Like An Opened Book

Every day should be nice that anyone can do anything outdoors. Well, not this one. It's indeed a nice day but a duo have having the worst time of their lives. It's not because of what's up ahead on their shard journey, but something that happened a few moments ago. What was it that caused this? It's none other than Kagome noticing the Soul Collectors that belong to the dead priestess, Kikyo who is close by. However whenever that happens, she only wants the one person to have a private moment with. Inuyasha.

And if that's the case for Inuyasha to leave, it only means that he's leaving Kagome completely vulnerable. As in some creature could come out of nowhere and attack and probably kill her right then and there. "Go." Kagome simply said to him as she walks the other direction; the village they just left about an hour ago. Inuyasha looks confused for a brief moment before making his option; following the Soul Collectors.

Once Inuyasha was out of sight, Kagome hides her despair behind her bangs to make sure no one could ask her what's wrong. After a few miles to get back to the village, Kagome heads to the hut where Kaede resides in. Kaede knows for sure something is wrong. "You want to talk about it?" Kaede asks like any other grandmother could. Doing her best to hide her despair even further, Kagome murmurs, "No I just remember I have a test coming up so I find it wise to go back home and study for it." She smiles in a fake way, but she knows that she isn't good at it. It's too bad the Sango, Miroku, and Shippo aren't here to cheer her up or find Inuyasha on their own when they notice something like this. Sadly they're back at Sango's village to repair her weapon from their last battle with a bear demon.

Kagome gathers the rest of her things into her backpack she leaves the elder priestess' home. "I'm not sure when I'll be back because I have other things to take care of back home." She lies to the priestess. Kaede slightly glares at her but let's her go nonetheless.

Meanwhile somewhere deep in the forest, Inuyasha is expecting to encounter the priestess. Somehow his surroundings aren't what they seem. Instead of trees all around, he somehow finds himself in an area he has never seen before. His surrounds are stones of some ancient place. "Where am I?" He asks himself as he tries to retrace his steps to get out. "Inuyasha." A familiar voice gets his attention. He turns around to find a demon that he once fought before. It was Goshinki, one of Naraku's incarnations. Instinctively, he grasps his Tetsusaiga and unsheathes, "What are you doing here? I killed you!" He asks in an aggressively tone. "He's much stronger than he was before." Another voice arrives into the scene. Inuyasha turns around to find Kikyo from behind. "What are you doing here, Kikyo?" He glares at the woman.

Knowing about his aggressive behavior, she replies, "Naraku managed to revive his incarnation." She informs him. Inuyasha doesn't seem convinced about this. However the familiar proves that she is telling the truth so far. Before he asks his question, Goshinki interrupts him, "You were going to ask why I was revived to begin with." Inuyasha glares at him, "Ever heard of mind your own business, you bastard?" Goshinki laughs, "Yes I've heard of it, but because of my mind-reading abilities, it's easier said than done." Inuyasha keeps his glare façade throughout the time. "I killed you once and I'll kill you again." He declares as he charges at the demon.

Like before, Goshinki knows his every move before he could make him. After dodge after dodge, Kikyo wants to help him out, but knew for sure that Demon could read her mind as well so she's stuck where she is. Inuyasha is getting tired out quickly and knew for sure that Goshinki will kill when he gets the chance. "Tired Already, Inuyasha?" Goshinki taunts him. "Get off my back!" Inuyasha protests him. "Says you. Do you remember how I was killed?" He asks him. Inuyasha stops for a moment, but somehow he can't remember anything whenever he is transformed into his full demon form. It'd be as if some other soul within himself has consumed him.

From Goshinki's mind, he somehow can't read Inuyasha's mind on that particular part. 'How is it that I can't read his mind?' He asks in thought. He blinks his eyes remembering what happened when Inuyasha transformed since he broke his sword.

