!" he exclaimed.

Miya turned around. "Get what?"

"Oh come on, stop playin' dumb! Those streaks in your hair!"

Miya stared at him. What the heck was he talking about? "What streaks?"

Kaori gave her a look that said, "Give. Me. A. Break." Then he walked over to her and almost yanked a tuft of her hair in front of her face. "Those streaks, you lunkhead!"

Miya stared at her black, now red-streaked hair, her eyes just a bit smaller than dinner plates. "I... I have no idea." Her eyes then drifted upward to Kaori's head. "W-What are those?" she asked him.

"What are what?"

She tweaked something on top of her brother's head. He laughed. "Why is that funny?"

"It's not!" Kaori laughed, "That tickled!"

Miya groaned. Then she saw something in Kaori's mouth that almost made her faint.

He abruptly stopped laughing. "Now what?"

Miya was speechless for a moment, and just blinked at the inside of his mouth. "Uhmm... do this." She then opened her own mouth and tapped one of her top front teeth.

Kaori was a little confused, but he just shrugged and followed his sister's example. "Ow! What the heck was that?" he yelped, poking something on his tooth.

"Th-That's what I'm wondering." As Miya said this, Kaori stared at her in shock. Miya stared back. "Oh geez, what now?"

Kaori pointed to his head with one hand, and his mouth with the other. "Y-... Y-You got 'em, too."

It was silent for a moment as the twins stared at each other. Then they ran to a nearby pond, and saw their reflections in the water. Miya's hair was streaked red, her eyes were yellow, and bright enough to pierce the darkness of a cloudy night. She had fangs replacing some of her teeth, and two black ears on top of her head. Kaori's hair had turned white, though he was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen for another few decades. His ears looked like Miya's, but his were white, and he as well had fangs and golden eyes. The two then looked down at their hands, and saw... claws?

Kaori shakily spoke up. "Miya?. . ."

"Y-Yeah?"

"... I... I think we're mutating."

Miya gulped.

"Guys?" called a voice.

A tidal wave of relief drowned the twins. "RIKO!" they screamed.

The twins' older sister walked over to them, looking a bit different than usual. "What's taking you guys so long?" she began. "I've been waiting for you to catch up for-- WOAH!" It wasn't until the 'woah!' that Riko saw what had happened to her siblings.

"Riko?..." Miya said nervously.

"What's going on?" Kaori asked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I smell it," breathed a voice in the far-off darkness, "The blood of the demon that killed Naraku..."

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ooh, cliff-hanger! what happens next? why are the twins transforming? what in the name of Rumiko Takahashi is going on? you'll just have to wait and see!

question: Kaori and Miya are fraternal twins, right? so do their eyes have to be the same color? b/c I just realized that Kaori has brown eyes and Miya's are violet.

please help me!