I opened my eyes, waking up from my slumber, a plan formed in my head. It was like my brain was working all night while I was sleeping. Quietly getting up, I made my way towards the bathroom. After a quick, cold shower, I headed down to the kitchen, brushing my messy hair with my hand. The clock in the kitchen showed 5:25 AM. Early as Hell. I guess I was too nervous to sleep more.

No one was up yet. I made myself some breakfast and ate it machinately; my mind drifted somewhere far away, improving the plan. What to do:

1) Go to Kage now, when it's still early, and stop himself from getting out from his secret lair, or

2) Wait 'till 12AM and as soon as Kage'll appear, take him to a safe place?

"Safe place"? Where is that? Koenma will arrest him when he'll see my partner. Akari would be a less of a problem. But... What about Kage...?

"Hn,"

My head snapped up when I heard Hiei's voice. I didn't even notice when he got here and sat on the windowsill, staring at me hardly.

"What?" I asked, licking my lips after the meal.

"You've been dreaming last night," he stated.

"No shit," I growled, irritated. Where he was getting at? Of course I was dreaming! That stupid vision gave me a lot to think of.

"About a guy. Kage, probably," Hiei said, making me widen my eyes in shock. "He got killed infront of you."

"Shut up," I barked. True - the vision, Kage's fading image was replaying again and again in my dreams. My stomach did an unpleasant flip.

"So that's your big secret?" but Hiei didn't finish, yet, "It wasn't so scary. The guy was killed by a bullet?" he snorted.

"Hiei, STOP." I tried to stay calm as long as it was possible, but the fire demon got on my nerves pretty badly. I wanted to keep my voice down (it was still early!), so it was harsh and clear.

"What weak friends do you have..."

SNAP!

Hiei caught my fist before it had the chance to reach his face. I tried to punch him again with my other free hand, but he caught it as well. With a growl, I raised my arms which he was still holding, and took aim on his exposed side. He inched to the left, but I've managed to kick him anyway. The blow made him let go of my arms and we could begin fighting for serious. What suprised me, that Hiei didn't had his katana near, therefore he had to use his fists and legs. He was good, I have to admit. After a short while of dodging, punching, blocking, kicking, ducking, hitting and some more dodging, Hiei caught me by my fists again, cornering me.

"Listen, you baka inu-onna!" he hissed into my ear, "You let your emotions control you too fast! Calm down and think clearly!"

"No one's allowed to insult my friends..." I said between the gasps for air. I was exhausted and tired. That was my punishment for waking up early, taking a cold shower and then fighting Hiei. JUST after breakfast. Not exactly the smartest things to do.

"I didn't," he whispered. Does he thinks that I'm an idiot?! "Partly." he smirked, referring to the question I've asked in my mind. It sucks to have someone, who can read minds, believe me.

"Okay, so you can let me go now and-"

"Hiei? Kikyo? What are you doing?" Kurama entered the kitchen, making us both jump. Indeed, the position we were in was quite weird: I had my back pressed against the wall, Hiei grasping my wrists above my head and our faces closely dangerous (the glare seems more deep in that pose). What's worse, that JUST THEN I realized that Hiei didn't have his shirt on... HOLY SHIT!

"No-nothing!" I shrieked out, my face turning bright pink. Kurama glanced at me, then at Hiei and started chuckling. In the corner of my eye, I saw the fire youkai's youkaidemon cheeks tinted pink as well. Quickly, I struggled out of his grasp and made my way towards the stairs.

'Outside in 20 minutes, inu-onna,'

I didn't reply. Making 100 sure that my mind was blocked and unreadable, I threw myself on my bed, groaning. Kage's image slowly faded away, being replaced by Hiei... without a shirt on. GAAAAH! I grabbed a pillow and shove it on top of my head.

Kage standing in the dark forest. Hiei standing in the kitchen without a shirt on.

Kage falling down in slow-motion. Hiei leaning against me.

Kage's smile. Hiei's smirk.

Kage's empty, dead eyes. Hiei's ruby red eyes...

"FUUUUUUUCKK!" I yelled out, frustrated. I probably woke up the whole mansion, but that wasn't too important at the moment. My mind was a mess. A mess I could not clean up. Even when I wanted it hard. I just couldn't. It was all too much.

"Hey! Quiet down there!" I heard Yusuke's faint voice from somewhere near my room. I threw the pillow I was clutching a moment ago towards the door with full force. The material tore and feathers flied around my room. I didn't knew what to do, so I opened my window and jumped through it, my thoughts still buzzing loudly in my head.

I sat on the grass, bringing my knees to my chest and hugging them. Again, I felt oddly empty inside, gazing forward dully. My head throbbed in pain from the avalanche of thoughts.

"The guy got killed by a bullet?"

I winced, remembering Hiei's words. Was it my fault that Kage got killed by a... Wait. One second. A BULLET?! One single BULLET?!?! No... That wasn't right. Kage was one of the most skilled demons I've had the pleasure to meet. Although he gave up fighting, sacrificing himself to his passion (making weapons), he still was great. One bullet could only scratch him, not kill.

'Okay, Kikyo. Focus.' I closed my eyes, concentrating. As much as I disliked those freaky visions, it was important to see it once again. 'Please...'

"Hello, Kikyo," Kage came out from the bushes.

"Hi," I greeted back, staring at him with attention, searching for anything that could help me decide if... Yes. His eyes. They were dark brown, while Kage's are dark PINK.

Snap!

The stick broke in two under my foot as I came up to him and, without any warning, grabbed him by the collar, startling the person.

"Who are you?" I growled out loudly, staring into his fake eyes.

"K-Kikyo! What the Hell-" he stuttered out.

"Who the damn Hell are YOU?!" I repeated, sounding even more dangerous than before. "You're not Kage, maybe you do smell like him, but you're NOT him!"

The person's lips curled up in a smirk as his eyes flashed, before changing colors from brown to yellow.

"Clever," with one movement, he got out a dagger and stabbed me in the arm. I cried out in suprise and pain before letting him go. The person began to transform; his hair stayed black, but a pair of cat ears grew on top of his head, his teeth and nails grew longer and a cat tail appeared behind him. The scent changed completely, also. My eyes widened, but then narrowed.

"A cat!" I hissed, holding my wounded arm. The Neko laughed loudly and then my ears twitched, as a shot was heard and a bullet came from behind me, piercing through the bastard's chest. With a final gasp, the imposter was dead.

"NEKO'S!" my eyes snapped open as I shot up, nearly falling down again.

"Bingo," Hiei's voice came from above me. I looked up and there he was, sitting on a tree branch, his arms crossed behind hie head. His eyes were closed.

"So you knew?" I asked in disbelief. How...?

"Not quite. I was suspecting." he responded calmly.

I lowered my gaze to the ground, my head hung low, shadow covering my face. I was Kage's partner. Not Hiei. I was supposed to know him the best. Not Hiei. I was supposed to notice that something's not right. Not Hiei...

"You let your emotions control you too fast!"

That's right. That is 100 correct. But, why? Why can't I control my feelings? Why my emotions are stronger than me? Why I am WEAKER than my emotions...?

"Hiei...?" I whispered, slowly looking up at him.

"Hn?" he opened his eyes and glanced at me. He was suprised to see that my golden eyes were hard and focused... directly on him. Pure determination and anger was reflecting in them.

"Fight me."