Seeing that Goshinki is too lost in thought, Kikyo manages to draw her bow and shot a sacred arrow at the demon. Before the arrow hits its target, Goshinki dodges it in time. "Nice try dead priestess." He said to her. Kikyo shows a shock of surprise. "I thought that you were lost in thought that you couldn't read mine when I draw my bow." She said in shock. "Just because I was lost in thought, doesn't mean I wasn't aware of your actions." Goshinki exclaims his ability. Kikyo knew for sure that she was at a disadvantage as in she can't even do anything on her own. "But would reading too many minds be troublesome?" Inuyasha asks him as well keeping his guard up. Goshinki turns his gaze at him, "That's true but I managed to pull that off with no effort." He said to him.

Trying to think without Goshinki reading him, Inuyasha would have to do what he used to do unknowingly. Noticing that Kikyo is distracting the demon as she could, Inuyasha looks down to his Tetsusaiga. "Let me transform." He mouthed his plea. Seeing that there's no other way, Tetsusaiga pulsates to allow the demon blood to take over. In such manner, Inuyasha's claws grow longer, his fangs overlap his lower lip. His cheeks develop ragged purple stripes one per side, and his golden eyes turn into red with teal irises.

Goshinki senses Inuyasha's mind has changed as well his appearance. Kikyo turns her direction to Full-demon Inuyasha. Never seen anything like it before, she wanted to purify him, but knew for sure that she would be killed on the spot.

Since Inuyasha's transformed, his red eyes catches the sight of the demon that he killed before. "I thought I killed you, Goshinki." He said to him. Goshinki growls, "That's what happened but now I back and to get revenge on you." He declares his reason. Inuyasha knew for sure that was going to happen. "Fine then I can do it again." He grins at him. 'Don't be so smug, you arrogant fiend." Goshinki roars as he charges at him.

Knowing that this was going to be déjà vu, Inuyasha speaks his last words to the demon, "You still don't know the demon blood that flows within me is far more superior and pure than your own." He then slashes the demon with the Tetsusaiga with a few strokes in different directions to kill him. "I still enjoy killing you filthy bastard." Inuyasha grins as he stabs the demon's head from the top. Soon after stabbing the discarded head, Tetsusaiga pulses again to absorb the demon's mind-reading ability. Not only that Inuyasha reverts back to his half-demon state. Noticing the blade glowing in lavender color, he was able to read the mind of Kikyo who is a few feet away. 'I have to make sure he doesn't get back to Kagome, ever.' Kikyo exposes her deepest secret.

After reading that, Inuyasha sheathes his sword, the surrounding area returns back to the forest where he entered into. "Just an illusion." Kikyo said to him. Inuyasha turns around to face her with a calm yet glare. "Why did you do this Kikyo?" He demands to know. "I just wanted to help you gain a new ability." She answers as she walks up to him. Upon arms reach, Inuyasha steps back from, "You think it's wise to set up and illusionary area and hoping to face a demon that broke my sword, which transformed me into my full demon state that is in a killing spree, not knowing who is friend or foe. It's nothing more but a secondary defense mechanism." Inuyasha explains the sword's purpose. Kikyo nods, "I should've known that. Seeing as in why I wanted you to be human so we could have a normal life together, but Naraku tricked us into betraying each other." Kikyo recalls what happened 50 years ago. Inuyasha turns his gaze back to her. "Kikyo after I gained that new ability I was able to read your deepest secret." He reveals to her.

Hearing him saying that, she widens her eyes, "So you know why I wanted you to myself?" She asks him nervously. "Every single word, Kikyo." Inuyasha glares at her. "And because of that, I won't hesitate to do this." He slashes her. Just when he thought that he killed her, she was nothing more than a pile of dust. After getting himself situated, he decides to head back to the village that he and Kagome left a while ago.

Upon arriving into town, Inuyasha smells the area to notice that Kagome isn't around right. "Feh, she must've gone back home." He said to himself as he heads to the Bone Eater's Well. Jumping into the portal of time, he managed to get to the other side. He then heads towards the house where Kagome lives. He spots the window of her bedroom opened. He leaps up to see that her room is clean and empty. 'Where is she?' He asks himself as he walks around. He sees that she left her yellow backpack, and her archery set by her desk. "I bet she's at school." He said that out loud, unaware the door to open up and Kagome's mother comes in. "Oh Inuyasha, I didn't know that you'd be here. Are you looking for Kagome?" She asks nicely to the uninvited guest.

