Hi peoples! This is my first Inuyasha fic, but I hope that you like it anyways! It's romance along with a bunch of other stuff. Though I assure you, it will be a romance fic, it just doesn't show right now. This chapter is just to give you some background info... So yeah... READ!

Disclaimer: Inuyasha rightfully belongs to Rumiko Takahashi

Reflection

Chapter One: The Switch

By Enchanted Pink Jade

*~*~*~*~*

Pain. The fire, it burns.

Higurashi Kagome coughed and clawed her way out of the fiery hut. Already had she inhaled the unbearable, gas-like fumes, as it was affecting both her vision and her breathing.

Fresh air. I need fresh air, she thought desperately. Then she glanced down at the two small bundles in her arms that at the moment felt as heavy as lead. Finally, after searching blindly, she found the exit, and escaped into the night. I made it out. And the two are safe, and I have the Shikon no Tama.... Demo... demo... the fire's still going. The people inside...

Ever so slowly, she turned around and took one step back towards the burning hut. I must help.... Another step closer. Then her knees buckled, unable to support her weight any longer. What was once what she had called home, engulfed in flames, was the last thing she saw before falling into unconsciousness.

*~*~*~*~*

Heaven. It was truly heaven. Kagome could feel silk sheets slide across her legs as she moved. It felt so good and comfortable, she didn't want to wake up. She tried to move her neck, but stopped when it started to hurt. Her left hand, by the feel of it, was bandaged up.

"Damn it! I don't see why we have to take her in. We have other things to be worried about, like say, the war with Onigumo? But noooo. Everyone is off in la la land. No one gives a damn but me!"

Who? He's too loud. My head hurts. Where am I?

"Calm down Inuyasha, she's here now, and there's nothing you can do about it. At least the little ones are safe," said another.

Inuyasha? The name.... sounds familiar somehow.

"Keh, whatever, Miroku. You're just probably waiting for the chance to touch her. For a priest, your morals are warped," he muttered, then looked to his brother, Sesshoumaru, for any reactions. None.

"How bad are her injuries?" another disembodied voice asked. Female this time. She slowly slid the door closed behind her as she entered the room.

Are they talking about me?

"Ah... Sango, do not worry. This girl only sustained minor injuries. A few cuts and burns, nothing that a healing couldn't fix. Some of her hair was sort of burned, so it was trimmed. Don't think she would mind, though," said Miroku.

"How is Rin? And the little kitsune?" Sesshoumaro asked, breaking his silence.

"They're doing fine, and are asking about her. They said that she carried them out of the fire and into safety." Sango came closer to the bed, where the sleeping figure lay. Concern was etched into her lovely face.

"Sesshoumaro-sama! Sesshoumaro-sama!" In came a little green, toad-like creature with big, round, yellow eyes. Sesshoumaru promptly shut him up by clonking him on the head with the hilt of his sword, Tenseiga.

"Jaken no baka. You're loud."

"Gomen, Sesshoumaro-sama, my apologies. But I thought you should know, about the fire. The village was destroyed completely. But the majority of the people made it out," Jaken stated, feeling very important at the moment.

"That's good," the Sango said.

Fire? There was... a fire? Wait... that's right. I escaped. Wait! What about my family? Souta? Ji-chan? Mama? Kaede ba-chan? And where's Shippou and Rin?

"Well, anyways, about the fire..." Jaken continued.

"She's awake!" Sango exclaimed!

"That's right. She's awake. The fire- EH?" Jaken blinked, and then turned to the girl who was now trying to sit up in bed.

Rumor had it that she was a beautiful young miko, with incredible and never before seen powers. Looks like this time, the rumors spoke the truth and nothing was exaggerated, about her looks anyways. Her powers they have yet to witness.

Hair, now somewhat layered, fell softly around her shoulders. Her chocolate brown eyes now studied them all carefully, along with her surroundings. And she had skin that was creamy white.

Kagome now too, found out who the people were, the ones that she heard earlier. She saw a young woman about her age, dressed in a youkai's exterminator clothes. Sango. A young man stood behind her, donned in priests' clothing. Miroku. Then she looked to the two figures with white hairs. Long white hair. A hanyou and a full youkai, she sensed. It was easy to tell who was who, because the one that had his hears on his head wore a deep scowl. That's Inuyasha, and the other is Sesshoumaru. The little toad on the floor is Jaken, Kagome confirmed.

"HOUSHI-SAMA!" Sango said warningly, approaching the girl while blocking Miroku's path.