Inuyasha blushes and looks away, "Uh yeah. I assume she's at school right since she left her stuff here." He states his reason to find her. Kagome's mom shakes her head, "Not today, she doesn't go to school on the weekends. She's at the park with Hojo." She answers him. Inuyasha nods and turns around to jump out the opened window. "I'll go there to check up on her." He jumps out leaving the mother in a confused look. 'I bet he loves her but to proud to admit it.' She thought to herself as she leaves her daughter's room.

Following Kagome's delightful scent, he heads in the right direction. He pulls out the bandana that he got a short time ago so that he wouldn't get the unwanted attention from surround citizens. After getting the bandana on to cover his ears, he so called casually walks into the park so he could blend in. While walking down the park sidewalks, he can see families having an ice time with their children and a few teenagers spending time with their friends. But he's only looking for Kagome with that Hojo guy. From deep within he doesn't even like other guys around her. He suddenly spots her with him. From deep within he decides to hide in a nearby tree to hear and read what those two are up to.

Unaware of Inuyasha's presence at the park, Kagome is with Hojo on a bench just talking, "Are you having a nice time with me, Kagome?" Hojo asks politely to his so call date. Kagome sighs with a smile, "Yes I am. Why you'd ask?" She looks at him suspiciously. Hojo scratches the back of his neck, "Well I was hoping that maybe we could be a couple. It's up to you to decide that." He gives his offer to see what her reaction will be.

Inuyasha heard that conversation loud and clear even through his covered ears. 'Oh sure, likes she and that guy would be a couple.' He mentally gags. Thinking this would be a good time as any, he grasp his Tetsusaiga's hilt to get ready to read those two's minds to see what they're truly thinking. He decides to read Hojo's mind 'If she said yes, it'd be good time as any to make out with her.' Hojo mentally grins like a mad man. Just reading that thought made Inuyasha's inner demon come to surface but just a brief second. 'Now let's see what Kagome's thinking.' Inuyasha declares as he gets his focus on Kagome's head. 'Inuyasha would never understand how I've feel about him. Just being with Kikyo would make it worse on my part. Why should I even bother returning to his time and stay in my time?' Kagome sadly thought to herself.

After reading her mind made Inuyasha rethink for what he did to her earlier. 'She's right throughout this time, I keep on abandoning her to make sure Kikyo is okay since she was resurrected. But still I have to protect her from anything and anyone that could harm her in anyway.' He vows himself. He gets his attention back to the scene in front of him.

Before Kagome could give her answer, Hojo grabs her hand and takes her out of the park, "Hojo where are we going?" She asks him in an uneasy tone. "I was thinking somewhere else where we can be alone." Hojo said to her as they make their way through the busy streets of Tokyo. What they don't know is that they're being followed by Inuyasha, who hops from one building to the next to keep himself at a safe distance between himself and the two from below.

What seems like forever, Hojo found the perfect spot, the boardwalk with the beach. "The beach?" Kagome asks as they finally stop. "I always thought that the beach would be a good spot to get out of the business from the city." Hojo suggested as he makes sure that no one is around. Kagome can see how paranoid the Hojo is getting. "Hojo you so tense that someone is close by." Kagome states the obvious as she decides to look around to see if a familiar figure is stalking her. 'Inuyasha I know you're around. Come out of here now!' She screams in her mind. Noticing that he wasn't around she returns her attention to Hojo. "Hojo are you sure you want me to be your girlfriend?" She asks him. Hojo gently takes her hands into his own. "I would be honor if you become my girlfriend." Kagome looks down to her grasps hands, "Hojo I know how determined you are to make this happened." She starts of and sighs, "The reason I'm doing this is because my nosy friends have been forcing me to do this and I can't appreciate it." She honestly said into his eyes.

Hojo may understand what she's talking about what she's been through, but he doesn't give up that easily. "I'm not trying to rush to get us into this and such. But it takes time to get through from what we're doing in school and I assume that me being absent for such a long time lacks my chances to make it through the year." She said to him truthfully. Hojo tries to keep his smile on his face, but inside his expression is more into anger. 'She's basically saying no to my offer. Well might as well do it the hard way then.' He said hastily as he decides to do the unthinkable. Seeing that Kagome distracted about something, he takes her chin with his fingertips and captures her lips with his own.

Coming to her senses, Kagome tries to get away from the unwanted kiss from Hojo. While she tries to get away, Hojo keeps a hold around her so she would escape. Just when she was about to run away from him, Hojo manages to pounce down to her, "Think you were gonna get away, you've got another thing coming." He whispers huskily into her ear. Kagome is so scared that she can't even do anything to defend herself. What she didn't expect is that Hojo is about to force himself onto her. Trying her best to get him off her, Hojo is too persistent of not letting her go.

Kagome is suddenly release from Hojo's grasp. She slowly turns around to find him being held but the neck by Inuyasha. "Inuyasha. Don't!" She screams seeing the Inuyasha didn't hear her the first time. "Kagome, who is this guy?" Hojo chokes out since he's gasping for air. "I'm your worst nightmare." Inuyasha growls at the boy in his grasp. "And I don't want you near her ever again." He squeezes his grasp tighter to choke Hojo to death. "Inuyasha please let him go!" Kagome implores him as she holds his arm. AS she begs her tears' scent gets him back to his senses.

Inuyasha blinks his eyes a few times and releases Hojo. Hojo coughs a few times to get air back into his lungs. "Who are you?" He manages to speak. Inuyasha glares at the fallen boy, "Didn't you hear the first time? I'm your worst nightmare and I don't want you anywhere near Kagome. Ever" He warns him. Hojo scurries back and runs away, far away from him.

After Hojo is out of sight, Inuyasha turns back to Kagome with same look. "What were you thinking of going out with that guy?" He angrily asks her. Kagome forces an angry look of her own, "Oh you're to talk, Inuyasha. You think that you can come out of nowhere and decide not to let any guy come anywhere near. Last time I've checked, we have Miroku and Shippo are boys in our group and yet you let them spend time with me." She argues with him with her arms crossed. "When I mean other guys to get anywhere near you I mean Koga, Naraku or any other guys in your time." Inuyasha protests her statement. "If I were to know better, you think I'm your possession, and you don't want any other guy to have me." She said to him with a glare of her own. "My point exactly." Inuyasha said back to her. "Kagome do you know why I forbid other guys to come near you?" He calmly asks her. Kagome keeps her expression while tipping her chin, "Gee, I don't know. Let's time I checked, you keep on going to Kikyo and yet I never stopped her from taking you to hell with her, let alone let you go whenever she's near by." She turns her back to him, "And you're one to talk because I don't mind other females being around you."

Hearing all that really made Inuyasha both shamed and mad about her point of view. "Well have you ever heard about the demon's life in that school of yours?" He asks in a yet more demanding tone. "Sorry Inuyasha, my school doesn't provide a subject about the life od demons." She answers him quickly. "My demon has declared as his soon-to-be mate." Inuyasha stops her in her tracks. Kagome turns her head to have her bangs covering her eyes. "You know Inuyasha, when I was kidnapped by Koga he declared I was his mate when I was able to get Shippo to inform you guys where I was. But I turned him down, but he kept on telling me that I was his woman throughout that time. I just wanted to as polite as I could to turn him down. And I know you made a vow to Kikyo that once you avenge her death by killing Naraku, you'll be going to hell. And where does that leave me? Completely vulnerable and the only place I could go for safety is my shrine of this time." She runs off from him.

Inuyasha knew for sure that she's clearly overreacting because of what's been going on and such. After she finished what she spoke from her mind, he sees her running away from. "I never made such a promise to her." He said to her, but she keeps on running, not wanting to hear what he has to say. Having enough about her arrogance, he outruns her and stop her by grabbing her arms to prevent her from escaping. "I didn't want you to get hurt by him. He was going to do something unforgettable to you and I was there to save you. So you should be grateful about that." He reminds her. Kagome keeps her bangs over her eyes. "I wasn't aware the Hojo would go that far to force himself on me." She cried onto Inuyasha's chest.