"Nani? Nani? Sango, I haven't even done anything, and yet you're angry?" he asked innocently. A soft 'keh' could be heard.

"You haven't done anything yet," Sango muttered through her clenched teeth. To the bedridden Kagome, she smiled and introduced herself. "My name is Sango. And you are the miko, are you not?" she asked. Kagome just nodded in response. "I do wish that we met under different circumstances, where you're not hurt and injured," she said, then smiled ruefully.

Kagome could only nod, and then she remembered that she had been carrying... "Where is- where is..." she croaked out. A cup of water was thrust into her face. It was Inuyasha, who now was wearing a frown. Kagome accepted the cup gratefully and drank it all.

"Shippou and Rin? The Shikon no Tama?" she managed to wheeze out. The water had only quenched her thirst, but she still had trouble talking.

"They're safe. You got them out right on time," Miroku said. Inuyasha was looking on intently, but said nothing. Sesshoumaru did the same, only, his expression was unreadable.

At those words, Kagome calmed down a little. She was about to ask about her family when they all one by one started to leave the room. She understood that they wanted to let her rest. I'll ask about my family later. Just when she was about to sleep again, Miroku spoke up from the doorway.

"Rest up tonight. I hope that you have a fast recovery, Kikyou-sama."

Kagome smiled at his concern, and was starting to drift when she realized what he had called her. She bolted up into a sitting position, eyes wide in horror. He called me Kikyou! I'm not Kikyou! I'm Kagome! I have to tell them. This is all a mistake... She tried to call out for someone, but no one answered. Oh my God, she sighed disdainfully and slid back down. Obviously, no one was around to here her. She just wasn't loud enough.

Demo, if I'm here, and Kikyo isn't, than that means that she never made it out.... They'll think that Kikyo was saved, but Kagome, me. They'll think I'm dead. I have to get back, she thought fiercely. My family. How are they? I need to leave this place as soon as possible. I need to know if they are alive and well. A tear slowly made its way down her cheek, as she thought about how she and Kikyou, the other miko had met....

*~*~*~*~*

She looked at her.

The other girl stared right back.

The resemblance was uncanny. It was almost like looking at their own reflections. Both had long raven colored hair that reached their waists. Same bone structure. Same build. Same robes even, ones that indicated that they were respected mikos. Same colored eyes, and same expressions of wonder and surprise at the sight of each other.

"I guess it's true what they say, ne? That we all really have some sort of twin out there..."

"I guess so."

"Ano- I am known was Kagome."

"My name is Kikyou."

"Yes, I know. You are known throughout these lands and beyond," Kagome smiled. That was the one difference. Kagome only stayed in her own village, and rarely ever traveled, unless it was urgent. "I just never knew what you looked like." Kagome then laughed.

"Is something amusing you?" Kikyou asked.

"Our resemblance to each other. It now explains why this one man dropped everything he was holding, and bowed down, mumbling your name. You could just imagine my surprise!" she exclaimed. Kikyou smiled, knowing what she was talking about.

"Welcome to our village. I hope that you enjoy your stay."

"I'm sure that it will be interesting. Where will we be staying for the night?"

"We?"

"Hai. There are-"

"Kikyou-sama! Kikyou-sama!" Kagome heard children's' screams. The next thing she knew, she was knocked to the ground, two energetic children pinning her down. Iie, a baby youkai, a little kitsune, and a little girl? Kagome thought.

An exasperated sigh escaped Kikyou's form. "I told you two not to do that anymore, it's undignified," she said to the two little ones, bur they were still looking at Kagome, with their backs to her.

"Kikyou-sama! How did you do that? You talked without moving your mouth!" the girl squealed out.

"She's a all-powerful miko, Rin-chan. Of course she can do that!"

"I know that Shippou-chan!" Turning back to Kagome, she said, "Kikyou-sama! Can you show me how you did that?"

"Ano ne..." Kagome said, amused. They thought that she was Kikyou, which really wasn't surprising at all.

"That isn't your Kikyou-sama," another voice stepped in.

The children looked up to se who had intruded, only to see a boy, who was just about a few years older.

"What are you talking about? Of course this is Kikyou-sama! There's no other Kikyou-sama here!" they said in unison, and the boy laughed.

"Souta," Kagome said warningly, but he only laughed again and pointed at something behind them, to a somewhat annoyed looking miko.

"THAT'S your Kikyou-sama."

"Eh?" The children turned around. Indeed, their Kikyou-sama was standing there. And they were over here. Is she wasn't here, and was over there, then whom were they just talking to?

"Ahh! Gomen- ehehehe." The little kitsune apologized, and jumped off immediately. Rin did likewise. They watched as she picked herself up, and brush off the dust.

"So, who in the world are you?" Shippo asked.

"Shippou!" Kikyo said, tired of their ignorance.

"Hai?"

"Stop that! It isn't polite. I've told you not to jump on me. Look where it's got you."

"Well, if you had the Shikon no Tama with you, I would have known..." Shippou protested.

"It's being examined by that old lady, Kaede-sama," Rin offered.

"I know that! I'm not stu-"

"Ano, excuse me, demo..." All eyes turned towards Souta. "I was sent here to show you your rooms for the next few weeks, Kikyou-sama," he said, and then bowed respectfully.

"Oh! That's right! I forgot," Kagome muttered. Then she felt a small tug on her robes, and looked down. It was Rin. "Nani?"

"What's your name?" she asked, looking up.

Kagome smiled. "My name is Kagome."

"Ahh, well, you really do look like Kikyo-sama, Kagome-sama. Gomen ne, for earlier."

"It's all right."

"Let's go Rin! This guy is gonna show us where the food is!" Shippou said.

"Yay!"

They then grabbed Souta's hands and tugged him away, with him protesting.

Kikyou and Kagome watched them go. They smiled at each other in amusement, before heading into the same direction.

Kagome knew that it was a start of a beautiful friendship.

*~*~*~*~*

More tears slid down her face as she remembered her friend, though they only knew each other for a short while. They just took to each other so well, told each other their innermost feelings. Shared their secrets and wishes. They were both mikos, so both would understand how the other one felt. But now... But now, Kikyou was gone. Although, technically, she wasn't. They thought that she was Kikyou. That Kikyou was still alive. But she wasn't.

Hours later, Kagome was still awake, pondering things. Like, how was she supposed to tell these people?

'Hi! Thank you so very much for helping me get better. Oh, and by the way, I'm not Kikyou. I'm Kagome. Since this has all been some ugly mistake, I'll be on my way now. Ja ne!'

No. That is not the way to go.

Suddenly, Kagome saw that the door was opening, softly. She closed her eyes and pretended to be in deep slumber.

The person, whoever it was, stopped at the foot of the bed, and for what seemed like an eternity, just stood there. Kagome thought that it could be Sesshoumaru, since he was a quiet one, but the moment the person spoke, she knew it wasn't so.

"Bitch. I know that you're awake, and that you can hear me. Don't even bother to say hello. I just came here to remind you of our deal. You didn't forget did you now? Damn whore, it was a good thing you came out of that fire alive, though I didn't see why you had to take the annoying ones with you. You should've just let them die, and rot in hell," he said sinisterly and then chuckled. Kagome still didn't stir, and stayed as still as possible, fearing for her life.

"I don't care what you think, but know this. You can not escape, and don't even think about trying to shoot me with any of your purifying arrows. It won't work." The figure now moved to her side, and stroked her cheek with cold and clammy hands. It took all her willpower not to flinch away from the dreadful touch.

"Remember what I've told you to do. Kill Inuyasha, his brother, and his good for nothing friends. Make it easier for me to take over. Just be a good girl and do as you're told."

Kagome seethed. She wanted the man to leave, whoever he was. And he soon did. The moment the door closed, she let out the breath that she had been holding. Who was that man? And what the heck was he talking about? Kikyou was going to kill Inuyasha and everyone else? That can't be right. Kikyou wouldn't agree to such a thing. I'll think about that later. But right now, I have to find out who that person was. I should have opened my eyes, but I was too scared, she thought. And then frowned.

This man, like everyone else, thought that she was Kikyou. If she revealed her true identity, then she would surely be killed without finding out whom he was, and warn the people here. He had already revealed too much to a stranger. And that man would probably be undercover, because only the most trusted would have been able to get this far in the castle of the western lands.

She had to pretend that she was known near and far, and that she was a miko who has done wondrous deeds for all the peoples of the lands.

In order to stay alive, she had to be Kikyou.

This complicates things a bit, she thought. What have I gotten myself into now?

*~*~*~*~*

Author's Note: Well, what do you people think of it so far? Interesting? Bad? Good? So so? Or maybe you don't care much for it? Is there anything that I might need to improve on? Anything that you couldn't understand? Please tell me! It's just a first attempt at an Inuyasha fic.... *sigh* If it's not good, I might stop, and return to some other stories that I haven't updated in a LOOOONG time. Shame on me! ^_^

Well, ja! Until next time!

~Enchanted Pink Jade

E-mail: Lyricalaznangel@aol.com