Hearing cried, changed Inuyasha mode from hurt and anger to comfort and love. He lets go of Kagome's arms so she could be comfort, as well wrapping his arms around her. After a few minutes Kagome calms down from her sobbing, something came up. "Inuyasha was it that you were able to know about Hojo's actions?" She asks in murmurs onto his chest. Inuyasha lifts Kagome's chin to look deep into her chocolate brown eyes, "I had a hunch he was up to no good. I was able to read his mind." He answers as he wipes the tear streak off her face gently. "But his mind wasn't the only I was able to read." He slightly grins down her. Seeing him grin made her face blush in embarrassment. "You read mine as well didn't you?" She shyly asks him. "And I know how hard it has been on you lately." He adds his observation. "But then how was it that you were able to read our minds?" She asks him with a bit more confidence in herself.

Inuyasha looks around and finds a bench that they could sit down. "Remember when I was going to see Kikyo?" He asks her bravely. Kagome shows a slight nods "It turns out she was helping me gaining a new ability via through an illusion." He said to her calmly. Kagome looked at him confusingly. "I thought it was going to be a regular meeting and such but it was a set up by her." Kagome made shocked look. "What I didn't expect to know was Goshinki and he was resurrected as well." Kagome's shocked look turns into fear. Seeing how frightened she is, Inuyasha gets Kagome onto his lap. "It's okay, I didn't get hurt which was very strange to begin with." He assures her, "Goshinki was stronger than before, and he still had his mind-reading ability." Kagome nods, urgent for him to continue on. "He was taunting me about killing him when I was in my demon-form." He tightly embraces her. "But for what he said was true, only my demon side could kill him again, so I kind of asked Tetsusaiga to transform me in order to get the job done." Kagome nods again. "After I killed him, I reverted back and stabbed the head with Tetsusaiga and I gain his ability." He concludes his story. Kagome sighs safely, "But what about Kikyo?" She asks with courage.

Inuyasha sighs, keeping his embrace tightly around her, "It turns out she did this to help me to get this over, but after knowing the true purpose, was to make sure I went to hell with her and make sure you were out of the picture." He reveals the truth to her. Kagome burrows her face to his haori in a scared expression. Sensing her scared, Inuyasha murmurs sweet nothings to calm her. "I disposed her." He only said, thinking that he had enough to tell her what happened. Kagome quickly opens her eyes in surprised, "You what?" She couldn't finish her question. Inuyasha cups his face, "I got rid of her and for that she deserved it to begin with." Kagome nods to show she gets the feeling.

Feeling the evening cool air approaching them, Inuyasha drapes his haori around her to stay warm. "Let's get you home." He whispers to her. Nodding as a respond from her, Kagome gets onto his back, and they head back to the Higurashi Shrine. Arriving at the shrine, Kagome kept on get colder the more time they spend outside. "I bet my mom made dinner for us." Kagome claims as they go inside.

Inuyasha and Kagome enter the house and he can detect the aroma from the kitchen. "I smell ramen and steak." He grins that his favorite dish is being made. Kagome nods as she takes off her shoes. "As always." She comments and enters the kitchen to see that the table has already been set for dinner. "Welcome home you two." Mrs. Higurashi greets them. "So how was your afternoon?" She asks as she takes a seat at the table. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other before either of them replied. "It was okay." Kagome spoke first. Mrs. Higurashi knows something is bothering here, but thinks it's better for Inuyasha to handle it instead of herself. "Okay, so what did you guys do?" She asks instead to see what they did. "Nothing important." Kagome tells her mom.

Mrs. Higurashi on the other hand was looking at her very suspiciously. But she knows for that it's best that the two handle it themselves. "We might as well have dinner then." She chimes the announcement. Soon after Sota and their grandfather joined them in the kitchen.